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The dreaded holiday shopping season is officially upon us, and we here at worn&wound are going to do our duty to steer you in the right direction (or give you ideas to steer others towards what you want) with a holiday gift guide. Since in this last year the w&w family has grown to include several great contributors, we thought we’d start a tradition of our own and get each of our writers to send in ideas for both watch related and generally cool gifts. So… Happy Holidays, good luck shopping and enjoy!
Ed Estlow:
A custom leather strap is a great gift for the watch lover. Joe d’Agostino of SNPR Straps has a good-looking, rugged standard line. And if you can bear the wait, Joe will consult with you and make you just about anything the two of you can dream up. $140 and up
Some call Laphroaig Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky – 10 Years Old, “the Adventure Whiskey.” We agree. The unique peaty/smoky flavor tastes great at the end of a long cold fall day chasing steelhead trout. And it’s equally good in front of the fire while reading Hemingway’s “Big Two-Hearted River.” $55.
Brandon Cripps:
Stocking Stuffers:
Designed for cleaning up cloudy car headlights, Meguiar’s PlastX works just as well for removing scuffs and scratches from acrylic watch crystals. And at $6 for a 296ml bottle, it’s a nice alternative to an $10, 10ml tube of PolyWatch $5.99
Small enough to fit comfortably on a pocket keyring and tough enough to take any abuse you can trow at it, this titanium bottle opener from Anchor Brewing is the perfect tool for getting into whatever tasty beverage you find in your hand. $4.50
Pricier Gifts:
Dr. Knirim’s exhaustive guides are the gold standard for German and British military watch books. With hundreds of pages and over a thousand watches featured in each volume, these books offer all the information you could ever hope to know about the last 150 years of European military timepieces. $200/$250 Konrad Knirim Military Timepiece Books
Made in the USA with classic materials and traditional methods, Ideal Cap Co.’s old-timey ballcaps give you a great vintage look at a reasonable price. Featuring styles from the AAGPBL, semi-pro, and fictional teams, there’s sure to be a hat for everyone. Whether you’re sporting the colors of the Rockford Peaches, Birmingham Black Barons, or Westish Harpooners, you’ll be looking good in one of these retro caps. $49.00
Ilya Ryvin:
We love military watches here at Worn&Wound, and as most of us know, nothing pairs better with a military watch than a rugged nylon strap. They’re easy to swap out, they’re practical, and simply put, they look damn good. But if you think nato/zulu straps have gotten a bit ubiquitous and are looking for something fresh, then check out the wares being put out by bespoke strap maker, GasGasBones. With a catalogue offering a myriad of styles and color options, GasGasBones has something for everyone this holiday season (my personal favorite is the Zero Zero). Put your orders in quickly though, as there is a lengthy lead time. $22 – $50
A man who can appreciate a quality timepiece can surely appreciate a fine pair of bench grade or hand made shoes. But like any watch, quality footwear needs to be maintained and cared for properly if it is expected to last. For those of you who are stepping up their footwear game and have no idea where to start in the shoe care department, look no further than the HangerProject’s Saphir Shoeshine Starter Kit. It comes with everything you need to get started – from Saphir horsehair brushes to their legendary Renovateur – and is the perfect foundation from which one can build a truly extensive shoe care kit $195
Mark McArthur-Christie:
I would happily blow £25 of our English pounds on the hardback “All in Good Time: Reflections of a Watchmaker.” by George Daniels. Anyone who can entitle a chapter “Watches versus Bentleys” gets my vote. If you must; amazon.com or your local independent bookshop – better. $54
One can’t possibly read without a glass of something, so for the holidays track down a bottle of 1977 Terrantez, Madeira Pereira d’Oliveira. If your willpower is better than mine it’ll just get better in the bottle, but it’s full of high-cocoa chocolate, spice and armagnac now. Astor Wines (’88 available)
Li Wang:
There’s nothing that says Big Pimpin’ like a Omega-style mesh bracelet for a dive watch. Strapcode.com has a nice selection of mesh bracelets at a reasonable price. For gift giving go with the adjustable link version with seatbelt clasp. Wearing a mesh bracelet instantly boosts your testosterone levels and it also happens to be breathable and extremely comfortable. $131
The tried-and-true Adidas Originals hoodie is a must in every urban dwellers arsenal. Go for the original tri-leaf logo and large kangaroo pocket up front. Head out into the wild and prepare to fend off the compliments. $55
Dexter Austria:
Can’t go wrong with an Orient automatic, and the somewhat recently released Curator is a particularly nice one. With a slate grey dial, brushed steel markers and a power reserve, this one has a stronger, more masculine look than other models, but still comes across as pure class. Not to mention with 30% coupon code ‘wornandwound’ it’s a great value. $290
Paul Smith’s stripes, color and use of graphic imagery sets his sartorial goods apart from the crowd. Add a little personality to your business interactions with this subtly irreverent card holder. $195
James Enloe:
Whether you need them for wearing you watch under water or just prefer the look and feel, it’s important to have a few rubber straps in your collection. Modena straps come in various styles, colors and sizes to suit your style, and are extremely well priced. $15.95+
The KeySmart is a slick way to organize and keep your keys so they are easy to get to and take up less space. $20
Zach Weiss:
Chances are, if you collect watches, you also spend a decent amount of time staring at watches. Examining every small detail and knowing every square millimeter of every watch in your collection is part of the fun. But, our eyes alone can miss many of the finer points, so having a loupe comes is handy. Just so happens one of our favorite brands, Nomos, also makes very elegant ones. Available in 3.5 or 5.5x, these lathed maple loupes will help bring your watches into focus, and will look great on your desk when not in use. $105 – $120
Belts are one of those things, like watch straps, one can unintentionally collect. You pick them up here and there to match shoes, an outfit and occasionally a watch, so you inevitably end up with quite a few. Luckily, like any other leather product, a good belt can last a long long time with proper care if it’s well made and made of quality leather. Rancourt and Company of Maine is known for their made to order shoes (which are surprisingly well priced), but they make a variety of belts as well. Their Horween Natural Chromexcel model has a clean look that emphasizes the beautiful leather itself, which will go with light and medium brown shoes, and a variety of clothes. These American made beauties go for a moderate $105.
