The panic of the holiday season has finally settled into a steady code red. As we stressed and procrastinated ourselves, all of us here at the Two Broke Watch Snobs crew thought that it would be fun to put together a last-minute guide filled with stuff that we love. If you miss the cut-off for the holiday these picks aren’t a bad way to spend a gift card on something that you’ll actually want.


Watch Pod – Watch Travel Case
Price: $15
Even if I’m only bringing one watch on a trip, I always take a watch case. The Watch Pod case is very useful for airport security. I’ll take off my watch, place it in the case and put it into my backpack. It comes with a microfiber cloth that I use to wrap around my watch before placing it in the case. There is no soft foam insert. I’ve never had an issue. If you are traveling with three Pateks (as most of us do) upgrade to the CASBUDi triple case.


Nike – Zoom Fly Flyknit Running Sneakers
Price: $160
I set multiple PRs with these sneakers last season. The Nike Zoom Fly Flyknit benefits from trickle-down technology from the $250 Vaporfly 4% that many professional long-distance runners use. Most notably, it has a full-length carbon fiber plate that acts like a springboard. They feel almost weightless in stride. This is a pure running shoe and isn’t great laterally. The Zoom Fly Flyknit will soon be discontinued. You can find them for a very hefty discount on Amazon. Grab a pair before they’re gone. (They are available in both Men’s & Women’s.)


Horofix Spring Bar Tweezers
Price: $85
It might seem like needlessly overspending when you can get a regular spring bar tool for under $20. I’m a bracelet guy who swaps for rubber straps in the summer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been frustrated with a traditional spring bar tool and damaged something by mixing rage and haste. A high-quality spring bar tweezer tool is worth your peace of mind. Can you even put a price tag on your sanity? I can: $85.


Field Notes – Three Missions Series
Price: $13
Field Notes make high quality pocket-sized notebooks. The materials and the printing are all sourced and manufactured in the United States. Each of the “Three Missions” notebooks contains information about its respective NASA mission as well as white graph paper for your notes. This series also includes three carboard punch-out and assemble versions of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space capsules. The notebooks fit perfectly in my back pocket and I used them for all my notes while on the floor at Wind-Up last fall. The fun-to-cost ratio for this set is higher than a geosynchronous orbit.


The Watch of the Future
Price: $37

Written by Rene Rondeau, this book captures an iconic era for Hamilton when technology was advancing beyond mechanical engines toward quartz. It catalogs the design influences of “jet engine aesthetics” and speaks to the rich history behind the fabled American brand. Rondeau’s enthusiasm for Hamilton eventually lead to the company to recruiting him as their official historian.

AlphaPremier – Moss Green NATO Watch Strap
Price: $36

The quality of this Blushark strap is incredible, with almost a silk-like texture. At 1.2mm in thickness, it’s the thinnest of the premium NATOs I’ve seen to date. These guys are available from Amazon if you’ve got a gift card, or can be offered at some serious discounts if you buy several from their website direct.

1911 [LEGO] Brick Gun
Price: $65

Guns aren’t for everybody, and I generally discourage folks from playing with anything that could result in “negligent discharge,” but there’s something inexplicably interesting about metal components working in unison for a utilitarian purpose.  Remove that risk and swap it out for Legos. This 1:1 scale replica actually has a functioning slide when it’s cocked and the trigger is pulled. Firearm fanatics would be pressed to find a safer or cheaper alternative.


McCoy Boxing Kangaroo Caddy
Price: $50

Cinephiles will likely remember the line from Pulp Fiction, “Bedside table… on the Kangaroo.  Say the words. Don’t forget my father’s watch.” Bruce Willis’ guidance to his girlfriend was in reference to his “pocket dump” caddy, a ceramic chunk of kitsch Americana that would look awesome at any night stand (and more so with a watch around its tail).  Despite being popular back in the fifties, there are a ton of these things all over eBay and Etsy in perfect form for around fifty bucks.


