If you’ve been procrastinating on your holiday gift shopping, time, as you surely know, is of the essence. Nothing communicates that idea better than a fine timepiece. Not only is a wristwatch a functional and refreshingly analog way to keep time, it also sends the perfect message to the recipient: This watch is both appreciation for time well spent, and a harbinger of the good times that lie ahead.
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For the Sporty Elegant Type
There’s more to the Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 with the icy blue dial than meets the eye. Sporty enough to make sense for a weekend tennis match or a day at the beach, the stainless steel and 18k grey gold model with the generous sprinkling of diamonds around the bezel is powered by an automatic Breitling Caliber 10, a COSC-certified chronometer, meaning its timekeeping is extra precise. $13,200; Breitling.com
For the Shape Shifter
Forget round cases. If you’re looking for an unforgettable timepiece that’s highly coveted and incredibly unusual, consider the Baignoire 1920 from Cartier. Named after the French word for “bathtub,” the Baignoire is the season’s “It watch,” especially in the teeny-tiny sizes beloved by fashionistas, as in this petite quartz model in yellow gold. (For more about Cartier’s reputation as “the watchmaker of shapes,” check out the brand’s “Time Unlimited” exhibition in the Miami Design District, on through Dec. 22.) $11,500; Cartier.com
For the Art Deco Lover
The Art Deco era has cast a long shadow on designers, none more so than Patrick Bremer, founder of the microbrand Bremoir. His debut watch, The Lexington, takes its design cues from the Chrysler Building in New York City, from the stepped bezel, designed to evoke the upward climb of a skyscraper, to the hour markers, styled to resemble the building’s entrance. Of the five versions available, we’re partial to the Morocco edition, which features a sky-blue dial juxtaposed with a brushed, copper chapter ring, an ode to the colors of the Moroccan marble found in the lobby of the Chrysler Building. Housed in a 39 mm steel case and presented on a brown, nubuck leather strap, the watch—much like Bremoir’s Eastern model, inspired by the Eastern Columbia Building in downtown L.A.—boasts the elegance of a dress watch with the comfort and wearability of a sports model. $985, Bremoir.com
For the Independent Watchmaking Fan
To the trained eye, the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton from H. Moser & Cie. embodies everything fans of the independent watchmaker expect from the brand: Not only does the model feature Moser’s signature fume treatment on the subdial, in a moody blue finish, it also is equipped with a highly complicated yet aesthetically minimalist movement. What’s more, the brand says the piece can be worn every day thanks to its balanced proportions and water-resistance up to 12 ATM. $87,000; Watchesofswitzerland.com
For the Horology Nut
As complications go, the perpetual calendar is widely considered to be the most classical. It’s easy to see why in this elegant pink gold Portugieser model from the Swiss-German watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, part of the new Masterworks program at Bucherer, the Swiss retail behemoth that acquired the American retail chain Tourneau in 2018. The company describes the program as a “response to the growing demand for individual and exclusive luxury products, positioning watchmaking as the ultimate artform.” $43,400; Tourneau.com
For the Rolex Obsessive
While the Rolex retail shortages (and subsequent secondary market price hikes) of 2022 are behind us, key models, like the stainless steel Daytona, a grail watch if ever there was one, are still next to impossible to acquire from an authorized dealer unless you’ve had a relationship going back years. That’s where Rolex’s year-old certified pre-owned program comes in. Simply point your mouse to the Tourneau-Bucherer site, and coveted models, like this 40 mm pre-owned Daytona, are yours for the clicking. $25,900, Tourneau.com
For the Eco Warrior
Lots of watchmakers tout their sustainability, but no brand takes its commitment to the circular economy as seriously as ID Genève, a 3-year-old brand that makes its timepieces with recycled elements, from steel to SuperLuminova. The brand’s second model, the Circular S, seen here in a striking blue, is made of steel recycled in a solar furnace, making for a carbon footprint 165 times lower than standard steel, according to the brand. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that the beautifully finished dial, with its traditional sunburst laser engraving, features a play of light that evokes the watch’s solar-powered credentials. Starting at $5,000, IDgeneve.ch
Top: Stainless steel Rolex Daytona
