Top 5 Best Watches to Buy Your College Grad in 2020
Read on to see Everest's curated gift guide for graduates.
With many college graduation ceremonies being put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, now more than ever our future leaders need to know just how much they are valued. A quality watch is a perfect way to show your pride, and it also serves as your graduate’s first real lifelong investment. The transition from college to “the real world” is an exciting and crucial time for young people. During this time it’s important to put your best foot forward, and more than anything else in the world, a nice watch on your wrist increases your stature and confidence ten-fold.
When you think about a great graduation gift, you think of something that is both a thoughtful commemoration of one’s hard work and also a practical luxury that is not quite attainable just yet. Buying your graduate a luxury watch is a rite of passage, an open-door to opportunity, and an extremely special way to show how proud you are of their hard work and accomplishments.
Below is our list of the top 5 best luxury watches to buy your college graduate in 2020, ranked from most expensive to least.
The Big Shot
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 116000 -MSRP $5400
The stats:
- Case Size: 36mm diameter case
- Movement: Automatic Rolex 3130 (Hour, Minute and Second) 48 hour preserve
- Water Resistance: 100 meters / 330 Feet
- Bracelet: three link steel bracelet with safety Oysterclasp
- Dial: Sunburst Blue dial with applied Luminous indices and applied numbers (also available in other dial colors without numbers, for a slightly different look!)
- Hands: Classic stick hands
Why we love this watch for your grad: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is the perfect starter watch as you foray into the Rolex world. It’s flashy and elegant, yet subtle at the same time, and can be worn in the office and also out on the town. Because Rolex is known for their exceptional high quality, it will not only last infinitely but will also hold its value. Wearing this watch immediately demands attention, shows pedigree, and establishes stature. We love it with the blue face but the white dial is also a complete stunner. Buy this watch for your grad at a Rolex store or authorized dealer, and you’d certainly be the best gift-giver ever!
The Boss
The Panerai Luminor Base Logo - MSRP $5000
The stats:
- Case Size: 44mm diameter case
- Movement: P.6000 (Hour and Minute) 72 hour preserve
- Water Resistance: 100 meters / 330 Feet
- Bracelet: Calf Rugby Black, Beige Stitching
- Dial: Black dial with painted Luminous indices and numbers
- Hands: Black Stick hands
Why we love this watch for your grad: Panerai is an iconic look which is instantly identifiable by enthusiasts in the watch community. Panerai is a brand rich with military history and was originally designed for the Italian Navy, which adds another level of coolness. With its unique sandwich dial and countless strap options, you will definitely get noticed in this watch. The Base Logo Panerai is a great way to start for the budding Paneristi. You’ll get the iconic style, wrist presence, a strap-versatility, and a reliable in house movement without breaking the bank. You can read more about why we love Panerai here.
The Gentleman
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight MSRP $3700
The stats:
- Case Size: 39mm diameter case
- Movement: Manufacture Calibre MT5402 (Hour, Minute and Second) 70 hour preserve
- Water Resistance: 200 meters / 660 Feet
- Bracelet: Riveted Steel Bracelet with folding clasp and safety catch
- Dial: Matte Black dial with gold Luminous indices
- Hands: gold Snowflake hands
Why we love this watch for your grad: The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight has exceptional quality, and is a timeless design that will look good with a suit, on a first date with a future spouse, and will continue to look great all the way through retirement. It’s a true classic and has a beautiful presence on the wrist and comes with a variety of watch strap options including bracelet, leather, and nato. It’s made by Rolex, which tells you that the durability and quality is extremely high. You can read a lot more about our thoughts on the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight here.
The Winner
The stats:
- Case Size: 38.5mm diameter case
- Movement: Sellita SW300 (Hour, Minute, Second and Date) 42 hour preserve
- Water Resistance: 150 meters / 500Feet
- Bracelet: Steel Bracelet with articulating links and on the fly adjustable buckle
- Dial: Sunburst Blue dial with applied and painted Luminous indices and numbers
- Hands: Sword hands
Why we love this watch for your grad: The name Triumph says it all and perfectly commemorates the milestone of graduation. The MONTA triumph field watch offers exceptional finishing at an unbelievable price. It is a Swiss-made watch and is extremely high quality and is an absolute stunner on the wrist. It’s gorgeous, thin, very comfortable to wear, and comes with many dial and strap options. The MONTA Triumph rivals the bigger brands in design, quality and attention to detail, but is the only watch in our lineup with articulating links and an adjustable clasp. Not only is it classy, sophisticated, and comfortable, but it’s also a huge bang for buck. Discover more details and accolades here and here.
The Start-Up
Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium MSRP $775
The stats:
- Case Size: 40mm diameter case
- Movement: Automatic Swiss (Hour, Minute and Second) 80 hour preserve
- Water Resistance: 100 meters / 330 Feet
- Bracelet: Steel Bracelet with articulating links and on the fly adjustable buckle
- Dial: Sunburst Blue dial with applied and painted Luminous indices
- Hands: Faceted dauphine hands
Why we love this watch for your grad: It’s a Swiss-made watch for under $1000, which is a rare find. The Tissot takes some design cues from Rolex and looks elegant on the wrist. If you're on a budget, this is a fantastic gift option for your grad.
How About Adding Some Accessories?
Now that you’ve decided on giving a watch as a gift for your grad, you can’t forget about accessories. Other friends and family might be asking you what they can buy for your graduate. Tell them to look at our Everest Watch Accessories for a high quality leather pouch, a spring bar tool to personalize their new watch with a rubber strap, or even a nato strap. Everest also offers gorgeous Italian leather watch rolls that will be useful now, and later when their collection increases. These are a perfect compliment to any watch, and can really complete the whole experience of getting a new watch for your graduation. You can buy all of these products and more at everestbands.com.
Which one of these five stunning watches will your graduate like best? Are there any iconic, graduation-perfect watches we left off of our list? Tell us your thoughts below!
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