With the cap and gown season rolling around, it’s time to think about picking out and choosing that perfect graduation gift for the special someone in your life. Graduation is essentially the starting point in the rest of one’s life—an exciting and often times terrifying milestone that needs to be celebrated and cherished upon forever and always.
There is no way more perfect than marking the specialness of this occasion by continuing on the time-honored tradition of graduation gift giving with a present that in itself honors the essence of time. Show your grad how proud you are of them and how far they’ve come (and still have yet to go) with a practical timekeeper, fashion accessory, and sentimental memory all in one.
A watch is the simplest yet most perfect thing to shower a newly graduated scholar with. So if you’re looking for a graduation watch to give, make good use of Ashford.com’s extensive collection of luxury watch brands and other specialty goods to wow your favorite graduate this June. Here are some brands and ideas to get you started, along with some ways to splurge but still save.
Steeped in American heritage and coupled with Swiss watchmaking ingenuity, Hamilton watches are the perfect blend of tradition, innovation, and elegance. Send her off to school with a true American classic—literally.
The Ladies' Hamilton Timeless Classic Valiant Quartz Watch screams pure elegance and unostentatious design with quartz, sapphire crystals, and a water resistant design that invites tradition to share a bit of eternity.
For him, the Khaki Field Automatic is for sure a good field watch that provides casual timekeeping at its very best. Inspired by 1940s military timepieces, it will never go out of style, all thanks to its black dial, muted colors, and simple numerals. Hamilton’s version even adds useful day/date windows, anti-reflective sapphire glass, and a sophisticated automatic movement that winds with the movement of your wrist. This is the gift that keeps on giving.
Since 1868, Swiss watch makers IWC have been creating masterpieces of haute horlogerie that combine precision engineering with exclusive design.
This week’s best deal is the IWC Ingenieur Dual Time, a watch perfectly "engineered for men" that is not just more rugged and sports-inspired than most other IWC collections, but truly ideal for potential frat brothers or Lacrosse stars who will likely show off this stainless steel timepiece in class, during parties, and while prepping for upcoming crew races.
The IWC Portofino Stainless is another good choice, especially for on-the-go business majors, as it assertively stands out amongst the crowd in a convincing and measured tone. It’s tastefully sized and designed, an automatic that beautifully straddles the line between savvy business watch and elegant dress watch.
Bearing ultimate precision and reliability with stunning design, it has produced some of the world’s most coveted watches. The brand creates exotic timepieces that continue to fascinate watch aficionados worldwide, making it a gift giving go-to when choosing any unique timepiece for a new graduate.
For something classic and simple yet still supremely spectacular, try the Heritage Ultra-Thin Lady, an example of Zenith’s unswerving dedication to the tenets of its distinctive legacy of being the very first manufacturer of watches. This automatic watch features an alligator strap and a steel case measuring 33 mm with a sleek polished bezel highlighting the modest femininity of its design. Shower that aspiring poet or upcoming history major with an edgy yet feminine timepiece that will make its owner proud.
Diverse and luxurious, all products from this Swiss luxury watchmaker evoke a sense of exceptional quality, originality, and pure attention to detail. Expect all Raymond Weil pieces to boast stunning aesthetics as well as precise function, like this perfectly crafted timepiece for that upcoming Latin Major stepping off into adulthood for the first time.
The Roman numerals in the stunning fully automatic Maestro are prominently featured within a formal yet elegant design offering a silver dial with a date window at 3 o'clock along with a sturdy leather strap enhancing on the traditional look of a true classic. The Maestro is made for any man who honors tradition and authenticity and is now being offered at Ashford.com for over 65% in savings. So wow that grad without breaking the bank this summer season. What are you waiting for?
The brand is synonymous with elegance, precision, and performance—a true leader in the field of mechanical chronographs with a long history in partnering with the aviation industry and its most elite pilots.
Try giving sending off that grad to school with a Bentley Speed Watch or the Superocean Chronograph Watch, both ideal for the university bound with their youthful, dynamic, and modern appearances and high performance self-winding movement chronometers that have been certified by the COSC.
For those risk-takers out there, there’s the Breitling Avenger II line as well. It is definitely worth a look at because of its ever-so-slick construction, chronograph complications, professional-grade diving capability, and all in all original pilot’s watch design. For the daring wrists that can handle such greatness, it is a present that’s sure to be adored.
One of the largest independent luxury mechanical watch manufacturers, the signature red rotors of this Swiss brand underline its century-long commitment to mechanical movements.
Oris has a reputation for making great high-end watches without high-end pricing, and the BC 4 is right up there in terms of style, sturdiness, and simplicity. The black military dial is easy to read, the large crown is easy to adjust, and the robust stainless steel case looks stunning anywhere. This is the graduation watch that can stay with them through their professional years—one that dances easily between sporty and dressy; one that’s got an intriguing and strikingly small date and second display that both pair perfectly well with all other features packed into such a feel-good watch.
