The Right Watch for Dad

Watches don’t just tell time, they show a respect for it. For that reason they’ve always made endearing gifts; many businesses have had a tradition of giving long-time employees watches as gifts as thanks for their service, and parents give them to graduates to celebrate their hard work. It’s a thank you for time hard spent.

So, come this Father’s Day, if you’re still unsure of what to get him, think about all the time your dad has spent on you. Teaching you how to drive, helping you move, taking you to see your favorite team play or simply sitting down and watching a movie with you. A good watch, tailored to his interests, is the most appropriate way of saying thank you. These are what we’d get our dads.

Victorinox I.N.O.X Leather

For the Outdoorsman: Not only will his watch finally match his pocket knife, but Dad will have a near-indestructible quartz field watch. If it can handle being run over by a tank (which Victorinox purportedly did in testing the I.N.O.X), it can hold up during his next camping trip.

Citizen Satellite Wave

For the Techie: Dad’s into the latest and greatest tech, but not so much the Apple Watch (he isn’t alone). Instead, he can enjoy the tech-packed wonder of a high-end quartz watch like Citizen’s Satellite Wave, which not only packs the brand’s renowned solar quartz movement, but also GPS for automatic time adjustments to atomic clock signals based on his location.

Georg Jensen Koppel

For the Design Junkie: His house is full of Scandinavian furniture, so it’s only fitting that your dad’s wrist wear follows suit. While Georg Jensen is better known for its long history of silversmithing, in 1978 the brand launched its first wrist watch penned by Danish designer Henning Koppel. Nearly 30 years later, Georg Jensen has released a continuation of that clean, beautiful watch.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Manufacture Worldtimer

For the Jetsetter If he’s constantly on the move, or just enjoying his retirement in style, a world time watch is perfect for the dad who has racked up a lifetime’s worth of frequent flyer miles and will give him the time of day for whatever time zone he’s left behind (or is heading to next).

TAG Heuer Carrera

For the Car Enthusiast: Heuer’s association with auto racing goes back to the 1930s, when the brand made dashboard timers for race cars, but it’s the Carrera, originally launched in the 1960s, that has become one of its most iconic racing timepieces.

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 53

For the Nostalgist: Zodiac’s original Super Seawolf was, along with the Rolex Submariner and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, among one of the earliest “modern dive watches.” Released in the early ’50s, it immediately became a hit with American GI’s from its launch throughout the Vietnam War. The company has now finally gotten around to reissuing a faithful recreation of the iconic diver.

Damasko DA37 Black

For the DIYer: Instead of using the industry-standard 316L surgical steel, German watchmaker Damasko uses its own ice-hardened nickel-free alloy, which is more corrosion-, scratch- and dent-resistant than most other watch cases. What’s more, it has a thick, diamond-like coating (DLC) for further protection. So, if Dad’s a tinkerer and accidentally bangs his watch during a project, it should remain relatively unscathed.

Seiko ‘Cocktail Time’ SARB065

For the New Watch Nerd: Many watch geeks cut their teeth on cheap mechanical Seikos because few other brands offer the same value. The Japanese-market SARB series is a fan favorite, not just for its Japanese-made automatic movement but its detailed finishing and the incredible guilloché dial, which shines in different colors in varying light conditions.

OMEGA Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer

For the Longtime Watch Nerd: The Speedmaster is worthy of any horologist’s collection on the merit of its icon status alone, but OMEGA’s latest version of the venerable chronograph is a true grail piece. For starters, OMEGA has ditched COSC certification in favor of the Swiss Federal Institute for Metrology’s more stringent standards. What’s more, it adds a moonphase complication to the mix, one so detailed that an image of Neil Armstrong’s footprint can be seen.

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony

For the Dapper Dad: A simple, classic-looking dress watch from one of haute horology’s most well-regarded watchmakers. What’s more, if the name of the watch is any indicator, this is one timepiece that will stay in the family for generations.

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