At Avi & Co., we are celebrating Father’s Day with luxurious gifts for dad that can be passed down for generations. Our CEO and founder, Avi Hiaeve, grew up surrounded by watches and jewelry. He worked at his dad’s jewelry store in Long Island a few days a week when he was 14 years old. While his dad was a watchmaker in Russia, the hobby of timepieces is what inspired Avi to go into the industry. Now, Avi is a dad of five, and he enjoys sharing his passion with his eldest son.
Inspired by Avi’s experience with his family, I wanted to learn more about other people’s experiences with watches and their families. I asked a few people to share with me a watch story involving the father figure in their life. I was touched by the memories that were shared.
These were three of my favorites, and their names were changed to keep their stories private:
A Proud Dad and a Rolex Day-Date
Tyler, now in his early 60s, would drive his daughter, Alice, to her dance classes every week after school. Even
As a watch enthusiast, attending watch trade shows and conventions are thoroughly engaging. Tradeshows have everything: watches, accessories, and even software. “The importance of trade shows,” Avi & Co.’s Sales Manager Roman Sionov says, “is that it gives you an idea of the current state of the market, how the prices are doing, and what current inventory is out there. This could mean that there are a lot of new watches or very little inventory at the moment. If there’s little inventory, the prices tend to go up. If there’s a lot of inventory in the shows, that tells us that prices might be coming down a bit because a lot of people have watches and want to offload.”
Conventions, on the other hand, are a great platform for businesses such as Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Richard Mille to market their new products to customers as well as for customers to engage in networking opportunities. People from all over the world attend to see the luxury watches and purchase them without the wait
People enjoy noticing what other celebrities are wearing on red carpets and in their day-to-day lives. Collectors love when one of those items makes its way to an auction house. Like Elizabeth Taylor and her Serpenti watch, the timepiece becomes a part of their signature style. Pieces like Princess Diana’s Vacheron Constantin diamond watch inspire new models even to this day.
The brand bought back John F. Kennedy's Presidential Omega in an auction for $350,000 in 2005. It now resides at the Omega Museum in Bienne, Switzerland. Albert Einstein’s Gold Longines inscribed with his name on the caseback sold at auction for $596,000 in 2008.
It’s this connection to these renowned icons that gives these timepieces their value and story. Let’s look at two of the most iconic celebrity watches sold at auction:
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona
Paul Newman, legendary actor, director, producer, race car driver, and philanthropist, is adored worldwide. The Academy Award winner studied at The Actors Studio
One of the best tennis players and most famous professional athletes, Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles, more than any other woman or man. Her sister Venus and she have also won 14 Grand Slam Double titles, the second most for pairs. Serena played tennis since she was 4 years old and she participated in her first professional game when she was just 14. Her serve is considered the greatest in the history of women’s tennis.
Serena believes in standing up for oneself, not losing focus, getting back up when falling, and never giving up. Her views on racial equality and strong bodies are an inspiration to young women everywhere. “Tennis is a small play in the whole scheme of things,” she said. “In this society, women are not taught or expected to be that future leader or future CEO."
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, Reference #26421ST
"The narrative has to change," she continues. "And maybe it doesn’t get better in time for me, but someone
A Man and His Watch tells the stories of coveted watches from around the world. Author Matt Hranek conducts interviews about historic and never-before-told watch stories from Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona to Omega Moon watches, Sylvester Stallone’s Rolex Submariner, and Franklin Roosevelt’s gold Tiffany watch. It’s a passion project that the author describes as a storybook more so than a watch book. On top of writing, Matt is also a photographer, editor, food and drink enthusiast, husband, father, and, of course, an avid watch collector.
“I have my father’s watch,” the book begins. Matt’s father passed away when he was just eighteen years old. “It’s a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, stainless steel with a black dial. I remember the day my father came home with it on his wrist. He was so proud, and I was so happy for him, because I knew the watch was more than just a new timepiece; that Rolex marked his first successful year in business for himself.”
Summers are all about relaxing on the beach, drinking margaritas by the pool, and having romantic picnics by the lake. However, on those unfortunate rainy days, we love to sit inside with a movie that we can recite from beginning to end.
Here are some of our favorite summer movies that, of course, feature luxury watches:
1.TOP GUN
“I have a need… a need for a pilot watch.”
During his first briefing, Maverick mentions to his instructor that the date of the MiG plane is inaccurate. When she asks him to explain, he swiftly takes off his aviators. He shows his classic Orfino in full view, before explaining in style.
A daredevil Navy pilot (Tom Cruise) successfully joins Top Gun, an elite Fighter School. There, he must give his all if he wants to prove he’s the best and win the Top Gun trophy. Considered to be the best tribute to aviation ever shot, this iconic film also features luxury timepieces.
Entertainment Father’s Day Watch Stories and Gifts for Dad 
