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11 of the best 21st birthday gift watches

11 of the best 21st birthday gift watches

Tom Austin

Ahhh, 21. I remember it like it was yesterday. The real age where you have the world at your feet – the same world that also starts to treat you like an actual adult person, with actual responsibilities. A lot of 21-year-olds will complain that they’re “getting old” (lol), as their youth begins to feel like it’s dwindling away like a flickering candle at the end of its wick. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The show is just getting started, and there are plenty of new discoveries ahead – just wait ’till knee pain comes around. Some of the most fantastic times in our lives are chiselled into memory in our early twenties, and for us watch enthusiasts, there’s nothing better than having a watch accompany us on that journey. A wristwatch makes for a superb 21st birthday gift, not only as a memorable gesture but especially now that they’re in their 20s, they’ll at the very least have less of an excuse for being late for work…

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80

tissot prx powermatic 80 ice blue

Being that guy who’s into watches, I get asked a fair bit, often by younger people, “What watch shall I start out with?” This can be a difficult question, and many times you can be stumped when you show someone something you think they’ll like, and they turn it down. This rarely happens with the Tissot PRX, however, and it’s now become my default watch to recommend to most younger people. It’s got the magic recipe; it’s Swiss made, from a brand most people recognise and associate with quality, it’s great value, there’s a plethora of colours and dial options, it looks fantastic and goes with everything. What’s not to like? The Tissot PRX has reached cult status now, as the go-to watch for the person who’s interested in dipping their toe into the watch world and wants something that stands out but also isn’t a step too far. Touches like the “Clous de Paris” textured dial along with the not-too-big 40mm case result in the PRX being an extremely versatile wear. The integrated bracelet style is still extremely hot, especially with watches like the Vacheron Constantin 222 entering the fold. The Tissot PRX makes not just a great budget alternative to something like the Vacheron Constantin 222, but in the wonder-filled eyes of a 21-year-old, it’s a truly special watch that will potentially lead them down a path of serious watch collecting and, importantly, enjoyment. Price: US$725 

Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38

hamilton khaki field murph

Everyone loves being gifted a watch, and if your soon-to-be 21-year-old is a movie buff, I can’t think of a better watch to receive. The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph featured heavily in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi blockbuster Interstellar, as a gift from Matthew McConaughey’s character Cooper to his daughter Murph before he departed on a mission to space to save mankind. The watch then went on to be used as a communication device, allowing Cooper to communicate to a now adult Murph, through Morse code. It’s a truly unique use of watches in filmmaking and multifaceted in the movie, because the watch not only helped Murph decode the message to help save the entire human race, but represented the love between a father and his daughter. The watch itself is a pretty cool piece of kit, too, it’s a 38mm field watch, with a highly legible black or white dial, finished with Arabic numerals and classic cathedral hands. The stainless steel case is proportioned perfectly for many wrist sizes, and the case design has a simple, no-fuss approach, it just gets on with the job. It’s powered by the Hamilton H-10 automatic movement, too which is perfect, with a whopping 80-hour power reserve. As I said, everyone loves being gifted a watch, well, at least most of us. Murph threw hers across the room, but I guarantee the same won’t happen to you if you gifted one of these. Price: US$895, available from the T+T Shop

Nomos Glashütte Club Campus 38

nomos club campus 38 blue purple

For the uninitiated, precision watchmaking is reserved as a Swiss industry, but there are plenty of places around the world that would beg to differ, Glashütte being one of them. Located in Saxony, Germany, and inhabited by around 7,000 people, our guess is that approximately 6,999 of them work in the watchmaking industry. It’s the home of Nomos, among other brands, who began producing watches in 1992, and a star of their collection is the Club Campus 38. Nomos are known for their trademark minimalist aesthetic, but the Club Campus takes a departure from that approach, opting for a bolder design, with thicker features and a wide array of dial colours, ranging from the more subtle to the extremely vibrant. At 38.5mm, it’s a perfect size and finished in highly polished stainless steel, it’s built to last, with typical German build quality. Inside the watch sits a manually wound in-house calibre with a 43-hour power reserve, and being the only manually-wound watch in this list, it’s an exciting prospect to bring someone into the world of watch appreciation with a manual watch to show how it really should be done. The dial, featuring a California dial with half Arabic numeral and half Roman numeral hour markers, is clean and easy to read and looks great with the small seconds dial at 6 o’clock. As to be expected, the Club Campus is finished to the exceptional levels of quality we’ve become used to from Nomos, and it’s a stylish watch that really does have an option for everyone. They also offer free case back engraving, which is ideal for a gift. Price: US$2,000

