The Watch Connoisseur’s Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is around the corner, and if your dad (or brother, or son, or best buddy) is a watch guy like you, its likely he also shares other interests — an eye for fashionable accessories; a taste for fine spirits and premium cigars; an appreciation for high-end writing instruments; and a need to store and perhaps display his ticking treasures. So if you’re still searching for just the right gift for the father who has everything — “everything” defined, as per usual in our gift guides, as so many watches you wouldn’t begin to know which ones he wants, needs, or already owns — scroll down this list of excellent items I’ve curated from a variety of WatchTime’s friends and partners.

If you read about my recent trip to the Kentucky Derby with Longines, you learned quite a bit about the Derby’s official watch sponsor and timekeeper. As it turns out, the Run for the Roses also has an official bourbon (it is held in Kentucky, after all) — and it is Woodford Reserve, which released its first permanent line extension, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, in 2012. This 90.4-proof ultra-premium Kentucky bourbon derives its bold, full-bodied flavor; long, rich finish; and deep amber hue from being matured and finished in two separate white oak barrels handcrafted at the whiskeymaker’s own cooperage. The first barrel has been completely toasted and charred on the inside and seasoned outdoors for nine months, while the second is charred twice as long as the first, and very lightly charred; both barrel seasoning processes are unique in the whiskey world. The results from the additional barrel aging are the enhanced notes of honey, vanilla, caramel, and light apple and other dried fruits that engage the palate, the intense toasted-oak aroma, and the lingering creamy finish. Sip it neat or add an ice cube rather than diluting it in a Derby-approved Mint Julep. And as you can see from the photo below, personalized bottles are also an option. ($54.99; www.woodfordreserve.com)

Our friends at Juvo make high-end watch winders that they offer direct to consumers via their website to keep prices affordable — or at least, restrained. Its Juvo A4 Quadruple Automatic Watch Winder accommodates four timepieces in its hand-made case that combines high-gloss wood panels, patented aluminum extrusions, a glass cover, and automatic COB lights. Each of the cushions on the four rotators are made of PU leather with memory foam, and a Japanese-made motor powers the rotations, for which there are four options ranging from 650 turns per day (TPD) to 1,500 TPD. The rotators are also designed to move in three different settings, for clockwise, counterclockwise, and bidirectional self-winding systems, meaning they’re suitable for just about any self-winding timepiece, and even really large, heavy ones; the cushions can comfortably hold watch cases up to 55 mm in diameter. Best of all, Juvo is offering a 10% discount to customers who use the code “WATCHTIME” between now and Father’s Day. ($999.99; www.juvoluxury.com)

Montblanc, as those who’ve been following WatchTime’s coverage of the company are aware, has become an important player in the luxury watch arena, though it is still most renowned, justifiably, for its expertise in making luxurious and collectible writing instruments. The latest in its Great Characters series, established in 2009 to pay tribute to “exceptional individuals whose lives and work have made a lasting impact on human civilization,” honors the legend and accomplishments of America’s 35th president. The Homage to John F. Kennedy Special Edition Burgundy collection includes a fountain pen, rollerball, and ballpoint, all in burgundy-colored precious resin and champagne-toned gold, the colors of Harvard, JFK’s Ivy League alma mater. The three gold cap rings symbolize Kennedy’s three brothers, while the fountain pen’s handcrafted 585 gold nib is inscribed with an illustration of the Apollo 11 lunar module, paying homage to the 1969 moon landing that was Kennedy’s pet project as well as his presidency’s most iconic historical milestone. ($1,035; www.montblanc.com)

Distilled in a former naval prison on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay, Gold Bar American Whiskey is a liquid tribute to the Bay Area’s gold-rush history. This three-distillery blended spirit — with corn making up 88 percent of the mashbill, along with aged rye and malted barley — is finished in French Oak Cabernet wine casks from Napa Valley after a first maturation in new charred American oak barrels, imparting its distinctively mellow, dark-fruit-tinged mouthfeel and delicate spices on the aroma and finish. The glass bottle is designed as, literally, a gold bar, with a collector-grade brass coin depicting “Lady Fortune” pressed into the front. Representing good luck as well as the spirit of American grit and entrepreneurship that drove Gold Bar’s founders, the coin is minted at America’s oldest private mint, in operation since 1988, and along with the individual numbering on each bottle, makes this American spirit a true treasure. ($44.95; www.goldbarwhiskey.com)

Another luxury-goods company which has stepped up its timepiece game in recent years is Porsche Design, which brings the same vintage sports car-inspired aesthetics to its other offerings as it does to watches like the Chronotimer collection. The recently released Porsche Design 911 Speaker is a great example, taking its unusual shape from the original high-gloss black tailpipe cover of the classic Porsche 911 GT3 and pumping out 60 watts of pure CD-quality sound much like the car’s exhaust system produced that unforgettable engine roar on the racetrack. Made of high-quality materials, including an aluminum housing, the 911 Speaker has a Bluetooth interface with an easy-pairing function that allows quick connection to any mobile device or PC. If you buy two speakers, you can set them for “party mode” in which both speakers synch up to fill the room continuously with state-of-the-art sound – perfect for those summer soirées. ($599; www.porsche-design.com)

Macanudo celebrates its 50th anniversary of production by parent company General Cigar in 2018 and it’s marking the milestone with the release of Macanudo Inspirado Red, a bolder, fuller-bodied alternative to the traditionally mellow Mac, handmade in Nicaragua and boasting a hearty, multinational Central American blend. The wrapper is Havana-seed Ecuadorian ligero (ligero is the leaf of the tobacco plant that gets the most direct sunlight and is thus the most intensely flavorful), the binder is a rich Nicaraguan Jalapa, and the filler blend marries an array of rare and well-matured tobaccos, including five-year-aged Nicaraguan Esteli, 10-year-aged Honduran Jamastran, and a very special leaf grown in the volcanic soil of Nicaragua’s Ometépe Island and aged a full 12 years. It all yields a sublimely robust, peppery and spicy smoke that you’ll want to share with your pop on the patio under the stars. ($6.49 – $7.49 per cigar, 20-count boxes; www.macanudo.com)

The other watch-winder maestro in our list, California-based Wolf Design, brings its patented rotation system to the new Axis Winder, which brings character to any shelf or table top with its custom copper plating, micro suede interior, locking glass cover, and backlit LCD display showcasing an assortment of timepieces — from a single watch to six, depending on model. The owner can set the rotations from 300 to 1,200 TPD, the direction at clockwise, counterclockwise, or bidirectional, and start-delay programming from six to 72 hours. Wolf makes the only winders that are designed to count the actual rotations rather than estimate them based on time settings. The cuffs, which can fit watches up to 52 mm in diameter, lock into the rotator drum for a secure fit. Prices range from $495 to $3,299, and each is covered by a two-year warranty. (www.wolf1834.com)

Finally, let’s not forget the opportunity to treat dad to a year of your favorite magazine. WatchTime is offering, from this week through June 19, a special 20 percent off the cost of a one-year “All Access” subscription. That’s six print issues, plus access to all digital editions via iPad, iPhone, and Android devices, plus access to our online archive of issues going back to 2000, for 20% off the regular price of $49.97. Tack on a gift subscription to one (or more) of the excellent items above by visiting our online shop.