Whether practicality comes before necessity or you wish to show off the latest fashionable must-have on your wrist, there's a timepiece for everybody. Last year, the majority of Switzerland’s biggest brands saw a rise in sales, while Rolex recorded its best ever 12 months.
From high-end luxury watches to those which simply do their job and then some, here's a rundown of the best timepieces on the market this Christmas time...
Tom Ford 002 Ocean Plastic Watch - £746
If you or the person you are buying for are conscious of doing your bit for the environment, this Tom Ford watch not only looks slick and stylish but is trying to save the planet too.
The brand has made luxury timepieces from recovered plastic, with each watch amassing the equivalent of 35 bottles-worth taken directly from the sea.
Water-resistant up to 330ft, the watch features a strap braided from the repurposed material (recycling at its best) and comes in a classic round 40mm, black DLC stainless steel screw case.
SFTI Top Gun Pilot’s Watch - £9,000
This timepiece is made for the thrill-seekers and action lovers. Back in 2018, IWC teamed up with the Naval Air Station Lemoore in California to create a striking ‘Top Gun’ watch and, two years later, the sequel arrived in November and is a watch as enthralling and tough as Maverick himself.
With a 44mm dial made from black zirconium oxide ceramic, it’s extremely robust and scratch-proof and is built for the extreme. What’s more, it’s almost completely anti-reflective.
Coming in at £9,000 and with a limited 1,500 made worldwide, this gift will really, really, really show you care.
Orient Bambino Version IV Japanese dress watch - £179
This timepiece is the ideal accompaniment with a suit or formal jacket for business time.
Orient’s Bambino Version IV is one of the most elegant watches on the market right now with the signature domed crystal and inspiration taken from the three previous models which came before it. However, while looking back, Orient, who have manufactured watches for 65 years, have moved things forward with a modern 42mm diameter, thinner hands and a red accent partially dipped on the seconds hand.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Aston Martin Special Edition - £1,400
Another supercar-inspired inclusion in the rundown, this special edition timepiece boasts the luxury and sophistication of the classic Aston Martin. Featuring the brand’s racing detailing, it’s water resistant to 200 metres and comes with a black calf leather strap.
One of the pricier watches this year, the F1 range, say Tag Heuer, pushes the ‘boundaries with unrivalled innovative features, cutting edge materials and stylish aesthetics’. This is one classy watch.
With three chronograph sub-dials and luminescent hand-dials, it is set in a stainless steel case with a matte black aluminium bezel.
The Fuoriserie Rosso Red - £348
This is a unique and striking timepiece with a story to tell. Developed by designer David Giammetta, the Fuoriserie Rosso Red was created this year from the bodywork of Ferrari 348 TB. Searching high and low for supercar scraps, the Australian then creates brilliant watches from his finds.
Combining vintage aesthetics with modern performance, the lugs of the watch have been inspired by the bumper bars of the 1948 Cadillac and the leather straps pay homage to the vintage steering wheels of that era more than 70 years ago. Made in China with Japanese Miyota 203A quartz movement, this watch and its origin is certainly different from the rest.
