The Tudor Ranger, Our Journey, and Why We're Breaking Thanksgiving Tradition

Good morning {{first_name|Reader}}.

Ditch the 🦃.

Three things this week: a watch that proves you don't need to follow the hype, where we are on the path to work optional, and why we're cooking prime rib instead of turkey this Thanksgiving.

This is what intentional living looks like to me. Not following traditions just because they're traditions. Not spending money because it's expected. Just making deliberate choices about what matters.

Let's get into it. But first help me out…

— Ian

(see what watch I’m wearing today)

I don't own this watch yet. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.

But it’s cool enough that I'm writing about it anyway.

The Tudor Ranger in white. A tool watch that looks good enough to wear anywhere, on a bracelet, on a strap, to the office, to the mountains, doesn't matter.

Here's the thing: watch enthusiasts have been asking Rolex to make a white dial Explorer for years. Rolex keeps saying no. So Tudor made something so close to it that for some people, it might actually be enough.

Size matters. (Allegedly) 36mm is the universal, wear anywhere, size. It's not trying too hard. It's not screaming for attention. It fits. On a slim wrist, it disappears into the background. On a larger wrist, it still looks intentional, not undersized. So many modern watches are bloated. This one understands proportion.

The white dial is what gets me. It’s clean. It’s versatile. Works in any setting. Not trendy. Not flashy. Just classy. A white dial watch works in a boardroom at 9am and on a hiking trail at 3pm. It works with a suit and with jeans. It doesn't demand anything from you except to notice its restraint.

And here's the practical part: this is a tool watch. Not a dress watch. You could wear it while woodworking, cutting grass, doing actual work. But it also looks good enough to wear to dinner. That versatility is rare. Most watches are either "I'm a serious tool" or "I'm fancy." This one is both, yet neither. Something in between that somehow works perfectly.

It's built from solid stainless steel. Sapphire crystal scratch-proof glass. It’s there to last, not impress.

Is it a "good value"? Probably not. It's a bit expensive for what you're getting. Similar specs exist at lower price points from other manufacturers.

But is it a reasonable purchase? Yeah.

And that's different.

There's a difference between value and reasonableness. Value is objective—cost per feature, specs compared to price. Reasonableness is personal. It's asking: does this make sense for my life, my goals, my philosophy?

The Tudor Ranger is reasonable. You're paying for:

There’s no hype or exclusivity. It’s a tool that works.

If you're just starting your collection and want something that doesn't scream "I'm a newbie," this is a great choice. It's priced high enough to feel genuine, yet affordable enough that you won't need to break the bank. This watch gives off an "I know what I'm doing" vibe, even if you're still figuring it out.

If you're after something unique, not the same watch everyone at the office is sporting, not the obvious pick, this is the one. How many people do you know with a white dial tool watch? (Still working on getting a white 16570, more on that soon)

Exactly. Most folks either aim for a Rolex (and end up on a waitlist) or go for something cheap (and it feels that way). This watch strikes the perfect balance. It's for those who aren't swayed by trends. They just want something that looks great and actually works. It's something you can wear every day for the next twenty years without a second thought.

Here's what I'm thinking about: this watch will hold its value. Not appreciating, probably. But not depreciating either. In five years, you could wear this daily and probably sell it for somewhere around what you paid. That's not an investment in the financial sense. But it's an investment in the "buy it for life" sense. You can hand this down to someone special when you’re done with it and it will outlast you.

Compare that to a $800 watch you buy because it's trendy. In five years, it's worth $300.

The Tudor Ranger isn't cheap. But it's intentional. And that's the whole point.

Presented by The Laughter Collection

Buy Pre-Owned Watches with Confidence

Every watch authenticated by experts. 1-year warranty. White glove service. This is how you buy quality timepieces without the retail markup. Intentional luxury at its finest.

Explore Collection

This Month's Breakdown:

Starting net worth: $XXX,XXX
Contributions (savings): $X,XXX
Investment additions: $X,XXX
Market gains: $X,XXX
Ending net worth: $XXX,XXX

(premium subscribers will see our actual numbers below)

My wife and I are progressing steadily toward work optional.

The stock market has been generally kind to us lately. Even with all the noise about job numbers and people struggling to afford life, our investments are up. I don’t know how or why this works this way, so please don’t ask.

We're still on pace. Still sticking to the plan. Same monthly contributions. Same discipline.