Jabra Elite 75t Wireless Earbuds
Price: $180

Ever since I saw Ryan Reynolds don a pair in 2008’s Definitely, Maybe, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pair of wireless earbuds. The new Jabra Elite 75t earbuds offer nice controls, comfortable form factor, decent water resistance, good sound quality, and outstanding battery life, all for under $200. This pair doesn’t boast Active Noise Cancellation but it offers nice sound isolation which gets the job done. Of all the wireless earbuds I’ve purchased over the past couple of years (and there have been a lot), these offer the best overall feature set for my money.


Timex Weekender Linus Watch
Price: $57 (currently on sale for Approx. $32)

Don’t get me wrong, Snoopy is great. He’s got a sidekick, a rich fantasy life, and never lacks for confidence. However, I feel like Linus is the true voice of the modern watch lover: slightly insecure, full of pretty esoteric knowledge, and always ready to engage in a lengthy diatribe, the Chidi Anagonye of his time. The Timex 38mm Linus watch is a very basic quartz two-hander on a playful passthrough fabric strap, modest in size, resistant to basically nothing, pretty inexpensive, and frequently on sale. In fact, I’m pretty sure that this is from the same series that Greg reviewed just a couple of weeks ago. Break away from the Snoopy spacewatch mold: pick up a watch that really speaks to your inner neckbeard.


KeySmart Pro
Price: $53

I lose my keys a lot – or, at least, I used to! After one too many multi-hour road trips to recover keys I misplaced somewhere, I finally found a great solution. The KeySmart Pro provides a nice, organized way to keep keys in your pocket without all the jangling or accidental thigh stabbing and comes with Tile technology to help make sure you don’t leave your keys behind and to help you locate them when you do. It even sports a little LED flashlight which has come in handy not only for finding stuff in the dark but also to help light up a watch meetup strap change in a pinch.


Barton Quick Release Spring Bars
Price: $9

I love swapping straps and bracelets on my watches. I am also very lazy and clumsy and, even though I have a strap changing tool attached to my KeySmart Pro, will find any way to avoid using a strap tool in order to minimize the potential of damaging my watches. These quick release spring bars not only allow me to swap between NATOs and quick release leather straps with aplomb, but also represent the most straightforward way possible to install an MN strap like those from Erika’s Originals (which I would absolutely recommend as a fifth recommendation out of my allotment of four!). Definitely beats trying to stick little bits of scotch tape on a spring bar tool, too.


Leatherman Crater C33TX
Price: $45

This little pocket knife is really handy. The blade is only about 2.5 inches long which makes it small enough to easily deploy with one hand, but large enough for most everyday tasks. The combination of a straight and serrated edge also add to it’s versatility.

This knife also has both a philips and flathead screwdriver. While I wouldn’t want to do any major hardware installation with them, they are very handy in a pinch. The final feature is the one I probably use as much as the blade itself: a bottle opener.

However, the best part of this watch is the Leatherman warranty. After many years of ownership I managed to chip the blade and they replaced it with a new one at no cost.

At just shy of $50, this is a great everyday companion.


Foley Fork
Price: $6.99

It’s time I let you in on a family secret: The Foley Fork. Julia Child and my grandma used them, and you should, too. In my family, you get one when you’re married (I am not kidding: my cousin bought one before she was married and it was taken away from her). You can use it for everything except dicing and serving soup. Works great with bacon and blending. I encourage you to get a Foley­-brand Foley fork, but they can be expensive as they aren’t made anymore. The one linked here is a cheap alternative to the original.


Barton Elite Silicone Quick Release
Price: $20.00

If you don’t already have one (or more) of these, skip my blurb and just buy a few. Thank me later. This is the pinnacle of rubber strapdom: Super comfortable, sturdy quick-release, secure, tons of colors, and every size from 18mm-24mm. They thicken a bit at the lug and feature a locking keeper loop. Don’t waste your time or money on those expensive integrated straps for your SKX or DJ; this is all you need. And God help you if you just buy an all-black one—have fun with it!


