A Christmas Gift Guide for The Rakish Watch Lover

It's fast approaching Christmas, you've got a watch lover in your life (we are still trying to find a cure), and you're thinking about what to buy for them. Now you're not in the market for a new watch because, of course, that's a little punchy price-wise and you will need their consent. So you're in the market to buy something else, but what is it you buy? Well, there are a myriad of different products out there that complement and support the art of collecting. 

The suggestions below are based on personal experience and I can tell you they’re all products and brands I’ve personally spent money on and continue to greatly enjoy to this day — and believe me, I've spent a lot of money that I shouldn't have over the years on things that got no use —. 

Watch Cases

Ah, the watch case. Probably the question that I get asked the most is which watch case should I be buying. I've got a combination of single watch holders, triple watch holders, and a ten-slot box. Now that's not something that everybody needs, but I like to go to a variety of different suppliers for each and every one of them. First off, I really like the Bennett Winch double leather watch roll. Made in the UK, it's got this incredible rustic feel to it, rock solid, and one that's seemingly getting better and better every year. I also love the single and double watch case for travel from Molequin — again, supple in the hand, and I love the colored pop of the interior and exterior finishes. I have a ten-slot box from Molequin which I very much enjoy, but these tend to come into stock and out of stock rather infrequently just given the cost of production. I would also strongly suggest checking out Charles Simon from Canada (you can use the code JUSTINHAST for a 15% discount on your total order). The company is family-run and inspired by nature. Its quality and level of finish is unparalleled in the industry. It produces cases and a myriad of different sized watch boxes. All I can say is that whatever you go for, you will be delighted with the products. I have a number of single watch boxes as well as the three-slot box. These can be personalised with initials and they're ones for life, no doubt.

Watch Posters

I've personally known Ad Patina's Nick over in the States for many, many years; in fact, I think the first time I ever bought a poster from him was back in 2016, which was wild. There's nothing more stylish and intriguing than looking back at old posters from the watch world, of course an industry well recognised for its heritage in advertising. I'm actually sat in my office right now looking at a wall full to the brim of photos, design sketches, and posters, and I've got to say it brings me a great deal of joy every day because you see the watch in a very different way when it's up on the wall. Prices run from well under $100, and his delivery is second to none. He also happens to be a wonderful, wonderful man if you ever need anything from him.

Straps

Now straps are a big one. I've been a huge advocate for many years of exploring strap options — it totally changes the look and feel of a watch. There are a number of places that I would suggest considering. First and foremost, Molequin based out in Belgium was for me my first love and to this day still delivers some of the very best in the market. I would always look for a quick-change option so you can have that little bar on the back to adjust them without the need for tools easily and quickly. My advice is to go for something with a grain finish, and their straps are entirely butter-soft, especially after a little bit of wear. On a side note, full disclosure, I have a series of straps coming out with them in collaboration very soon (if you like taupe, they are worth checking out). Another option is Atelier Tamago from Japan, who have delivered me a number of straps over the years, and each and every one has been incredibly beautiful. You can specify all the different details, and they are, as you'd expect from a Japanese maker of anything, incredibly diligent and detail-oriented. It is a joy to work with them. And then something a little bit closer to home for those in Europe who may want to walk in and get hands-on, I would recommend Jean Rousseau. You can pick up off-the-shelf straps of course, but the real fun starts when you go bespoke, and there's nothing more frustrating than when, for example, a strap is too close to the case and rubs, or the buckle width isn't done absolutely correctly, which is something that these guys do perfectly every time. My only advice when buying straps is to make sure you get a tool to measure the lug width and the width of the buckle, as well as considering whether it's a straight end or curved end at the case, just to make sure that it will fit perfectly

Books

It's Christmas morning and who doesn't love a good book? If you're like me, as the years have gone on, I've found that I'm either getting more food, more cans of deodorant, or more books because those are the things that family members love to go to as a safe bet. You can read into the messaging of these gifts as much or as little as you like. The truth of it is that as the years have gone by, I've also recognized that I find a lot of joy in having less. That means fewer clothes but better quality ones that really fit and that I really wear. The same can be said for watches: fewer watches but ones that have meaning to them and that get worn often. Books are no different, and I have a bookshelf right here in front of me in my office full to the brim of books of a multitude of different genres. In a world where we are becoming more and more academic around watches and collecting, there has never been more importance placed on books from brands offering deep dives into their history and looking at different models over the years. Having just gone through this process recently producing a book for independent watch brand Ressence, I can say that for collectors out there, it's useful to know how many watches were produced of a certain model or what variations one can expect to look for. I personally love A Man and His Watch, the official Submariner book from Rolex, The Watch Annual which I have produced for the last 5 years (shameless plug), The Dial which is a must-have, and then finally The Watch. 

Artwork

Artwork is an interesting one because for many people outside the watch world it might sound strange, but I view watches as many others do — as pieces of art, and there are a number of artists that have started to produce incredible works of different size and scale. Check out Julie Kraulis from Canada — she's incredible. Or even Ben at Ink Dial in the UK. You can buy pre-made prints as well as commission your own watch — which is super cool.

Magazine Subscription

I love print, unsurprisingly given that I write for a magazine like The Rake, but I couldn't recommend buying a subscription more. In a world where everything is disposable, there are few things that bring as much joy as a magazine in hand. When it comes to watches, the premier print product is from Hodinkee in the US, now owned by Watches of Switzerland. This used to be easier to get hold of but in recent times has become available only in the States, which is somewhat of a shame, but still, it is absolutely brilliant and one that you'll come back to years down the line.

Tools

When it comes to tools, as mentioned above, they are essential when buying straps, and I would recommend simply going to eBay and picking up a generic tool. While it won't get you any street cred come Christmas morning for fancy packaging or brand names, what it will do is bring the watch lover in your life an immense amount of joy. It's a very simple thing that delivers so much more than its cost.

Loupe System - A Macro Lens For The Eye

If you go to any auction anywhere in the world, you will see somebody seated in front of some watches with a little instrument put to their eyes. That is the insider's must-have, a loupe system. The Loupe System offers a refined 40mm-wide viewing field with 6x magnification, well over two times what the human eye can comprehend on its own. The key here is that you want to check to make sure that the hands and the dial are in good condition, as well as the case having not been polished, and so you can really dive into the detail — and that is part of the fun in watch collecting. It also features an exclusive smooth finish on the protective exterior silicone casing, making it more comfortable to use when pouring over every detail of a watch. Super geeky and super cool.

Watch Winders

For many years, I wasn't entirely sure that I would ever need a watch winder, primarily because I tend to wear all the watches I have in rotation and they tend to be time-only simple watches. But that all changed last year when I picked up a perpetual calendar from Roger Dubuis that I wrote about here a few weeks back. If you have a perpetual calendar or an annual calendar, you will want a watch winder — it is that simple. It can be quite a fussy process setting a perpetual calendar, whether it's with pushers or through the crown, so for me, picking up this SwissKubik watch winder recently in bright orange as a pop of color on my bookshelf has brought me a lot of joy. These tend to come in bright colors, and I would suggest going all out, no holds barred, and having some fun with it.