Chapter 1: A Call to Friendship

Recently, I reached out to an old friend after several months of silence. I didn’t have any specific reason for the call other than a longing for our conversations. The sound of his voice, even if only through the phone, was something I truly missed. As magicians, our chats often veer into work territory, but this time it was purely sentimental. While it may seem unrelated, this ties into my experience with my dad's lighter. Let me elaborate.

Before I came into the world, my father was employed at Dunhill, a recruitment agency. By the time I was born, he had established his own headhunting business, leaving Dunhill behind. Both of my parents were smokers until they decided to start a family. My mother quit smoking during her pregnancy, and my father made a compromise by switching to cigars, which he would enjoy on their balcony. He eventually quit smoking altogether in the late 1980s.

My father passed away in 2018, and among his belongings, I discovered an old Zippo lighter. This lighter was vintage, featuring different hinges and a lighting mechanism compared to contemporary models. Unfortunately, its inner workings were in disrepair: the spring holding the flint was broken, and even the cotton stuffing had deteriorated. However, this lighter was a meaningful gift from his former employer, adorned with the company's contact details, including an old phone number without an area code—a relic from a bygone era reminiscent of the Mad Men period.

Once I relocated to California, I decided to restore the lighter to working order. As I do not smoke cigarettes, I knew that a standard Zippo would not be practical for me. Instead, I opted to replace the internal components with a modern Zippo insert that uses butane, providing a soft flame instead of traditional lighter fluid, which tends to evaporate when unused. This way, the lighter became not just a nostalgic piece but also a functional one.

Chapter 2: The Value of Sentimentality

In conversations around sustainability, many emphasize the importance of acquiring fewer new items to protect the environment or save money. However, I propose another perspective: the value of sentimentality.

While sentimentality can sometimes be excessive, it can also be incredibly rewarding. A functional tool is nice, but a tool that evokes fond memories is even better. For instance, nobody will cherish their late father's Apple Watch in the same way they will value an inherited Rolex. My father's lighter falls into that cherished category.

Chapter 3: Restomodding and Its Meaning

In the automotive world, there's a term known as "restomodding," which refers to restoring an old vehicle to preserve its aesthetic while integrating modern features like a new engine and updated technology. I’ve applied a similar principle to watchmaking, where I would acquire broken vintage watches from eBay, refurbishing them with new mechanisms and dials. These watches now adorn the wrists of friends and family, treasured instead of languishing in the back of a drawer or ending up in a landfill. The process I undertook with my father's lighter can also be viewed as a form of restomodding.

Anything created with care deserves a second chance, especially when it retains its utility. This notion is worth considering the next time you contemplate discarding something or brush off the idea of reconnecting with an old friend.

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