Whether it’s a birthday, an anniversary, or Christmas – with every recurring occasion that calls for a gift, the list of potential future gifts shrinks, and it becomes increasingly difficult to come up with new, creative gift ideas. If the person receiving the gift has a passion for timepieces, making a pre-selection is easy. However, if you’ve already checked off the most obvious ideas in this category over the years, it starts to get harder. If you find yourself in this situation and are looking for inspiration for a different kind of gift for watch lovers, take a look at our tips in this article.
Gift Idea #1: A Trip to a Watch Event or Trade Fair
Nothing makes a watch enthusiast’s heart beat faster than marveling at the latest innovations from their favorite brand live and perhaps even on their own wrist. Events and trade fairs provide the perfect setting for discovering a wide variety of watches, interacting with like-minded people, and networking. Events of this kind range from major industry trade fairs such as Watches and Wonders in Geneva to receptions at jewelry stores where representatives of several or just one brand present new products over canapés and a glass of wine. In recent years, more and more events have been organized by and with content creators, bringing together audiences, creators, and industry representatives. In between are the medium-sized trade fairs – mostly organized by watch media – at which a considerable number of brands are already present. Those kinds of events are perfect for newcomers who want to get an impression of the variety of manufacturers and models for the first time. They are characterized by a healthy mix of established brands and small, still rather unknown manufacturers. Depending on the size of the event, you can include travel or accommodation as a gift, attend the event together, and explore the city before or after. Don’t forget to bring a bag for all the goodies and giveaways!
Gift Idea #2: Watch Art
Photography, decorations, and other watch-related artwork are a dime a dozen. Finding something that appeals to the recipient’s taste may make this idea the most risky, but the options are plentiful. From simple to modern, chic to kitsch, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for online. If you are reasonably sure of what the recipient likes, you can narrow down the selection considerably. For example, if you’re looking for a minimalist or mid-century aesthetic, you might look for a subtle art print depicting a technical drawing of a mechanical watch movement. If you want to appeal to someone’s sense of humor, check out the sketches on Watches & Pencils. The artist reimagines things like the Rolex Submariner as a submarine and a tropical dial as a palm tree full of iconic watch dials instead of coconuts. You can find all kinds of watch-related gifts on marketplaces like Etsy, where artists and hobbyists list items like model guitars, cars, buildings, and more made from old watch parts. Some may find this idea a bit tacky, but others will love it and appreciate the uniqueness and DIY nature of the gift.
Gift Idea #3: Watch Workshops or Seminars
A watch seminar is an ideal gift for watch lovers with an affinity for technology. They typically consist of a theoretical and a practical part, with a clear focus on practice. Such seminars come in a wide variety of forms in terms of duration and the difficulty of the content. A classic beginners’ seminar would guide a group of participants as they dismantle and assemble a hand-wound movement. To ensure that the participants know why and what they are working on, the practical portion is often preceded by a theoretical section that outlines how the mechanical movement and its components work. The availability of these seminars will vary somewhat depending on where you live in the world. They’re usually offered locally by independent watchmakers or by associations and interest groups dedicated to the art of watchmaking. These include, for example, the Horological Society of New York, the British Horological Institute in the UK, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Chronometrie in Germany. Some seminars always take place at the same location, while others are held as traveling events. If you can’t find an event near you or your loved one, plan your next city trip around a watch seminar. Who knows? You might even make new friends who share your passion. Depending on the event, some organizers will let you keep the movement you worked on for an additional fee. If your budget allows it, the caliber makes a great souvenir and lasting memory of the experience.
Gift Idea #4: Vintage Watch Books
There is no shortage of glossy coffee table books about the watch industry out there. Classic favorites like the Mondani Rolex books and Watchprint’s Only series can be found in the homes of countless watch enthusiasts around the world, and do make great gifts. But with prices in the upper three-digit range, these aren’t exactly stocking stuffers. If you want to give a watch enthusiast a literary treat, you should definitely look into used and antiquarian books. What’s considered a no-go for gifting novels or contemporary literature is perfectly fine for watch books. Countless treasures from the heyday of mechanical watches have never been reissued, despite their still relevant content. Anyone interested in the functional and technical background of watches in particular can hardly avoid used books. While the current standard works can be counted on one hand, vintage books are available in vast numbers – and at fair prices. There are also several publishers who specialize in reprints of historical watch texts. This is a good compromise for those who like the idea of giving a vintage text as a gift, but want something fresh off the press with no signs of wear.
Gift Idea #5: Exclusive Gifts From a Favorite Brand
Perhaps the most exciting category, but also the most difficult to source – unusual accessories, promotional gifts, store inventory or other products, often not freely available, produced by and for watch manufacturers. Sooner or later, everything finds its way onto the numerous sales platforms on the Internet or, especially in the case of vintage objects, to flea markets – and that’s how you can get hold of these objects too. If the person you’re trying to buy for is a big fan of a particular brand, an insider gift like this would probably make their Christmas. These promotional gifts are often things like bags, boxes, pocket knives, collectible spoons, pens, or other small branded items. Depending on the brand and what exactly you’re looking for, it could be difficult to get your hands on the perfect piece. However, it’s worth putting out some feelers with other watch-savvy friends and/or attending industry events that are open to the public. Also, the Internet is your friend here. Start by searching on various sales portals and dealer websites. Some dealers have extensive collections of these types of items, as does Chrono24:
Bonus Idea: Gifts for Watch Lovers of the Future
It can also be a special and humorous touch to think not only of the adult watch fan, but also of their progeny, if they have any. This gives you the opportunity to make a gift not just to one person, but to two – after all, the children or grandchildren of a watch enthusiast can never be too young to be inspired by the world of luxury watches. There are countless gift ideas on the market that introduce even the youngest children to the world of watches in a playful way, including simplified mechanical watch kits, printed shirts and rompers, and even picture books that explain the ABCs of luxury watches. You are sure to get a smile from their parents. As you can see, you don’t always have to give a luxury watch or a relevant accessory. We hope we’ve inspired you. Have fun searching and, most importantly, giving gifts to your loved ones.
