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Best Gifts for watch lovers
Most people can’t afford to buying a new watch for the watch lover in their life, so check out some alternative gifts for the 2020 festive season to make that special person happy.
Watches can be expensive items to buy for your loved ones, but can also be tricky to get right, even if you have the means. Watch enthusiasts rarely buy on impulse and are very particular about their time pieces. Fortunately, there are plenty of other gift ideas for the watch lover that won’t break the bank and can be just a little bit of fun to brighten someone’s day.
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I have used Amazon to curate a list that any self respecting collector would be happy to receive. I’m also hoping that people who know me are paying attention as we approach the festive season.
Most people can’t afford to buying a new watch for the watch lover in their life, so check out some alternative gifts to make that special person happy. You can find some smaller gifts in my Hints & Tips section as well as some useful How To guides.
Suitable for self winding or automatic watches only, if you can afford it, always go with the best. Wolf are renowned for the quality of their winders and the service they provide. They are hand made using vegan leather and benefit from 185 years of history. The WOLF Watch Winder keeps self-winding automatic watches running and in time when not being worn. This is thanks to the patented rotation program that simulates the wrist action your watch would normally experience if worn. This reduces the stress on the watch to keep it healthy. All Wolf winders are supplied with a universal power adapter as well as the ability to run on batteries.
More affordable Watch Winders are available, but non as quiet and versatile as the Wolf.
NATO straps are very versatile, hard wearing and good value, which is why are traditionally worn by the military. The woven material allows the designer to achieve a number of different colour combinations and patterns. Why not match the James Bond look with this black and grey NATO.
Watches aren’t the only quality items to be produced in Switzerland. Swiss Victorinox make the world famous Swiss Army Knife as well as a hard wearing range of watches. This Classic knife is small and is an ideal desk companion for those pesky broken nails or opening letter and boxes. It’s also a great stocking filler for your watch lover.
The Wolf Windsor is a great entry to the luxury watch box world. Made with the same high quality materials as the Cub Watch Winder, this 5 piece box is ideal for the dresser to display the watches your watch lover has in their rotation. Features chrome finished hardware, locking glass cover, smooth vegan leather, lining and 5-piece watch storage.
Unlike watch winders, watch boxes are just there to store your watches and have no influence on the mechanical heath of the watch. If your watch lover has more watches than the 5 slots available in the Wolf Windsor and needs something less fashionable to store watches in, there are plenty of budget alternatives.
Silicon Rubber is ideal for when it gets hot or wet. These watch bands by Barton have a quick release spring bar allowing tool free changing. With a variety of colours and sizes available, you can get a strap to match your swim wear. Ideal for the beach and pool. Just make sure your watch is water proof.
Watch Rolls are a great way for storing small collections or taking a few pieces travelling. A watch roll typically holds 3 watches and stores on soft round cushions. The main purpose of the Watch Roll is to be compact, stylish and most importantly, protect you watches. You don’t have to spend the earth, and this vegan leather Watch Roll from Case Elegance is up to the job. It’s available in Black or Brown and has 2 sizes of cushions to suit the owners wrist size.
For those that have a black tie event coming up or want to try mixing up their work dress shirt. Why not gift these cute and affordable cuff links with miniature watch movements. They’ll certainly be a discussion point in the office.
There’s nothing like the smell of leather and adding a leather strap to a watch can make it a classy affair. Why not try one of these Hirsch Rally Straps. Hirsch are a trusted brand and produce a range of quality straps to fit all tastes. This Rally Strap can provide a vintage look to your favourite Chronograph.
The ideal stocking filler for the watch lover. This piece of retro tech will take your watch lover back to their childhood with this Casio F-91W. Ideal for flying under the radar or for those DIY jobs.
You can buy cheaper alternatives, but this Swiss made tool from Bergeon is the real deal and used by professional watch makers. The tips are purpose made and hard unlike the ones found in the cheaper alternatives, so will last much longer and reduce the chance of scratching your precious watch removing or fitting a strap or bracelet.
There’s a massive range of loupes and magnifiers to allow your watch lover to admire the details of their treasured time pieces. This fold away magnifier is easy to use and gives just the right level of magnification. Ideal for inspecting a watch for damage or just trying to see how much detail is in the dial.
For watch lovers who don’t wear their watches in bed and don’t store in a watch box overnight, look no further. Although there are plenty of decorative and novelty watch stands available, I like this Rocket themed Watch Stand from Leanii. Ideal for the watch and space enthusiast, this solid oak watch stand looks the part and will protect your watch while you dream of being an astronaut.
Perfect for the coffee table or a good bed time read. A Man & His Watch is ideal for the watch lover to get a connection with the hobby they enjoy. Read how watches have touched others, including the story behind Paul Newman’s famous Rolex Daytona. The perfect gift for every watch enthusiast.
There are a multitude of other watch and horology related gifts out there for the special person in your life. This list has been curated by me using online retailer Amazon. I have had first hand experience with all these products with the exception of the cuff links and the Rocket Watch Stand. However, this is now an easy win for my wife if she’s reading. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but you wont pay more than you need to.
Please leave any comments or ideas for your ideal watch related gift.