And honestly? It's boring as hell.

I know that sounds crazy. We're building toward work optional. We're hitting milestones. But the actual process is monotonous. Same contributions. Same investments. Same monthly rhythm.

But boring is the point.

Investing isn't exciting. It shouldn't be. The people who think they can beat the market with exciting strategies are usually the ones losing money.

The people building real wealth? They're doing the boring thing consistently. Contributing. Investing. Taking the wins and the losses. Accepting that some months the market goes up, some months it goes down.

And they keep going anyway.

Because here's the truth: no amount of money can get back time in the market. You can't go back and invest years ago. All you can do is get your money in the game today and let it work.

So we take the Ls and Ws. But if history keeps on track, the Ws add up.

We're on pace to reach work optional well before we expected. Maybe sooner than that.

Time off from work gives me time to reflect. And this week, I've been thinking about how the holidays fit into all of this.

We set money aside every year for the holidays. It's not a surprise expense. It's planned. It's intentional. We know in January that November and December will cost more, so we adjust our monthly budget accordingly.

Living below our means makes this easy. We're not panicking in October wondering how we'll afford Thanksgiving dinner. We're not going into debt for the holidays. We're not making credit card purchases we'll pay off in January.

We planned for this months ago.

Most people are reactive with money. Holiday spending surprises them. Black Friday deals tempt them. Year-end bonuses feel like found money to spend.

We're proactive. We know our numbers. We know our plan. We know what we can spend and what we can't.

And when we decide to spend—like on prime rib instead of turkey—it's a deliberate choice, not a panic purchase.

Here's what nobody tells you about building wealth: it's unglamorous. It's repetitive. It's the same decision over and over and over again. And sometimes, it sucks.

Same contribution schedule. Same investment allocation. Same monthly rhythm. Year after year after year.

But that consistency is what actually works.

The people chasing hot stocks and timing the market? They're exciting at dinner parties. They're also usually broke.

The people doing the same boring thing every single month? They're building something real.

I've learned to stop fighting the boredom. I've learned to embrace it. Because boredom at the financial level is actually progress at the life level.

My Finance Institution of Choice

Wealthfront: Where We Park Our Monthly Investments

Automated investing with tax-loss harvesting that can save thousands. High-yield cash accounts. No minimum balance. No advisory fees on your first $10k. This is the platform serious investors use when they're tired of managing it themselves.

Start Building Wealth →

We're done with turkey.

After decades of having it every Thanksgiving, we're officially done.

So this year, we spent real money on a prime rib and cooked it at our house.

Turkey is tradition. I get it. But tradition for the sake of tradition? Do you do it because you want to do it, or because some Pilgrim allegedly did it? That's not intentional. That's just habit.

We're adults. We can make our own rules.

And our rule this year is: we love beef. We're tired of poultry. Prime rib it is.

The kids were confused at first. "Where's the turkey?"

But after a few bites of quality beef and some of their mom's famous mac and cheese on their plates, they were in.

No one complained. No one said we were doing it wrong.

They just ate good food with people they love. (And I got the meat sweats)

Some people will say: "Must be nice to afford that."

To which I say: yes, it is nice. And maybe you can afford it too.

This isn't about being frugal. We're not trying to save money by eating cheaper. We're being intentional with our money. We made a deliberate decision to spend real money on a meal we actually want to eat, instead of spending less on something we've eaten a thousand times.

That's different.

We almost always prioritize high-quality food. It's expensive. But it's important to us, so we adjust our spending accordingly.

Don't do things just because they've always been done that way. Don't spend money on things just because you've always spent money on them.

Try something different. Make your own rules. See what happens.

Will we do prime rib again next year? Who knows. Maybe. Maybe we'll try something else. (Have always wanted to try Turducken)

The point isn't the prime rib. The point is the choice.

A kinda watch I want but don't own yet. Progress that feels boring but is actually working. A prime rib instead of turkey.

The common thread: doing what makes sense for YOU, not what makes sense for everyone else.

The Tudor Ranger isn't the most hyped watch. But it's the right watch for me.

Boring, consistent investing isn't exciting. But it's building wealth.

Prime rib instead of turkey breaks tradition. But it's what we actually want.

Here's what I'm most grateful for this Thanksgiving:

Time is the thing money can't buy. And right now, I'm getting more of it because we're intentional about everything else.

That's worth more than any watch.

Thanks for reading,

Ian