17 Watches That Will Make Spectacular Gifts This Christmas

Stumped about what to get for the watch fanatic in your life? Here’s a selection curated from the top launches from this year.

chanel j12 white ceramic watch tudor black bay yellow gold on snow — Photos: Courtesy of Chanel and Tudor

By Zara Zhuang - published 13 Dec 2024

The world of watches is as marvellous as it is vast, so if you’re considering gifting a timepiece to friends and family but feel a tinge overwhelmed by all the possibilities out there, fret not. There’s a watch for everyone, so let this handy list show you how to get started.

For The Corporate Warrior

1. Cubitus, about $85,800, Patek Philippe

cubitus patek philippe rose gold stainless steel — Photo: Courtesy of Patek Philippe

The manufacture blessed us this year with its first new collection since unveiling the Twenty~4 in 1999, and to say the Cubitus made waves would be an understatement. At 45mm, this robust ticker with its distinctive square case and horizontally embossed sunburst dial may be just what you need to command a (board) room.

2. L.U.C XPS Forest Green, $16,900, Chopard

chopard luc xps forest green — Photo: Courtesy of Chopard

Oozing a subdued energy, this time-only watch features a moody sector-type dial with a small seconds sub-dial. And it’s green in more ways than one: the Lucent Steel that forms its 40mm case is made with a recycling rate of at least 80 percent.

3. Little Lange 1, A. Lange & Söhne

lange 1 watch rose gold lange sohne — Photo: Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Lange 1 collection this year, the brand released two new models of the 38.5mm Lange 1, as well as two petite interpretations, both in limited editions of 150 pieces. The Little Lange 1, with its 36.8mm rose gold case, rich blue dial, up/down power reserve indicator, and large date window, preserves the old-world charm the collection is renowned for.

4. Luminor Due TuttoOro, $58,500, Panerai

panerai luminor due tuttooro rose gold white dial — Photo: Courtesy of Panerai

The sleek, minimalist sun-brushed white sandwich dial (also available in black) on this 42mm timepiece provides a calming counterbalance to Panerai’s gorgeous Goldtech alloy, which makes up the case, bezel and bracelet. The result is a refined watch that makes its presence felt.

5. Ballon Bleu de Cartier, $10,400, Cartier

balloon bleu cartier green dial stainless steel christmas campaign — Photo: Courtesy of Cartier

You could easily lose yourself in the hypnotic sunray-brushed dark green dial of this 40mm steel timepiece. Showcasing stately Roman numerals, a rounded convex case, and a crown set with a spinel cabochon, this watch is the embodiment of sophistication.

For The Style Maven

6. Bvlgari Bvlgari, $61,700, Bvlgari

Bvlgari Bvlgari tubogas 2024 watch white gold yellow gold rose gold — Photo: Courtesy of Bvlgari

A flexible double-twirl Tubogas bracelet in yellow gold, white gold and rose gold; a 21mm round case that’s a modern take on ancient Roman coins; a pink rubellite cabochon on the crown; and a black lacquer dial with 12 brilliant-cut diamond indices—there’s plenty to admire about this quartz watch, and the details only become more alluring with time.

7. Calibre 101 Secrets, Jaeger-LeCoultre

calibre 101 secrets jaeger lecoultre rose gold diamond — Photo: Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre

The manufacture’s dainty Calibre 101 bracelet watch has spent quite a lot of time in the spotlight and on red carpets this year, thanks to brand ambassador Anya Taylor-Joy. This latest rendition, a pink gold high jewellery wonder, features a white mother-of-pearl dial and more than a thousand diamonds, together with the in-house Calibre 101 manual-winding movement, which weighs barely a gram.

8. J12 Calibre 12.2, $13,650, Chanel

chanel j12 watch white ceramic — Photo: Courtesy of Chanel

Perfect for evoking a white Christmas is this new J12, with its 33mm white ceramic and steel case (its crown and bracelet are also made of white ceramic), white mother-of-pearl dial, and 12 diamond hour markers—this composition is so dazzling, you might need to watch out for snow blindness.

9. Ultimate Emerald Signature, Harry Winston

harry winston emerald watch blue sapphire diamond — Photo: Courtesy of Harry Winston

Not only does it boast a white gold pyramid-shaped case (as seen from the side) festooned with diamonds and a 1-carat sapphire, this high jewellery marvel is a shapeshifter that can be worn as a bracelet, pendant and brooch.

10. Piaget Polo 79, Piaget

piaget polo 79 yellow gold — Photo: Courtesy of Piaget

A reimagination of the Maison’s first sports elegant watch, which debuted in 1979, this audacious icon retains the glamorous air of that era and features a dial, case and integrated bracelet crafted entirely from yellow gold.

11. Royal Oak Mini, about $48,500, Audemars Piguet

audemars piguet yellow gold royal oak mini 2024 — Photo: Courtesy of Audemars Piguet

A tribute to the smallest Royal Oak the manufacture has ever created, this 23mm yellow gold quartz timepiece is right on the tiny watch trend. Plus with its shimmery finish, christened Frosted Gold and developed by jeweller Carolina Bucci, it brings the sparkle needed for any year-end party.

For The Sports Enthusiast

12. Monaco Chronograph, $15,900, TAG Heuer

tag heuer monaco chronograph black pink — Photo: Courtesy of TAG Heuer

A watch with a colourway that’ll get your heart racing, this 39mm titanium chronograph features hot pink on the counters and the chronograph seconds hand, a bold hue that contrasts sharply with the black sandblasted skeleton dial.

13. Pilot Automatic Porter Edition, $16,400, ZENITH

zenith pilot watch collaboration porter bags — Photo: Courtesy of Zenith

In tribute to exploration and adventure, Zenith’s Pilot collection, a star among aviation watches, joined forces with the bag and accessories brand Porter to create this 40mm three-hander and also the 42.5mm Pilot Big Date Flyback Porter, in a limited edition of 500 pieces each. Both watches are fashioned from khaki ceramic in homage to one of Porter’s signature colours.

14. Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic, about $93,000, Hublot

hublot big bang unico novak djokovic collaboration watch — Photo: Courtesy of Hublot

This one’s for the tennis aficionados. Hublot teamed up with its ambassador Novak Djokovic to develop this limited edition of 100 pieces packed with references to the game: a fluorescent yellow seconds pusher on the self-winding chronograph, bezel screws that resemble tennis balls, and a 42mm case and bezel made of a matte blue recycled composite embedded with shredded bits of Djokovic’s shirts and racquets.

15. Black Bay 58 18k, about $46,000, Tudor

tudor black bay yellow gold green dial — Photo: Courtesy of Tudor

Water resistant to 200m, this 39mm yellow gold workhorse boasts a 70-hour power reserve, a green dial and a matching unidirectional rotating bezel, and a bracelet with a warm satin finish.

16. Speedmaster 38, about $52,800, OMEGA

Omega speedmaster green dial rose gold — Photo: Courtesy of Omega

Arguably the brand’s splashiest launch this year—with its Milan unveiling party attended by Alessandra Ambrosio, Barry Keoghan and Jonathan Bailey—this edition of the famed chronograph replaces the tachymetre scale of its predecessor with a circle of larger diamonds, which highlight the gleam of the proprietary Moonshine Gold case.

17. Portofino Chronograph 39, $11,000, IWC Schaffhausen

iwc portofino chronograph — Photo: Courtesy of IWC Schaffhausen

A fresh release from this year’s Watches And Wonders Shanghai, the brand’s first Portofino Chronograph 39 to be fitted with a sleek stainless steel bracelet brings together a sporty chronograph complication with a stylish aesthetic.