My girlfriend[22f] ruined my 50k watch and I don't know if I can forgive her
First off, I want to appologize for all the errors I'm sure this post will have.
I am literally shaking right now and can't handle myself. A little background. My biggest hobby and a decent source of my income is from collecting/buying/selling/trading vintage watches. I spend most of my free time doing this. My favorite watch and prized possesion is a 70s Rolex Sea Dweller DRSD with a unique/valuable dial. Not sure if this is important to anyone, but maybe some people will understand why I'm so upset by this. I saved up for a while and spent years trying to find this watch. It is all original and was sold by Tiffany & Co when they had a relationship with Rolex. It has Tiffany & Co printed in small letters on the dial, which is one of the main reasons it's so valuable.
None of the parts have been replaced or refinished and it is in great condition.
Because of this, it looks quite old and doesn't really look like the stereotypical nice watch. The bezel is very faded, the dial is aged and has changed color, the case has never been polished so all the scratches can be seen. It looks like an old beat up watch. I was on a work related trip to Huston, and my girlfriend texted me saying she had an amazing birthday surprise for me. I thought maybe she had a fun day planned or had found some cool old watch parts or something.
I never expected what she had done.
I got home and she sat me down all excited and gave me a wrapped up gift box. I opened it up and it was vintage Rolex box, and I was really surprised and excited because she knows what my hobby is and I figured she got me some cool watch parts or maybe she just put the present in the vintage box knowing that I'd like it. I opened up the box and discovered that it was my vintage DRSD, my prized possesion. Except it wasn't. She had taken it to a local Jeweler and "restored" every bit of it.
The case was shiny and polished, the bezel was replace, and worst of all the dial was refinished. She had also gotten the caseback engraved with "OP and Girlfriend" and our anniversary date.
The dial is by far the most expensive part of the watch, and only because it was all original/untouched and had the tiffany dial. A refinished dial is pretty much worthless. All and all, the watch is now worth maybe 10k now. I immediately broke down.
I didn't even know what to say. My prized possesion that took me years to aquire is ruined. I don't even know what to do.
She thought I'd be really happy that the watch looked "new" again.
I understand that she was trying to do something really nice, but I am so upset by this. I'm not sure I can remain with her after this. Not just because the watch is destroyed though. Vintage watches are a huge part of my life, and something I talk about all the time. I have told her a million times that the value is because it's all original. That the dial should never be redone, etc. She has even asked me why I didn't get them fixed up to look like new, and I explained countless times that doing that would ruin the watch and destroy the value. I feel like she just didn't listen to a single thing I've told her.
Like every time we've talked about it she just tuned me out and nodded her head. I can understand if she doesn't care about my hobby but I feel really hurt that she just ignored everything I've told her.
She is really fashion, and even though I'm not interested in it I still listen to what she says and have a basic understanding of certain fashion rules, styles, etc. For example. If I wear X with Y that doesn't go together, she'll say "Ugh OP I told you a million times that you can't wear X with Y" I actually listen to her and take an active interest in what she's trying to say, and don't just ignore and nod my head. Not because I care about it, but I care about her and want to be supportive of her hobbies.
I really don't know what to do. I get what she was trying to do, but it ruined my favorite watch and basically shows that she never once listened to a word I said. I really don't think I can stay with her after this. I guess I'm looking for a way to explain this to her without just coming off like I'm mad that it's worthless now. I want to explain that I'm upset that she tuned out every word I've told her about my hobby.
tl;dr: Girlfriend "restored" my favorite vintage watch and pretty much destroyed it.
