Gifts for the Watch Lover in Your Life

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Watch enthusiasts come in many varieties—from hardcore gearheads who obsess over a movement’s dynamic micro-mechanics to those who simply appreciate the practical aspects of having a reliable timekeeper on their wrists. The more fashionably inclined, on the other hand, find it hard to resist adding an eye-catching new design to their expanding wardrobes. 

When it comes to gift giving, there’s more to the horological universe than actual watches. So, if you’re still looking for something special to delight your aficionado of time, we’ve got you covered with ideas that range from the sensible to the sensational. 

Ettinger Double Watch Roll 

Whether on the road or stuck at home, a watch can always use a proper case for storage and protection when not on the wrist. London-based
Ettinger’s
Double Watch Roll (£285, about US$376) is crafted from durable goat leather on the exterior and silky, soft pig suede inside. The removable padded roll holds two watches, secured separately with a dividing ridge to avoid scratching. Add an embossed monogram for the perfect personalized touch. 

MB&F Project LpX

If the intricate microengineering of a mechanical movement makes your watch fan tick, MB&F teamed up with Loupe System to create Project LpX (US$3,300), the ultimate magnification station offering a deep dive into a watch’s beating heart. In keeping with founder Max Büsser’s trademark sci-fi style, the tabletop unit is designed as a modular rocket ship in red, blue, green, or black, with each limited to 99 pieces. The modular body components are linked with a clicking bayonet system and accommodate up to three loupes. The hard-shell carrying case comes with high-quality 3x and 6x magnification loupes, plus a universal clip that attaches them to a mobile phone or tablet for recording and sharing macro photos and videos.

Richard Mille Cuff Links

For the watch connoisseur who has everything, these extravagant Richard
Mille
diamond cuff links (US$105,000) are more than meets the eye. Known for building innovative, complex, and outrageously expensive timepieces, the brand applied the same ethos to these titanium cuff links, set with round and baguette-cut diamonds. Two years in the making, they each consist of 38 components with a patented mechanism used to open the bars with a push piece and secure them by pressing on the tonneau-shaped top plate, evoking Mille’s signature case shape. 

Horological Society of New York (HSNY) Online Classes

For enthusiasts who want to take their watch knowledge to the next level, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is offering a series of online courses limited to four students. In these 60- to 90-minute sessions discussing mechanical movement theory, students follow along as an expert watchmaker disassembles and reassembles a movement on live video. Given the virtual format, no tools or equipment are required. Gift a $100 HSNY annual membership, and the Basic Movement Theory class is free, with subsequent classes requesting a $100 donation. One-on-one tutoring is also available. 

Hodinkee Spring Bar Plier Tool

Nothing transforms the look of a watch like a change of strap. But standard watch tools can make switching straps a real pain, not to mention the hassle of adjusting the links to size a metal bracelet. Enter Hodinkee’s Spring Bar Plier Tool (US$199). What makes this tool different is two adjustable forked ends that let you easily release both ends of the spring bar or bracelet clips at the same time. This sturdy aluminum and steel tool makes changing watch straps as easy as changing your shoes. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Atelier d’Antoine Programs

For those who crave a more immersive watchmaking experience, you can sign them up for a program with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atelier d’
Antoine,
a new initiative that offers watch buffs the opportunity to learn firsthand from the masters. Named for the maison‘s founder, Antoine LeCoultre, the program is kicking off with Discovery Workshops and Manufacture Visits and will expand to include Masterclasses, where the participant takes a seat at the bench to try their hand at a guided movement disassembly and reassembly, sure to enhance their appreciation of this painstaking craft. The hub of Atelier d’Antoine is within the brand’s historic headquarters in Le Sentier, Switzerland, so that visit may have to wait until travel returns to normal. But outposts are planned for flagship boutiques around the world as well as through digital channels, providing access to all.

Döttling Gyrowinder

Best known for its über-luxurious safes and storage cabinets, Germany’s Döttling has translated its extravagant design sense to a watch winder, the Gyrowinder (€23,700, about US$29,000, for the standard nickel finish and black finish models). IGyrowinder’s multi-axis system makes it the first winding unit that turns the watch in any direction—including a complete 360-degree turn—closely mimicking the motions of the wrist. 

Made of solid aluminum with a nickel finish in various shades, the Gyrowinder doubles as a mesmerizing perpetual-motion kinetic sculpture under a mouth-blown crystal dome. The design recalls the gimbals of old-fashioned nautical navigation instruments, but the inspiration actually came from the instrument used to train astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition Set

It’s been a tough year, so if you’re feeling the urge to splurge, Cartier has assembled a tempting collector’s set featuring a Santos-Dumont Limited Edition “La Demoiselle” extra-large watch, limited to 30 numbered pieces in platinum. Named for Brazilian aviation pioneer
Alberto Santos-Dumont’s
favorite plane, the Demoiselle is distinguished by its ecru dial with guilloché engraving in the center that evokes Santos-Dumont’s signature Panama hat. The woven motif is echoed on the Panama-style fabric strap. Another special touch is the Santos (rather than Cartier) signature hidden in the Roman numeral at 7 o’clock. The ruby cabochon in the crown is another telltale flourish associated with the maison’s platinum limited editions.  

The watch comes packaged in a special lacquered maple collector’s box (US$43,600) complete with an alternate brown alligator strap, an alligator travel pouch, and matching white gold and red tiger eye
Santos de Cartier
cuff links, none of which can be purchased separately. The set is available by appointment only at select Cartier boutiques nationwide.