Longines Master Collection Small Seconds

Longines Master Collection Small Seconds

Milestone birthdays can often call for something classic and timeless. In gifting someone a watch, you’d probably hope that they carry it for the rest of their lives and as such, that it will still suit them when they’re much older. The Longines Master Collection Small Seconds is pretty much spot-on. Longines listened to their audience and unveiled a watch that is more suited to enthusiasts’ needs, bringing a 38.5mm watch to the table with some subtle details to die for. Firstly, let’s talk about the main thing that catches your eye, which is the dial design. There are three different variations of the Small Seconds available – silver, black, and a vertically brushed salmon, which almost looks rose gold. Each features engraved Breguet numerals, a detailed small seconds hand at 6, and an angled chapter ring with dotted indices. The case is stainless steel with sapphire crystals front and back, along with a 30-metre water resistance – not that it’s really the kind of watch to go for a dip with. Visible through the case back is the ETA-based L893 movement, modified to receive a 72-hour power reserve. Price: US$2,500

TAG Heuer Carrera Date

tag heuer carrera automatic date 36 pink

TAG Heuer is synonymous these days as the perfect brand for enthusiasts beginning their journey in watches. The Carrera Date is probably the best of the bunch for this very purpose. It’s uncomplicated and subtle, but also timeless and refined – ideal for a post-graduate who’s just beginning their professional career. At 36mm, it’s reasonably sized for a multitude of wrists, and 10mm thick means it can slip under a shirt cuff nicely without looking too big. The case is made from stainless steel, and features brushed and polished facets, including a polished, thin, fixed bezel. Dials are available in silver, blue, green or pink, and each comes with H-link bracelets. A big upgrade over the previous Three-Hands collection is the Calibre 7 movement, based on the ETA 2892 and helping with the reduction in thickness. Price: from US$3,300

Tudor Black Bay 54

Tudor Black Bay 54 3 e1679901360842

For many watch enthusiasts, our journeys into watch collecting have begun with dive watches – and the Tudor Black Bay remains one of the best mechanical dive watches you can buy at any budget. The Tudor Black Bay 54 took the already brilliant Black Bay DNA and shrank it down into a 37mm case, the same as the original Tudor Submariner from 1954. Not only did this please the hardcore Tudor fanbase, but it also opened the Black Bay up to a much wider audience: the smaller-wristed, often younger amongst us who wanted that classic looking dive watch, but not something that wore like a brick on their wrists. The new gracefully proportioned Black Bay features all the details of its diver family, while still ensuring it stays fresh, with its rotating bezel, the gilt touches on the dial, the removal of the red triangle at 12 o’clock and the option of fitting a rubber strap with a T-fit clasp. There’s also a trend emerging for women to wear dive watches, too, and with these proportions, the Black Bay 54 has become a real contender in that class, where the options are somewhat more limited. Overall, the Tudor Black Bay 54 is a professional dive watch with its own character and style, and if you need something that wears a little more on the subtle side, look no further. Price: US$4,050

Fears Brunswick 38

Fears Brunswick 38 Champagne wrist shot

Another classic-looking timepiece, but this time from the British watchmaker Fears. The brand was revived in 2016 after a 40-year dormancy, and the Brunswick 38 is one of the most recognisable pieces from the Fears Brunswick collection. Featuring a softly rounded cushion case, it sits at a comfortable 38mm on the wrist. It’s inspired by watches from the Fears archives from the 1920s and ’30s, decades which are finding their way back into contemporary fashion. There are a number of dial options, but our choice is the lightly frosted champagne, which glows in an almost gold colour. The dial features applied black gold indices and provides the watch with a certain depth, which just makes it stand out, along with its skeletonised hands and sunken sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. Price: US$4,200, available from the T+T Shop

IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX

IWC Pilots Watch Mark XX

When I first started out in my working life, I was surrounded by young trainee engineers, and one of them had an IWC Pilot’s Watch, specifically the Mark XV. There was something so cool about the fact that he was working in a tough metalworking shop, with sparks, swarf and other dangerous things flying around, while wearing a fine Swiss wristwatch. However, this was living the very essence of a tool watch, which is what the Mark XX is. It features a 40mm stainless steel case, with a screw-down crown and 100-metre water resistance, with long lugs that add to its burly look. The sapphire crystal is convex and with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, which, when paired with the well-lumped dial, means the watch is highly legible in low-lighting conditions. I wish I had one when I was a trainee engineer… Price: US$5,250

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra

omega seamaster aqua terra black teak dial rubber strap

Presumably, the recipient of the 21st birthday gift watch probably doesn’t own that many watches, and, as the person gifting it, you’re going to want that watch to last a lifetime and be able to be worn in all occasions. If this is the case, then an Omega is the perfect tool for the job. The Aqua Terra is, by today’s standards, a relatively old watch. Sure, it’s had some updates here and there, but the watch in its current state has been with us now since around 2017, and there’s a great reason for this, it’s pretty much perfect. At 41mm, it’s not too large that it gets in the way, but it’s suitably large enough to suit anyone, the stainless steel case features those lovely swooping twisted lugs, with intersecting polished and brushed surfaces in all the right places. The movement is a Master Chronometer certified, automatic calibre, tested to METAS standards and offers high levels of accuracy and anti-magnetism, along with a 55-hour power reserve. Under the domed sapphire crystal sits a clean, readable dial which is clear, and features some of the tidiest details equal to that of the most special Omegas in the catalogue. Our pick would definitely be on the rubber strap, it offers comfort and versatility, along with bringing a much more modern look to the watch. There are a number of dial colours available too, some are more understated, while others offer even more character and individuality. The Aqua Terra is simply one of the best watches in its category and takes reliability to a level where it really is hard to go wrong. Price: US$6,000

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial e1680894605132

Typically penned as Rolex’s entry-level watch, the Oyster Perpetual is the most simple piece that The Crown produces. Purely a time-only three-hander, the Oyster Perpetual serves a purpose but does it exceptionally well. Special birthdays, weddings, firstborns, that new killer job – all of these are the kinds of events that people love to mark with a Rolex; it’s part of why they are so successful as a brand. The Oyster Perpetual is the ideal first Rolex for the young collector. It’s a 36mm stainless steel case with a water-resistant Oyster case, which means it has a screw-down caseback and crown system. The dial is a simple affair – unless you go with a ‘Celebration’ dial like the one pictured above – with white gold applied indices and hands, which are lumed. Finishing the watch off is the stainless steel Oyster bracelet, which, despite what you may think, is one of the best on the market. The movement powering the watch is the Rolex 3230, an in-house, chronometer-certified automatic movement, brilliantly accurate and offering 70 hours of power reserve. The only elephant in the room is availability, but thankfully, this is getting easier these days, unless you are looking for one of the more highly coveted dial configurations. If you want one for that birthday gift, you had better get on that list right now. Price: US$6,200

Cartier Santos de Cartier Medium Automatic

cartier santos de cartier green dial wrist 1

As one of the most expensive watches on this list, it’s probably reserved for the most appreciative of 21st birthday gift recipients. The Santos de Cartier is one of those iconic pieces that has stood the test of time for more than a century. First designed by Louis Cartier himself in 1911, it became known as the first men’s wristwatch, made specifically for Alberto Santos-Dumont, who was tired of his pocket watches being troublesome while flying. It’s since gone on to become one of Cartier’s most revered watches, and rightly so. Its square design and significant thinness make the Santos an incredibly elegant watch to wear, and while it obviously looks best a little dressed up, it can equally look at home with some jeans, too. The Santos may be the ultimate in unisex style and sophistication for anyone celebrating a milestone birthday and a timeless icon that will never go out of fashion. Price: US$7,050