Best Holiday Watches to Buy
Table of Contents
- I. Why Luxury Watches Are the Ultimate Holiday Gift
- II. Trending Luxury Watch Styles for Late 2025
- III. The Best Rolex Watches for Collectors in 2025
- IV. Audemars Piguet: Holiday Picks for 2025
- V. Patek Philippe: The Perfect Holiday Gift in 2025
- VI. Affordable Alternatives for Holiday Gifting
- VII. Where to Buy Luxury Watches for Christmas
- VIII. Conclusion: Selecting the Perfect Holiday Watch
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Selecting the perfect luxury watch as a holiday gift requires careful consideration of style, functionality, and personal taste. In this guide, we present the best holiday watches of 2025 that we have to offer, featuring our selection of iconic brands such as Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe.
Why Luxury Watches Are the Ultimate Holiday Gift
Luxury watches are made to be passed down for generations. We stock the rarest and most exclusive pieces in our inventory, which is characterized a blend of elegance and functionality, making them excellent gifts for special occasions. They symbolize appreciation and have enduring value, often becoming cherished heirlooms.
Watches are deeply personal, and picking a well-fitting watch as a gift will certainly leave an impression. And, as a bonus, the popularity of these timepieces makes it easy for a gift receiver to sell the watch or trade it in for a different one that's more their taste, should they not enjoy the selection you've picked for them.
Trending Luxury Watch Styles to Conclude 2025
This year brings a mix of bold design departures and refined classics. Rolex made waves with the debut of the Land-Dweller collection—a polarizing new model featuring geometric case architecture and distinctive honeycomb dials, available in both 36mm and 40mm sizes across steel, Rolesor, and precious metal variants. The Sky-Dweller in bright green dial continues Rolex's exploration of vibrant colors in precious metals, while the Daytona "Tiffany Dial" in yellow gold on Oysterflex became one of the most talked-about releases at Watches and Wonders 2025.
The Best Rolex Watches for Collectors in 2025
The Appeal of Rolex
Rolex watches are not only a status symbol but are renowned for their precision and quality. They're the most popular watch in the world, save maybe for the Apple Watch. Having one on your wrist can get you out of town in a bind, open up a conversation, or get you into a speakeasy or backroom. For example, Watches of Espionage deems the Rolex a valuable piece of equipment in any intelligence officer's kit; call it the "Escape and Evasion Rolex". In all seriousness, it's a wonderful piece of craftsmanship that you can wear on your wrist, and it can serve as a conversation starter, a representation of success, or be a chip in your pocket (on your wrist, rather) that you can cash in globally.
Timeless Design and Craftsmanship
Rolex watches are designed to withstand the test of time. With features like scratch-resistant bezels and reliable movements, they are the perfect blend of aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Top Rolex Models to Gift for 2025
- Rolex Submariner: A classic choice with updated features.
- DateJust and Day-Date: Elegant designs perfect for any occasion.
- Rolex Daytona: A price-stable classic with a versatile style and strong resaleability.
Rolex Submariner: A Holiday Classic
The updated Submariner offers enhanced durability with a Cerachrom bezel and state-of-the-art movements, making it the quintessential luxury gift this season. You can get this watch with or without a date window- which we call "No-Date Sub" and "Date Sub". The no-date submariner tends to cost less.
Rolex GMT-Master II Collection: Color Combinations for Every Holiday
The various color configurations of the GMT-Master II bezel impart unique nicknames, such as the "Batman", "Bruce Wayne", "Pepsi", "Starbucks", and more. You can use this color configuration to match with the holiday - such as a Rolex Rootbeer for Thanksgiving because of the brown and black bezel.
