Tis the season. And by now you’ve probably been walloped over the head by 82,000 gift guides. So what’s a few more? Instead of doing a highly generalized, throw-everything-against-the-digital-wall gift guide, we’ll be breaking it up by category. Gifts for the guys who suit up a lot. Or the rugged type. Or the guy who’s really into shoes. Etc. We’ll cover all those, and hopefully a few more in the coming days.
Toddy Gear Smart Cloths – $6 w/ HOLIDAY ($9.99)
Microfiber cleaning cloths that can, depending on the pattern, also double as a pocket square. Smudges on watch crystals happen, and a Toddy Gear cloth is a great way to clean your watch. Unlike thinner cleaning cloths (like the ones that come with some sunglasses), these are thicker and more substantial. One side is for cleaning, the other is for polishing. Much easier to use and makes the job much faster. Their true intended purpose is for smartphones/tablets/laptops, but they work just fine on watch crystals too. Shipping will run you an additional $3, but, with the 40% off code they’re running, it’s all pretty much a wash.
Longitude by Dava Sobel- $12.10
Shown above is the special anniversary edition, with the cover that is worth sourcing a used copy of. Solving the Longitude Problem was one of the greatest achievements of human kind, yet most of us have never heard the story and/or don’t understand quite what the fuss was about. Y’know how fancy mechanical watches that have been certified to be accurate within a few seconds a day get to carry the word “chronometer” on them? Right. The first one of those was invented by a guy named John Harrison, and his invention changed the world. This is a story of discovery, utter nonsensical drama, and political intrigue (and stupid infighting). It’s short, it’s punchy, and it’s a great read for anyone who loves timepieces.
Museum of Modern Art Block Daily Calendar – $15
Part of the reason some of us like to wear a wristwatch is because it’s a wearable reminder of the passage of time. Life moves pretty fast. And while it’s not a good idea to spend all your time contemplating the passage of time, flipping a block or four, every day, might help prevent being wasteful of our most precious resource.
Watch Repair Kit – $15.99
Maybe not jewelry shop quality in terms of the tools, but still, not bad either for the minimal price. Comes with spring bars too, and those tiny jewelers screw drivers also come in handy when it comes to sunglasses.
Yamazaki Tower Deskbar – $26.23 ($30)
The perfect desk catchall for the watch wearer. Wood and steel all tied together with great lines. And that elevated piece is perfect for setting a wristwatch for safekeeping. Sold by Amazon and ships fast and free with Prime.
Nomad Horween Leather AirPods Case – $30
The iconic clean white of Apple’s products is instantly recognizable. But all that white plastic is also super modern. As modern as… using your smartphone to check the time. Which I’m guessing the guy you’re shopping for doesn’t like to do, if he wears a watch. These Horween leather cases help knock the hyper-modern factor down quite a bit. Too spendy? You could always get a cheaper version from Amazon.
A Man and his Watch by Matt Hranek – $31.50
Multiple things can be true. This book is, at times, insufferably silly (they’re just wristwatches), yet it’s also incredibly cool. It’s a coffee table book that explores individual time pieces, their owners, and the stories behind them. Came out a couple years back and still quite popular.
Crown & Buckle “Supreme” NATO Straps – $34
I picked up the above Christopher Ward “nearly new” manual wind C65 Trident during one of their “nearly new” sales earlier this year. I wanted to replicate the 1970s style of the Omega Seamaster 300 from SPECTRE, without, y’know, SPENDING MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. Anyway, this is the end result. Super happy with it. The bracelet on the watch is terrific, but the smoothness yet robustness of the Supreme NATO from Crown & Buckle really, really works. Absolutely worth the splurge compared to cheap NATOs.
Watch Box / Watch Organizer – $37.77
Sleek, simple, extraordinarily well reviewed. Give that watch collection a home, as opposed to having timepieces strewn about, loose, ready to be knocked onto the floor. This particular model is solid wood with a felt bottom, so even if it does slide around a little, it won’t go scratching up whatever it sits on.
Mediasonic TEANA 20-Watt Bluetooth Speaker – $39.99
Watches are tools. They can be great looking. Speakers are also tools. Most are not great looking. This one is great looking.
A nice “Beater” Watch
Dependable, good looking enough, and the type of thing you take with you on a quick trip or wear on the weekends when you’re knocking about, and don’t want to risk damage to a prized timepiece. If this thing does get a scratch in the crystal or somehow gets dropped in a lake and goes to hell? It won’t cause the tears to flow.
Gingko Octagon Modern LED Desk Lamp – $70
A surprisingly useful, rechargeable lamp that’s perfect for those evening strap changes or mod jobs. Base has some good weight to it too. Makes it stable. It’s not some flimsy thing. Casts great, sharp light. And the octagon base is so simple, yet so incredibly useful, thanks to easily positioning the light differently by simply setting it on a different side.
Watch Luggage
- Worn & Wound Harris Tweed and CXL #8 Leather Two Watch Fold – $99
- 3 Watch Leatherette Roll – $17
- Single Watch “Watchpod” – $15
Good gravy that watch fold from Worn and Wound is gorgeous. Sure, you could just shove your watch(es) down into a shoe and then stuff extra socks on top of it. But maybe you want to keep it in a briefcase or something closer to on your person. Who knows.
Southern Lights Electric Original Bell Jar Table Lamp – $108.98 ($135)
Why this made in the USA, Edison Bulb, cloth cord lamp? Because it looks precisely like the kinda thing a guy who has a few mechanical wristwatches would like. Shipping is a steep $10, but I’m guessing that’s because they want to get it to you in one piece. Includes a 30 W Edison-style filament bulb.
Seiko SKX (007, 009) Automatics – $230 – $330
Because these things are legendary, and sadly it sounds like they’ll at some point be retired from production in favor of the new Seiko 5 Sports line. 42mm case, 200m water resistance, screw down crown, and a dependable Seiko automatic movement beating inside. Seiko’s own Hardlex crystal protects the dial. Good lume. Doesn’t hack or hand wind, but it’s really quite comfortable on the wrist and the 120 click bezel is good and solid.
Something midpriced*, and unexpected
- Bulova Devil Diver Automatic – $500ish
- Dan Henry 1947 Dress Watch – $190
- Hamilton 41mm Khaki Pilot Pioneer Automatic – $569.97
- Glycine Combat Sub Automatic – $369 FINAL (ships Jan. 6th via DROP)
- Nodus Retrospect II Automatic – $450
- Orient Bambino 2nd Gen V2 – $130
Keep the receipt, and make him be honest. If he DOESN’T LIKE IT then it has to go back. But sometimes us watch wearing folks need a little push out of a wrist-wear rut. So something different and/or from an unexpected brand could be a fun play. *Note that “midpriced” is relative. Some in the watch wearing community would see these watches as downright affordable. Some of us reading this will think some of the above picks cost an absurd amount of money, just for some dumb thing you can wear on your wrist. It all depends on your perspective, and perspectives can vary wildly. Nothing about wristwatches makes any sense. So save any silly social media outrage for something that perhaps remotely matters. This doesn’t.
His “Grail” Watch
For the extra, extra nice. Chances are he’s mentioned what he has his eye on. Also, get it insured. This takes some planning. Maybe this is a few years down the line and saving/smart decisions will have to be made. But, well, for the ladies… how much did that engagement ring cost again?