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Alright folks, its down to the wire. Just a couple more weeks before its time to put up or shut up with some great gifts. We’ve already covered what to get the special dude or lady on your list, so today we’ve turned our attention to stocking stuffers. Here’s a list of really great, and really cheap gifts to get your friends and family this holiday. These all make great stocking stuffers or last minute affordable gifts that are sure to please. Check ’em out!
Vintage Swatch $50 and up
I have many fond memories of being a kid and BEGGING my mom to buy me a Swatch watch. And when she did, it was a cherished object. So, it is no wonder that I am enamored by the vintage (80’s) Swatch aesthetic, as I’m sure many my age are. Amazingly, vintage Swatches are still around in abundance, many in original packaging, and most at an affordable price. If you’re looking for a really fun stocking stuffer that is sure to make anyone on their late 20’s or 30’s nostalgic for their childhood, check out swatchandbeyond.com. Here you can find Swatch watches organized by price, product line or, more importantly, year. How awesome would it be to get a Swatch made in your early teens, or maybe even the year you were born?
For those watch nerds out there, traveling with multiple watches can be a pain. There’s never a good place to stash a couple extra watches in your luggage that completely protects them from damage. So it is essential to have a travel case of some kind, like this very handsome and very affordable two watch travel case by Intica. Its simple, attractive, and holds two watches in a compact and secure package. For under $45, that’s a pretty good deal.
Nato Strap $12 and up
Changing a watch’s strap is a great way to completely alter it’s appearance. There are of course many types of straps, but the most versatile and affordable option is a military NATO strap. We’ve posted a pretty extensive run down of online sellers previously on worn&wound. There is a huge variety NATOs that utilize various materials and hardware, and that come on a myriad of color combinations. A NATO strap or two should make for an excellent stocking stuffer.
Spring Bar Tool $11
Every watch collector needs a set of tools for changing straps, removing links or tinkering with the watch itself. So if you have a watch nerd on your shipping list, consider picking up this very simple and very cool Japanese spring bar tool. Double sided, one end features a pin pusher and the other features a specially shaped for tip for getting around straps and removing spring bars. This is as basic and versatile as it gets, and its only $11.
May 28th $39 – $49
30 or 38mm, Quartz, Acrylic lens, 16mm plastic
May28th offers a fun and ecletic line of inexpensive watches. With designs varying from simple patterns, to elegant drawings to abstract color fields, you are sure to find one that call out and say “buy me for _____”. The small size makes these predominantly for women, though a few are more unisex. Recommended for casual watch wearers who fashion forward attitudes. Check out our article on these here
Timex Camper
34mm, Timex Quartz, Acrylic lens, 19mm Nylon
The Camper is a dirt-cheap military styled watch that has been adopted by the fashion-savvy set. This is the kind of watch you wear to the gym, and then out to bar for a date. It is a rugged and cool, no-nonsense watch with a clear military aesthetic. It is on the petite side, but isn’t dainty, making it an ideal unisex watch. Give this to… anyone, seriously, they’ll find a time and place to wear it.
Hirsch Liberty Gold-Brown Strap $39.97
This 4.5mm thick calfskin strap is just a thing of beauty. The gold-brown leather has an orange glow to it that really brings out the color in a watches dial. The thick, vegetable tanned leather is very durable, comfortable and will patina nicely. Recommended for anyone who likes to change the straps on their watches, or needs a new strap. Note that you will need to get a specific size…if just winging it, get a 20 or 22mm. This would be a great companion gift for the spring bar tool also on this list. Check it out in our Seiko 5 SNZH53 review
$11Digital watch
The Paper watch is a digital watch within a tear-proof paper case and strap. The idea is you draw your own motifs and designs on it to make it your own. This fun and inexpensive watch is a great gift for anyone who has ever doodled in class on their margins or shoes… One could even draw something elaborate or write a poem on it (awwww) before giving the gift, to make it extra special (double awwww).
Polywatch
Acrylic polish
No someone who owns a watch with a plastic lens like a Swatch, a Helson Skin Diver or a Seagull 1963? Then you also know someone who has a watch with a scratched or scuffed plastic lens. Polywatch is an easy to use acrylic polish that can make a lens look like new (for light scratches). Trust me, this stuff is great to have around.
Over time, metal watches are going to begin to show their age. And while this can look great on some pieces, sometimes you want to preserve that new watch shine. Here’s where some Cape Cod Cloth can come in handy. A few minutes with this polishing cloth and you can restore the shine to your older watch. At just $5, this is a great gift for anyone watch owner you know.
