Gifts for Watch Lovers, From Straps to Their Next Automatic

By the Gift DeskUpdated October 8, 202619 hand-picked ideas

Three easy wins

Cheapest crowd-pleaserNATO Watch Strap Set~$15
A watch they’ll actually wearCasio Duro Analog Dive Watch~$70
For the serious collectorWatch Timegrapher Accuracy Tester~$170

Watch people have a particular way of glancing at your wrist. They notice the size of the case, whether the second hand sweeps or ticks, and whether the strap was an afterthought. Most of them own more watches than they strictly need and can tell you the movement inside each one. That’s exactly why buying them a watch is harder than it looks: their taste is precise, and the one they really want is often the one they’ve been saving for.

The good news is that the hobby is full of things around the watch. We start with straps, the easiest win in the whole hobby, then storage, a frank section on whether to buy an actual watch, a short list of watches that do work as gifts, and finally the bench tools and books that collectors enjoy.

If your watch lover is more broadly into style, our gifts for fashion lovers and gifts for jewelry lovers cover the rest of the dresser. For a gadget fan who’d rather have a smartwatch, see gifts for tech lovers.

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Straps: change the strap, change the watch

Collectors swap straps the way other people change shoes. A new strap can make a dive watch look dressier or a dress watch feel casual, and it costs a fraction of a new watch. It’s the most reliably welcome gift on this page, as long as you get one number right.

1
NATO Watch Strap Set
Clockwork Synergy Classic NATO Straps
Nylon straps in several colors that thread under the watch, so it stays on the wrist even if a spring bar fails. Cheap, cheerful and loved by field and dive watch fans.
On Amazonabout $15
2
Quick-Release FKM Rubber Watch Strap
Barton Elite FKM Rubber Watch Strap
A soft, dust-resistant rubber strap for summer, swimming and sweaty days. It turns a steel sports watch into a beach watch in a minute, no tools needed.
On Amazonabout $30
3
Quick-Release Leather Watch Band
A leather strap with quick-release pins for dress and field watches. Leather and water don’t mix, so this is the office and dinner strap, not the pool one.
On Amazonabout $35
4
Classic Watch Strap Changing and Care Kit
BISONSTRAP Watch Strap Replacement Tool Kit
A spring bar tool, a cloth and a few straps for someone just getting into swaps. The tool protects the lugs from the scratches a butter knife leaves behind.
On Amazonabout $9

Know exactly who it’s for?

Somewhere safe to keep them

Once someone owns more than two watches, they start living on nightstands, in drawers and in the bottom of gym bags. Storage keeps crystals from getting scratched and makes choosing the day’s watch part of the fun.

5
Six-Slot Watch Display Box
ProCase 6-Slot Watch Box with Glass Lid
A glass-lidded box with six cushions lets them see the whole collection at once, which is half the joy of owning it. Six slots gives a growing collection room to breathe. If they already have one that’s full, a second box is a perfectly good gift and a gentle acknowledgment of the habit.
On Amazonabout $28
6
Leather Watch Travel Roll
A padded roll that holds two or three watches separately, so they don’t knock against each other in a suitcase. It’s for the collector who can’t choose just one watch for a trip, which is most of them. It also protects a single good watch on a business trip far better than a sock does.
On Amazonabout $75
7
Automatic Watch Winder
WOLF Heritage Single Watch Winder
A motorized box that keeps an automatic watch wound when it’s not being worn. Be honest with yourself about who it suits: it only matters for automatic watches, and many collectors happily reset a simple time-and-date watch by hand. It’s most useful for someone with a watch that has a complicated calendar or moon phase that’s tedious to set.
On Amazonabout $440

Should you buy a watch for a watch person?

Usually only if they’ve told you which one. Collectors research for months, care about case diameter down to the millimeter and often know the exact reference number they want. A watch chosen on their behalf, even a good one, can miss on size, dial color or movement. The other risk is the gray area of buying online: unauthorized sellers sometimes offer prices that look too good, and watch people care about warranties and authenticity.

There are two sensible exceptions. The first is a gift card or a contribution toward the watch they’ve been saving for, especially if you go with them to buy it. The second is a fun, inexpensive watch that no collector would buy for themselves but most enjoy owning: a classic digital, a tough beater or an entry-level mechanical to start a younger person off. A quick primer if you go that route: quartz runs on a battery and keeps excellent time, automatic movements wind themselves as you wear them, hand-wound watches need a daily turn of the crown, and solar quartz charges from light.

Watches that make sense as gifts

These are the watches enthusiasts recommend to each other, at prices that don’t require knowing someone’s grail. The first two are fun extras for a seasoned collector; the rest suit someone just starting out or marking a milestone.

