It requires bravery aplenty to suggest that watches do not make good gifts, and we are not that bold. There are many centuries of history demonstrating the value of timepieces as gifts. The issue is this: if you key in “watches as gifts,” into your Internet search engine of choice, you will get mealy-mouthed results. It may be that the impersonal world of data science, where user information is compressed and processed into anonymised data tranches is not suited to making gift suggestions. Or perhaps the algorithms do not have the right amount of data to deliver very personal results. We think that being personal is the key, and this section leans heavily into this idea.
While we have dutifully laid out the gifting case over the years, we started to move away from seasonal gift guides a few years ago, leaving that to our annual jewellery issue. There are certainly logical audience-based reasons for this but, for everyone who has ever considered or received watches as gifts, it is worth going back to first principles. Watches are often quite expensive, especially those that might be considered worthy as gifts, so it would not do if the very impulse behind the act is suspect. For example, buying a watch as a gift exclusively via Internet-powered suggestions is weak tea. Being brave enough to embrace your own idiosyncrasies is essential, which is what we have done this issue. Let us explain…
You may wonder why a story about celebrating time, welcoming a return to relative normality, and rewarding yourself should have a space reserved for a Rolex. These are amongst the most unobtainable of all big brand wristwatches these days, and reportedly out of reach for collectors without standing. Well, we will justify this shortly but for the moment, simply consider the beauty of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss with the Z-Blue dial (pictured elsewhere).
Esta historia es de la edición Festive 2021 de World of Watches.
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Esta historia es de la edición Festive 2021 de World of Watches.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.