What To Get That Picky Watch Guy or Gal For The Holidays?
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, and six less shopping days this year between Black Friday and Christmas, you may feel the pressure mounting to find that perfect gift for the watch lover in your life. While watch fans do have particular tastes, regarding their likes and dislikes with brands and styles, there are some safe plays that you can pick, to ensure that the gift you present, to your favorite watch guy or gal, will be a surefire hit.
1. Storage Matters
As watch collections grow, the need for organizing timepieces will become a necessity at some point. And any collector should want to make sure that all timepieces are safe from damage, by providing a proper space for housing and storage. Not to mention, watch boxes and winders can provide a nice display for showcasing timepieces, some of which are very ornately decorated and / or able to be customized with engraving or etching, pulling double-duty as functional pieces of fine furniture. The loved-ones of those that covet watches, will appreciate that timepieces are not carelessly strewn about the tops of dressers or end-tables, but rather, tucked-away securely in their proper place. Watch boxes and winders range from extremely affordable to outrageously priced, with many available for well below $50 USD.
2. E.D.C. - Every Day Carry
This may be a little known fact, but many watch guys and gals, like to collect things other than watches, with many collectors categorizing these "other" collectibles as Everyday Carry items. Now it's true, some will include handguns into this mix, and of course, even with knives, what you can carry legally, will vary from state-to-state, but a lot of watch aficionados are into customized blades. There are some really enterprising, knife and blade makers out there, and it's really becoming a cottage industry. Pricing will vary a great deal, depending on the materials and level of customization, but even if the blade won't be used for functional purposes, a nice detailed piece will look fabulous in any office, dresser drawer, or bureau, amongst the collection of fine timepieces.
3. Pen Gift Sets
Just as in the case of the everyday carry items, fine writing instruments are the fancy of many watch collectors. And there are some really nice pen set options available, some of which include leather-bound writing journals. Once again, a fine writing instrument, whether used daily or not, is something that can be used to beautify an office space. But I can tell you from experience, using a high-quality, fine writing instrument, will definitely spoil you, and your watch fan will never go back to a regular ballpoint pen again.
4. Accessorizing Items
A great way to breath some new life into timepieces within your watch fans collection, that may be lacking wrist-time, is to enhance the look of that piece. And the easiest way to do that, is by adding some additional wrist candy to the parade. Not all watch collectors are all-in on accessorizing, but if your watch guy or gal is receptive to it, it can be a fun way to enhance the wear-desire factor of many rarely worn timepieces. Just like clothing, accessorizing can be fun. And there are limitless styles and materials available; between natural stones, synthetic beads, rope, and leather, the sky is really the limit. Pricing on bracelet accessories will run the gambit, from a few dollars, to a few hundred dollars, depending on the brand, materials, and overall workmanship.
5. Watch Tool Kit
Whether your collector is deep into the hobby, or has a couple timepieces within the current wearing rotation, a watch tool kit can be invaluable. Especially when you consider that jewelry stores charge anywhere between $10 - $15 dollars for a strap change or adjustment, and the same or higher, for battery changes, a watch tool kit (most can be had for between ($19 - $25), will pay for itself after only about two bracelet adjustments. Complete tool kits will include everything you could possibly need to tinker with a timepiece, with some including a caseback removal tool, and additional compression pins and springbars of various sizes.
6. If All Else Fails, Buy Another Watch
This may seem like the obvious, and a no-brainer, especially since you already know the person you're buying for, loves watches. But this choice can have some pitfalls that are obvious, and not so obvious. Watch lovers have particular likes and dislikes when it comes to styles and brands, so you need to be 100 percent certain that the watch you're planning to buy, is something that your watch fan will like to wear. As a novice watch purchaser, there's a chance that the deal you get, especially if the watch is purchased from a brick-and-mortar retail outlet, may not be the best; research and homework is essential. Also, novice buyers can be prone to being duped into buying timepieces that may not be 100% authentic, especially if looking to obtain steals on high-end, luxury timepieces. If you're set on buying a timepiece, illicit some help and assistance from your watch fan, to get a firm idea, or a least a good idea, of what styles or brands they may be interested in; taking a peek into the watch box, to see their current line-up of watches, to get a gauge on their current style tastes, is a good idea as well. You may have more confidence in buying a higher-end timepiece, direct from a retail jewelry store, but keep in mind, you will overpay 90% of the time.
Hopefully, I've provided some good options to satisfy your watch lovers holiday wishes. Out of the options listed, there really is no wrong choice, although your particular collector could have more function use out of some of these suggestions, over others. One thing is true, any of these options will be sure, to up the ante of the current Wrist-Game of your giftee! Happy holiday hunting!