Torn About Gifting Juliets To My Son For Graduation...

[Coth]

A difficult decision to be sure... But unless he's into collecting things already I would say wait. A collector's item has to be fully appreciated and taken care of. Give him a few years and he'll better prepared to understand the value of what he's been given. Otherwise you'd better be prepared for the emotional trauma of having your collector's item become beater Juliets

 

[Rustpot]

I got my first pair when I was... I think a junior in high school. They were XX Twenty (not the metals) in black with black polarized. Absolutely killer pair, I just didn't realize they were too small for me at the time.

My parents got me the glasses, my sister got me a ballistic case. This was big money for us, even though I'm probably like your kids in that I never really had to work for anything. I wouldn't consider myself spoiled, but there wasn't much strife in my life.

I babied those things like you wouldn't believe. When I finally sold them about 5 years later you couldn't tell they weren't new off the shelf, aside from the rubber being a bit out of sorts.

If he's already got Oakleys and these won't mean all that much I'd say no. Get him a pair of shades he can wear as a LEO in a few years like an SI Fuel Cell and tell him he needs to look the part on patrol or something.

 

[Beancooker]

Otherwise you'd better be prepared for the emotional trauma of having your collector's item become beater Juliets

No offense to anyone here, but these aren't really a collectors item. They are a carbon frame with BIP lenses. I picked up a pair at the O-Store a few weeks ago. They still have a few pairs left. If these were a pair of serialized first gens that were still BNIB, I might say different. Once again, I mean no offense. I have the same pair and I love them, but at the end of the day it's just a pair of glasses. If he wears them every day and they're a pair of beaters but he enjoys them, that is the best gift that could be given.

 

[rightcoastnj]

beancooker makes a good point - it depends on if YOU can handle watching him potentially mess them up, even though he may be loving them and wearing the crap out of them

 

[Rustpot]

No offense to anyone here, but these aren't really a collectors item. They are a carbon frame with BIP lenses. I picked up a pair at the O-Store a few weeks ago. They still have a few pairs left. If these were a pair of serialized first gens that were still BNIB, I might say different. Once again, I mean no offense. I have the same pair and I love them, but at the end of the day it's just a pair of glasses. If he wears them every day and they're a pair of beaters but he enjoys them, that is the best gift that could be given.

I agree. A lot of people here put their pairs on a pedestal. I'd rather have a beat to piss pair on the shelf in a few years where I can remember how every mark on them was part of life's adventure, rather than let them collect dust and be pretty.

I regret selling the one pair that was a gift to me, a mistake of youth. An expensive pair like Juliets I'd be more afraid of a college-aged kid selling or trading at some point to make ends meet or whatever and regretting letting a gift go later in life.

If he really loves Juliets go buy another and give them to him. If you're just thinking about a cool gift and think he'd like Juliets... I'd go get him something he'd really love. Given his other pairs and age he might dig a Jupiter Factory Light or Carbon a lot more than Juliets.

 

[nightpusher1]

Come on guys,the MAN is 18 ,he can marry,have kids ,drive a car ,drink alcohol(in Oz) and join the army to fight in whatever war the politicians choose to start.Do you really think he is not old enough to look after a pair of sunglasses.I just bought my 8 year old a pair of Penny because he loves my Oakleys ,he really wants a pair and will wear them. I hope he will look after them but if he scratches them I will put new lenses in - life is short live it ,don"t worry about the small ****!.

 

[BriP]

it might be a good decision to give him a second-hand pair (or just something NOT Mint-in-box) first. second hand juliets in near-new shape would hurt less if it turns to beaters, rather than a mint in box pair. Also, obviously teach him the little nuances about wearing a pair of Xmetals, such as how to put it on over the head, not to stretch the flex couplers etc, im sure he'll be super excited. I'll vote YES.

 

[Beancooker]

I agree. A lot of people here put their pairs on a pedestal. I'd rather have a beat to piss pair on the shelf in a few years where I can remember how every mark on them was part of life's adventure, rather than let them collect dust and be pretty.

This man speaks truth.

 

[OakleyCan]

Valid points by all, I'm going to say you may both be happier by going to the O-store and letting him pick his pair. You'll likely be saving money vs the carbon pair and you get to keep your NIB pair and not get upset when he swings by the house and they are no longer mint.

Not that he is not worthy of the Juliet's, or that they are unattainable but I get the impression the hold more value ( Not just money wise) to you then they might to him.

 

[nlgrav182]

Give them to him because you want him to have them, not because you want him to take care of them. You're not going to buy new ones if he breaks them.