The Creative Act

This story is brought to via the pen of my Father-in-law, Dr. Dennis Pitt

My Dad presented me with an Omega wristwatch when I graduated from medical school in 1972 at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.  It was a gold coloured Constellation model and the most elegant watch I had ever seen.  It showed the day of the month in addition to the time and was engraved on the back with: DR. DENNIS PITT QUEENS MEDS 72.

I was very pleased with the present although a little surprised.  I knew the Greek alphabet but the brand name was unknown to me and my Dad had never been interested in watches, jewellery or expensive trinkets of any kind.  He was a high school drop out who had been a pilot in the British Royal Air Force during World War Two and settled in Kingston to a successful career in the federal penitentiary service.  Golf was his passion.

Several of my medical school classmates received mementoes of the university as graduation presents such as Queen’s University bookends and prints of buildings and landscapes on the campus.  My Omega watch did not have a Queen’s crest on it.

A few days after graduation my Dad showed me his new watch.  He had bought an Omega watch for himself at the same time he bought mine and his was a Seamaster model.  Again I was surprised.  I guessed he thought he deserved a reward for the moral and financial support he had provided me with during my six years of university.

I left home for London, Ontario to do my internship and wore my new watch everywhere.   One day I unfortunately left it unattended and unlocked in a gymnasium for a brief moment and someone stole it.  I was mortified.  I knew I would never recover the watch and it was entirely my own fault.

The next week I went to a jewellery store in London and ordered a new Omega Constellation watch with the engraving on the back.  When I picked it up three weeks later I was shocked by the price. It cost over $400 and l just barely had enough money to pay for it. My income for the entire year was only $7200.  I was stunned that my Dad would put that much money into wristwatches.

The only difference between the replacement and the original watch was the addition of the day of the week next to the date of the month display, presumably a newer model of the Constellation.

The next time I was home to Kingston my Dad noticed the weekday display on my watch and I had to confess my carelessness in losing the original.  He did not say much.

A couple of years ago my wife was restoring an antique desk of her mother’s and I questioned the rationale of paying more for the restoration than the desk was worth new.  She explained the sentimental value of heirlooms and suggested I consider restoring the old watch I inherited from my father.  It still kept perfect time but was discoloured and battered.  I thought he would have taken better care of such an expensive watch.  My own Omega was like new except for some minor scratches.

I did have my Dad’s watch restored and since then have alternated wearing the two Omega watches.

Recently I was ordering a book on-line and needed to add another book to get free shipping.  I happened on a book about the Omega watch company and added it to my order.

Mystery #1

The book related the history of the Omega Watch Company and various promotional activities.  In response to the demand for military watches in World War Two, Omega delivered 110,000 Seamaster watches with their large numerals and water-resistant cases to the British Royal Air Force.  These watches probably went to high-ranking officers and not to my father who was only a Pilot Officer.  I can imagine my father admiring the Swiss watches in the wartime officers’ mess and trying not to be envious of his superior officers.  His family had struggled financially because of his father’s disabilities incurred in the British army trenches in World War One and my Dad would have only seen expensive Swiss watches in magazine advertisements.  Trinkets for rich people.

No wonder he chose an Omega watch as a prestigious gift for his only son’s graduation from medical school and found a reason to obtain his own Omega Seamaster.

Mystery #2

The book gave fascinating accounts of the various models of Omega watches over the years and the competitions between Swiss watch companies for accuracy of their products.  With our current supply of inexpensive precise quartz watches, it was interesting to read about the investment and craftsmanship put into some of the Swiss mechanical watches to attain official recognition and certification as chronometers from the Swiss rating agencies.  Only exceptional Swiss watches were made to attain the official certification.

A few days later an Ottawa snowstorm caused several cancellations in my clinic and I had some time to reflect and ponder between patients.  It occurred to me that my watch might be an expensive Omega Constellation, officially certified.  I looked at my watch with a bright light and could just barely make out the fine print on the face.  Under the Omega name was: Automatic Chronometer Officially Certified.  I smiled to myself throughout the rest of the day because I knew what I would see when I looked at my Dad’s watch that evening when I got home from work.  Sure enough, it did not have the official certification designation.  He would never have invested that much money in a mere wristwatch.

The two watches intrigued me for many years and my father would have been amused that I finally solved their mysteries.