We all know that guy who absolutely loves his watches. He might just be a collector who has winders galore or maybe even a watch safe. Or he might be one of the new breed of modders who likes taking basic timepieces and turning them into something special. Our buying guide, Gifts For Watch Lovers will give you some great ideas for these individuals. Everything from our best bang for your buck watches, to watch winders, to tools for those modders. If you’re looking for a complete wardrobe check out my 24-Piece Capsule Wardrobe for Men. But for this guide first up are our favorite watch picks.
Watches
In this section, we’ll show you some of our favorite watches that anyone would be excited to get as a gift. We offer options for every price range and style. Most of these watches have options like sapphire crystals, stainless steel cases, and water-resistance of at least 100 meters. Our two favorites on the list are the Pelagos Tudor and the MKII Hawkinge. Many view the Tudor as a poor man’s Rolex, but the brand has come into its own and would be a great addition to any collection.
1. Tudor Pelagos ($3500+)
2. MKII Hawkinge ($595)
3. Steinhart Ocean 1 Vintage ($450)
4. Orient Bambino V4 ($310)
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5. Daniel Wellington Men’s Sheffield ($90)
Watch Straps
If you didn’t know you can easily change out bands on watches to update the look to something dressy, sporty, or rugged. Below we offer Nato and Leather straps to fit any of these styles. Before you purchase you should know the watch model the strap will go on as they come in multiple sizes.
1. Crown & Buckle heavy duty Supreme NATO ($34)
2. Hodinkee Beige Leather Nato Watch Strap ($145)
3. Silicon Dive Strap by Fluco ($19)
4. Hodinkee Cordovan Leather Watch Straps ($140+)
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5. Shell Cordovan Nato Watch Straps ($175)
6. Black & Grey NATO by Crown & Buckle ($12)
7. Maratac Mil-Nato Watch Strap ($18)
Watch Tools
Ok, this section is for those modders. Those guys who love replacing straps, and changing their watch dials and hands. If you know someone like then they’ll love any of the tools in this section. My suggestion is to get them the $26 155 piece tool kit and be done with it.
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2. Bergeron Case Opener ($762)
3. Reversible For Springbar Pliers ($118)
4. Optima Polishing Compound ($13)
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5. Watch Back Case Opener ($10)
6. Jaxa Type Case Back Wrench ($10)
7. Turpro Case Back Opening Knife ($8)
8. 5-Piece Watchmakers Screwdriver Set ($4)
Watch Rolls and Cases
The one thing watch lovers like to do is take some of their collection with them when they travel. They’re not just satisfied with taking the watch on their wrist. They have to take along 3 or 4 extras to fit their mood. Whether your friend or family is more on the luxury tip or more of a hipster we have some nice roll/case picks for you.
1. Bradley Mountain Waxed Canvas Watch Roll ($52)
2. Turbulent Labs Watch Roll ($190)
3. Heritage 4-Piece Travel Box by Wolf ($26)
4. Hodinkee Canvas Watch Roll ($120)
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5. Grahame Fowler Watch Rolls ($125)
6. Glenor Co Watch Box for Men ($40)
Watch Winders
Some watch lovers are purists and absolutely love mechanically watches. These are watches that require some form of movement to keep ticking. Most of us just wear our watches and if they sit in the closet and die, we just reset them when we put them back on. But because watch collectors like to switch out their watches frequently constantly resetting would get old after awhile. Watch winders keep the watches constantly in motion so you can just pull them out of the winder and slap them on your wrist. Any collector would appreciate any of the bad boys below.
1. Wolf Cub Single Watch Winder ($119)
2. JQueen White Wood Double Automatic ($90)
3. Versa Enzo Carbon Fiber Double ($80)
4. WOLF Heritage Single Watch Winder ($118)