Our favorite8
Casio Duro Analog Dive Watch
A quartz dive-style watch with a rotating bezel and 200-meter water resistance that collectors fondly treat as the ideal beater. It’s what they wear to the beach, the garden or a camping trip so the expensive pieces stay home. Even someone with a serious collection is likely to smile at this one, and it’s cheap enough not to overthink.
On Amazonabout $70
9
Casio F-91W Classic Digital Watch
The little resin digital watch that’s been in production since the late eighties and costs about the same as lunch. It weighs almost nothing, the battery lasts years, and it has a cult following among watch people who own far pricier pieces. A good laugh as a stocking stuffer, and it will genuinely get worn.
On Amazonabout $20
10
Orient Bambino Automatic Watch
A classic dress watch with a domed crystal and an automatic movement Orient makes itself, often recommended as a first mechanical watch. It’s a good graduation or new-job gift for someone who’s curious about watches but doesn’t own a mechanical one yet. Its vintage-style case wears larger than some expect, so it suits average and larger wrists best.
On Amazonabout $170
11
Seiko 5 Automatic Watch
A steel automatic with a day-date display from the line many collectors started with. It’s sturdy enough for daily wear and has a huge range of dial colors, so you can match their taste. A thoughtful pick for a beginner; an experienced collector probably already owns one, or has strong opinions about which version is best.
On Amazonabout $280
12
Citizen Eco-Drive Solar Watch
An analog watch that runs on light, from a lamp or a window, so it needs no regular battery changes. It’s the practical choice for someone who wants a good everyday watch without thinking about winding or servicing. Watch purists may prefer a mechanical, but plenty of collectors keep one as their reliable grab-and-go piece.
On Amazonabout $190
13
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Watch
A hand-wound field watch with a sapphire crystal and a design that goes back to military watches. Winding it each morning is part of the appeal for people who like a ritual. It’s a milestone gift, for a retirement, a big anniversary or a graduation, and one that can be passed down. Check that they like smaller, simpler watches first.
On Amazonabout $700

Bench tools, books and nerdy extras

For the collector who wants to understand what’s ticking inside. These range from a $10 loupe to a proper measuring tool.

14.
Watchmaker Loupe Magnifier
Carson TriView 5x/10x/15x Folding Loupe
A folding 10x loupe for looking at dial printing, hands and movements through a display case back. Collectors use one constantly.
On Amazonabout $12
15.
Watch Demagnetizer
Phones, speakers and magnetic clasps can magnetize a mechanical watch and make it run fast. This little box fixes it in seconds at home.
On Amazonabout $16
16.
Watch Timegrapher Accuracy Tester
A bench device that listens to a mechanical watch and shows its daily rate and beat error. For the collector who wants numbers, not guesses.
On Amazonabout $170
17.
Watch Battery Replacement Tool Kit
Bergeon 6767-F Spring Bar Tool
Case openers and spare batteries for quartz watches. Skip it for dive watches, where water resistance is best left to a professional.
On Amazonabout $25
18.
Watch Collecting Book
Watch: An Illustrated Guide by John Cronin
A photo-rich guide to watch history, movements and famous brands. A great primer for a newer collector and a pleasant browse for an old hand.
On Amazonabout $30
19.
Mechanical Watch Building Kit
namokiMODS Black Lume Watchmaking Kit
A real movement, tools and instructions for assembling a watch. A memorable weekend project for the curious collector with steady hands.
On Amazonabout $80

Shop this guide by price

What watch people wish you knew

Find the lug width before buying any strap. It’s usually 18, 20 or 22mm, and close isn’t good enough.
Know the movement type. Winders only help automatics; battery kits only help quartz.
Leave the big purchase to them unless they’ve named the exact watch. A contribution toward it is a perfectly good gift.
Fun, cheap watches are welcome. Many collectors love a classic digital or a tough beater as much as their expensive pieces.
For more tailored ideas, tell our gift finder what they collect and what they wear daily.

Watch gift FAQ

What do you buy a watch collector who has everything?

Accessories around the watches: straps in their lug width, a travel roll, a display box, a demagnetizer or a timegrapher for the serious hobbyist. A fun beater like a Casio Duro is also a reliable crowd-pleaser.

How do I find out someone’s watch lug width?

Look up the model online, where the specs list it, or check the case back or the strap itself, which sometimes has the width stamped inside. Most men’s watches are 20 or 22mm; many smaller watches are 18mm.

Is a watch winder a good gift?

Only for someone with automatic watches who doesn’t wear them daily, and especially for watches with calendar complications that are fiddly to reset. For a simple automatic, many collectors are happy just setting the time when they put it on.

What’s a good first mechanical watch to give?

The Orient Bambino and Seiko 5 are both widely recommended automatics at friendly prices. For a hand-wound option with heirloom appeal, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical is a classic.

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Straps: change the strap, change the watch

Know exactly who it’s for?

Somewhere safe to keep them

Should you buy a watch for a watch person?

Watches that make sense as gifts

Bench tools, books and nerdy extras

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

$50–$100

$100+

What watch people wish you knew

Watch gift FAQ

Related gift guides

Straps: change the strap, change the watch

Know exactly who it’s for?

Somewhere safe to keep them

Should you buy a watch for a watch person?

Watches that make sense as gifts

Bench tools, books and nerdy extras

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

$50–$100

$100+