'AITA for not wearing my $15,000 birthday present?' 'I mostly wear gold.'
"AITA for not wearing my $15,000 birthday present?"
I enjoy collecting and wearing watches, and recently, for my birthday, my girlfriend gifted me a grey market Rolex Submariner. This was a surprise she didn't consult me on, and I was grateful for the gesture, but for a couple reasons, it wasn't my style at all:
1) I mostly wear gold or gold toned watches because they match my skin tone a lot better than steel watches do, and the watch she gifted me was stainless steel 2) I've mentioned multiple times that I really dislike Rolexes, especially their cyclops (the part of the watch indicating the date), and find them ugly.
Because I was grateful for the gesture, I wore it a few times and then went back to wearing my normal rotation. My girlfriend insisted I wear the watch she got me, and when I said no, she got angry and said it's not fair she spent almost $15,000 for a watch I didn't even like.
I know a watch may not seem like a big deal, but to put it into perspective, imagine somebody gave you a present relating to a hobby you really enjoy, but something completely opposite to your preferences and tastes within they hobby, and insisted you use it daily.
Here's what people had to say to OP:
creamyturtle said:
Oh man your life must be hell being forced to wear a 15k Rolex. How stressful.
obtusewisdom said:
My ex used to buy things for me that were expensive but totally not my style. He would then be annoyed, but it bothered me more that the gifts weren't thoughtful. I didn't care about the price tag, but he acted like the cost made it worthwhile and I was ridiculous. It's kinda like being bought yourself. So yeah, he's my ex, and you're NTA.
Emergency_Muscle_226 said:
NTA. If anyone is, it's her tbh. Did she just hear "I like expensive watches" and then go pick out the first one she saw? I'd take a gift like that as my partner not really listening to me or paying attention to my interests at the very least.
Impossible_Rain_4727 said:
NTA: There have been a few stories posted here from women complaining that their partners bought jewelry that wasn't their style. I see this as no different. She could have easily looked at your collection and seen the types of metals you wear. She could have easily listened to you when you expressed your brand preferences. You specifically communicated what you found ugly.
It would be like, if a man bought his wife a neon hot-pink Chanel purse, when the rest of her collection is beige/neutral Hermes purses. It is a sign that they didn't pay enough attention to the person they were shopping for. Best thing would be to exchange the watch for one you would actually wear. $15k to far too much money to just sit in a draw unused.
mizireni said:
NTA. Anybody who's going to spend a ton of money on a gift should make sure it's going to be a gift the recipient likes if they don't want their money to be wasted. In this case, it sounds like you made it clear what you liked and didn't like, and she just bought what she wanted to get you.
apieceofeight said:
NTA. I had an ex that got me things that were expensive but not what I liked. It felt like he didn’t know me or listen to me. A somewhat equivalent to this would be getting an engagement ring someone hated — if you’re going to spend the money, wouldn’t you at least want to ensure the person wearing it will like it? Is it possible to exchange the watch for a different style at least?