Audemars Piguet: Holiday Picks for 2025
Overview of Audemars Piguet's Signature Styles
AP has a highly iterative process in their releases, much like what we see out of sneaker companies. Break the Royal Oak down into parts and play with the materials and colors, and you have an near-infinite combination of potential styles -
- Octogonal Bezel
- Bezel Screws
- Case
- Caseback
- Tapisserie Dial
- Movement
- Integrated Bracelet
- Hand-finished interlinks
And, so on. You take a Royal Oak and pick some colors. Build it all black, with some pink gold accents on the bezel screws, and maybe you sprinkle in a little openworked dial or a perpetual calendar (or both?). Maybe you make the case ultra-thin, throw a 50th-anniversary gold rotor shown in the exhibition caseback, you get the picture.
Some standout examples of this iterative process include:
- 41mm Royal Oak in black ceramic with a shining pink-gold openworked dial and pink-gold bezel screws.
- 41mm white ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar with blue dial.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
This iconic timepiece features a unique octagonal bezel and intricate dial patterns, making it a prime selection for discerning collectors.
Top Audemars Piguet Models to Gift Collectors
The Royal Oak Selfwinding and Royal Oak Offshore Diver cater to both elegance and adventure, providing versatile options for any occasion.
Best Audemars Piguet Watches for Women
Our favorite ladies' AP for 2025 has to be the teeny-tiny Mini Frosted Gold Royal Oak, coming in at a dainty 23mm.
Patek Philippe: The Perfect Holiday Gift in 2025
The Legacy of Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe is synonymous with luxury and precision, making it a top choice for collectors.
Must-Have Patek Philippe Models for 2025
The Nautilus and Calatrava models continue to stand out for their exquisite craftsmanship and timeless appeal.
Limited Edition Patek Philippe
The limited edition 1/1000 Calatrava 6007A instantly stands out with its case and broad cambered bezel in polished steel, a very rare material in Patek Philippe’s collections. This piece also marks an early taste of the gorgeous blue-grey color that has become a signature across Patek Philippe's recent releases, like the 5980/60G and 5164G-001. You can learn more about the 6007A-001 in our blog article, "All About the Patek Philippe Calatrava #6007A"
Best Patek Philippe Watches for Women
Options like the Ladies' Calatrava and Twenty~4 Automatic encapsulate elegance and opulence, catering to women who appreciate refined timepieces.
Our personal favorite women’s Patek Philippe has to be the Aquanaut Luce or a Ladies’ Nautilus because they are available in many configurations and colors.
Affordable Alternatives for Holiday Gifting
Best Alternatives to Patek Philippe for 2025
Brands like Girard Perregaux Laureato, Omega, Cartier, and Frederique Constant provide excellent options that maintain quality without the super-premium price tag associated with Patek Philippe. With these brands, you can find phenomenal timepieces under $8,000, $6,000, or even less.
With Patek, any sports model is going to run you a minimum of $50,000, and select dress pieces like certain Calatrava models start at $20,000.
Where to Buy Luxury Watches for Christmas
Ensuring Authenticity, Authorized Dealers, and Waitlists.
Purchasing from authorized dealers guarantees the authenticity of your watch, providing peace of mind with your investment. However, there is slim chance you will ever be able to get the watch you want from an Authorized Dealer. Waitlists extend for months and years, and many desirable models have so few allocations that they are given exclusively to VIP clients of the AD.
Online Platforms: Finding the Best Deals
If you purchase from WatchesOff5th, there is no waitlist and your watch is guaranteed to be authentic. We are a trusted boutique with perfect 5.0 star reviews and a showroom location in the heart of 47th Street, NYC's Diamond District (Get Directions), so you can purchase with complete confidence. You can also read our authenticity guarantee. Reputable online and retail platforms can offer competitive prices, but ensure you research the seller to avoid counterfeit products.
Verifying Authenticity and Service
Always verify the authenticity of any luxury watch by checking for official paperwork, serial numbers, and reviews from previous customers.
Conclusion: Selecting the Perfect Holiday Watch
Gift-giving this holiday season can be both meaningful and stylish with the right watch. By selecting a luxury timepiece that resonates with the recipient’s taste, you are not merely giving a watch, but a lasting legacy.
With this guide, you are well-equipped to make an informed choice when selecting luxury watches for your loved ones in 2025. Celebrate the season of giving with pieces that last forever.