While rooting through a box in my basement, I came across something that I had no idea I still had. It was my very first watch, a cat-in-the-hat winder. I remember receiving this little treasure as a gift for xmas, probably around 1980. I was really young so memories are a little hazy, but I do remember wearing it proudly to grade school on it’s black leather band (now lost). I pulled this thing out of that box and it was like a blast from the past. Now that I have a 7 week old son, I find myself thinking about stuff I never, ever thought I’d spend mental cycles on, what kinds of things will he remember when he is my age? Will he save everything like I apparently did?
Amazingly enough, this watch still works. It’s a hand winder with some kind of a swiss movement. On the case back it reads:

Lafayette Watch Co
Swiss Made
Base Metal
26002

The “crystal” appears to be some kind of hard plastic and it’s fairly scuffed but it actually keeps decent time. My mother could not believe that I still had it.

Now, if I could only find a replacement for my first digital watch.

This is the only reference I have ever seen to one of these. It was probably my all time favorite watch, I remember when it stopped working. I was pretty bummed. Mine was black and I remember receiving it as well. Great memories.