Glenor Co. 12-watch Watch Box
Price: $60

Still looking for a perfect watch box? I got you. I’ve got two of these and love them. Good quality build, reasonable price, and plenty of extra storage. The bottom drawer features 8 compartments, which I have turned into 5: three long sections for straps, one for tools, and one small for my wedding ring. I’ve drawn an outline of how I’ve got it set up. Use a box cutter to make it your own space and add some lavender for year-round calming.


Ball and Buck Lined Deerskin Gloves
Price: $92

These gloves aren’t waterproof and they aren’t touch-enabled. You also probably can’t set your watch with them on. But they are warm, durable, and exceptionally comfortable. I had chance to buy mine at the Ball and Buck store in Boston, where they sell Weiss watches and the owner rocks a vintage gold JLC Reverso. If I were someone who felled his own Christmas tree, I’d feel right at home doing it in these gloves. They’re also available in black and unlined versions.


SEIKO SRPB46 Cocktail Time
Price: $360

While the Cocktail Time Gets a lot of attention, I feel like the ones that get the most attention are black or silver. Those are good and all, but for a warm date by the fireplace on a cold winter’s night, consider the SRPB46 with the gold tone case and brown dial! Powered by a 4R, these watches can be found for UNDER $300 if you put minimal effort into hunting, and with the beautiful deep brown Alligator grain strap, it’s an absolutely incredible value! One that easily stands with more expensive brands and can absolutely go toe-to-toe with its silver and black siblings. Give a gift that says, “Another Great Year!”


Frolk Whiskey Decanter Gift Set
Price: $70

Brown and Gold with a beautiful Fur and a fire just aren’t complete without a quality drink to go with it. It’s one thing to have a bottle in the cupboard, but a Frolk gift set will let people know you care about your dram and you’re not just the town drunk. Personally, I like the XL Balls Decanter set that comes with the Decanter, two glasses, and the Balls that you freeze and use like ice so that your drink doesn’t water down. It comes in a nice wooden box gift set as well! It’s a great starter set for your home and only costs a mere $79.99. May I suggest Lagavulin 16 to go with it? I shall!


Dr. Grabow Duke Tobacco Pipe
Price: $29

Finally, to compliment that dram of Lagavulin, is the Dr. Grabow Grand Duke pipe. I inherited the briarwood pipe from my Grandfather, but it’s still in production today just as it was all those years ago. It’s a straight and simple pipe with a small to medium bowl that holds just enough tobacco to last you through that delicious glass of scotch. Maybe two! The reddish brown of the briarwood also compliments the colors of the Seiko on your arm. Don’t forget long matches for lighting or a Zippo pipe lighter to go with it. You can find these for a great starter price of $29.00! Might I also suggest the Mac Baren Scottish Blend with its deep raisin smell? I shall, indeed! Merry Christmas to all and have a great 2020!


Moody Tools 6 Piece Slotted Screwdriver Set
Price: $39

Let’s face it. Most of the precision screwdrivers made offshore are garbage. They are inexpensive which, in this case, is just a synonym for disposable. Apply some torque and you risk breaking the blade or worse, stripping the screw head and scratching your watch bracelet. Enter Moody Tools and their excellent 6 piece slotted screwdriver set (Stock #58-0116). They are made in the USA and carry a lifetime warranty. At $33., they are a bargain, especially when compared to a certain, well-known, Swiss company that makes pricey tools for watches.


Klarus XT2C LED Tactical Flashlight
Price: $56

Flashlights make a great stocking stuffer. Modern LED flashlights are compact and bright enough for any task. The Klarus XT2C is my perfect EDC flashlight. The twin tail cap design is innovative and practical. The center tail cap functions just like in any other flashlight while the adjacent button instantly unleashes a disorienting strobe that gives the user a nonlethal, self-defense option. Uses a rechargeable 18650 battery or two 123A lithium batteries.

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