Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: Watches for Everyone
You can never go wrong when you gift someone a watch
Watches make the best gifts. Why? Whenever they glance at the watch, they’ll think of you. And that’s a lovely sentiment. If you’re looking for a watch for him, her, or them, scan this list for a watch you’ll be proud to give.
Watches can range in price from under $10 to thousands (and beyond). I’ve whittled this list of 12 watches to suit every budget. While some of the watches are classified as men, they’re unisex.
Men
Nixon Clutch 42
California-based watch and gear company Nixon released their latest model, Clutch 42. It’s made for outdoor (and indoor) adventures. It is Water-resistant to 100M/10ATM, with a hardened mineral crystal and a 42mm stainless steel case. The Clutch 42 is abrasion-resistant, has LUME numerals, and a quick-dry nylon band. Nixon uses the Miyota Japanese quartz three-hand movement. It comes in three colors. Pick it up for $150, exclusively at Nixon.
Marathon Arctic Edition, Type II – Pilot’s Quartz
This Canadian watchmaker has been working with the military since 1941 when they supplied watches to the Allies during WWII. Their reputation is built on precise, durable watches that withstand anything. This pilot’s watch is 41mm, is made with 316L surgical-grade steel, and has a synthetic crystal. Water-resistant to 10ATM, it has self-contained tritium gas tubes on the hour markets, minute and hour hands. Right now, it’s on sale for $765 at Marathon Watch.
CASIOA158WA Unisex Watch
This watch is so cool, it can be bought in the MOMA store. CASIO’s watches have a cult-like following; when they drop a new watch, nine times out of ten, it sells out in an hour. This vintage model harkens back to when digital watches were new and rare. The A158WA has a stainless steel band, face, 33mm, and wide digital readout. Like all CASIO watches, it comes with stopwatch capabilities. Daily alarm and hourly time signal. It’s water-resistant, and the battery life will last almost three years. Pick it up for $22.95 at Casio or $19.99 at Amazon.
DOXA SUB 200T Caribbean
This sexy, Swiss-made dive watch is made with 316L stainless steel, has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and is 37mm. This three-hand watch has Super-Luminova coating, making it easy to see underwater or at night. Speaking of water, it’s water-resistant to 200M/20ATM/656 Feet. Priced at $1590, you can purchase it directly from DOXA.
Timex Q Timex 1978 Day/Date Watch
Part of Timex’s Reissue series, this snazzy looking watch has a 37mm recycled stainless steel case, day, and a date window. The gold hands and indices lie over a brilliant blue sunray dial, making them pop. The acrylic crystal is domed shape, appropriately styled for that era. The straps are croc-embossed black leather, and Q Timex 1978 has quartz movement. This watch also comes with a green sunray dial. Currently $189 at Timex, but you can get 20% off using the code Love20.
Shinola The Canfield Model C56
Detroit-based Shinola finds inspiration in the architecture of that iconic city. The Canfield Model is based on Eero Saarinen’s MCM marvel, the General Motors Design Dome. A twist on classic, retro design with a modern sensibility, the Canfield Model C56 is a handsome everyday timepiece. The gray dial is rimmed in eye-catching red and has a date window. This three-hand watch uses Argonite 715 quartz movement. Sizing in at 43mm, the sweep hand is bright turquoise, and the leather strap is a warm caramel brown. And like Saarinen’s creation, the sapphire for this watch is double-domed. Ooh and aah over it online at Shinola; at $750, this is a modern classic watch.
Women
Bremont Solo -34 LC
This spectacular classic watch is named after Lettice Curtis, the first woman to fly a four-engine Halifax Bomber in WWII. As one of the few women pilots (only 166) in that war, she ferried planes throughout Great Britain. This watch is a testament to her brilliance and grace. Handbuilt in Britain, this watch’s sapphire is convex and has nine layers of anti-reflective coating. The 34mm case is polished stainless steel, the painted dial has applied silver indexes, a date window at the 6, and heat-treated blued hands. It is water-resistant to 10ATM/100M. The Bremont Solo -34 LC uses a modified calibre 11 ½} BE_92AV automatic chronometer, 25 jewels, and has a 42-hour power reserve. Gift this watch to your adventurer. It’s $3795 and available online at Bremont.
Fossil Carlie Three-Hand Watch
Smack in the middle of this stunning, chunky bracelet is an elegant, 28mm watch. Inspired by the T-bar watches from the 90s, this watch is all Y2K joy and sophisticated, too. It’s a three-hand watch with quartz three-hand movement and is water-resistant to 5ATM. Carlie comes in silver tone or rose gold tone. It’s currently on sale for $112.50 at Fossil.
Steve Madden Watch Ring
Practical and adorable, this watch ring is a collab between Steve Madden and Mackenzie Belle Jewelry. The watch keeps time beautifully (I have one, and love it!). It’s very comfortable on the finger due to the stretchy band. It has a 22mm case. Pick it up in gold or silver; The dial comes in various colors. Right now, it’s on sale for $19.99 at Steve Madden.
Armitron Tilly Gold & Silver Tank Watch
The tank watch is a classic watch style. It’s been coveted since the early 1900s! Armitron jazzes it up with an eye-catching, delicious red leather band. The Tilly has a mineral crystal, uses analog movement, and is 20mm. Tilly also comes in pink, black, silver tone, gold tone, and rose gold tone. Right now, it’s $65 at Armitron.
Shinola Petoskey Birdy Watch
If the person on your Valentine’s Day gift list is a vintage lover, they’ll swoon over this Shinola watch, whose style was trendy from the 1930s through the 50s. The dial is unique; it’s made from Petoskey stone, a local to Michigan fossilized coral. No two dials look alike. The Birdy is 34mm and has a gold PVD case over stainless steel and bracelet. This three-hand watch uses Argonite 773 quartz movement. The crystal is double-domed sapphire, and the caseback has a laser-etched serial number. Get this work of art at Shinola, and it’s $750.
Citizen Promaster Dive
Meet the newest Promaster Dive watch. Water-resistant to 200M/20Bar, you can comfortably wear this 36.5mm watch while scuba diving. It has an impact and shatter-resistant mineral crystal. The watch case is stainless steel, while the strap is polyurethane. The hands and markers are luminous. This watch uses Citizen’s e168 Eco-drive, powered by any light source, continuously and sustainably, eliminating the need for watch batteries. This watch comes in five other colors. Currently, it is on sale for $300 at Citizen.
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