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When it comes to holiday gifting, there are times where you just feel the need to swing for the fences.
Perhaps you’ve got a big client that you’re very much “looking forward to continuing business with in the coming year.” Perhaps you’ve got a significant other who has resigned you to a doghouse you’d like to emerge from sooner rather than later. Perhaps you’ve just had a helluva year (or several) and money just isn’t an object.
Any way you slice it, you’re in need of a true showstopper of a gift. Not only something of truly superlative quality, but something with a story: a gift that will cause its recipient to swoon and blush every time someone invariably inquires, “Damn, where did you get that?“
And thus we bring you the Rare Finds Gift Guide, a handy compendium of holiday swag for just about any type of person on your list (or, perhaps, if you’re just in the market for yourself; no judgment).
This installment concerns the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 02, a new milestone for the brand’s iconic 1963 timepiece.
First and most importantly, what’s inside: to mark the model’s 55th anniversary, TAG Heuer’s flagship Carrera line is being driven by the brand’s premium, Swiss-made in-house column wheel chronograph movement for the first time. It’s called the Heuer 02, and it was originally seen in 2017’s TAG Heuer Heritage Autavia Caliber Heuer 02.
And what an addition it is for the Carrera. The Heuer 02 movement features fast date-correction, a stop-seconds function and a whopping 80-hour power reserve, meaning you can take it off for three days and it’ll still be ticking when you put it back on. While we realize not everyone who loves high-end watches necessarily cares what exactly is going on within, rest assured that the Heuer 02 is a far cry from what you’ll find in less expensive models.
Next, what it’s made of: some truly fine metals and materials, like a sapphire crystal, carbon lugs and bezel, rose gold-plated luminescent indexes and a rose gold and rubber crown and pushers — not to mention the Alligator leather strap. The thing simply oozes luxury, from every and any angle.
The result of all those varied and high-end materials is, of course, an extremely handsome watch that will no doubt help you stand out in a crowd. A sleek combination of black and gold with sexy little pops of red throughout, as well as a skeleton dial that will give you, and the inevitable rubberneckers, a peak at the movement — which, again, is the real star of the show.
The watch aficionado who appreciates the classics but isn’t afraid to see them updated to make a statement. The Carrera Calibre 02’s bold styling is sure to turn more than a few heads, and the evolution of the model makes for great conversation fodder among inquisitive horology enthusiasts.
Funny you should mention it: further celebrating the Heuer Carrera’s anniversary, TAG Heuer is issuing a limited-edition book recounting the highlights of the brand’s signature collection and the models that have cemented its iconic status within the world of haute horlogerie. Titled Ahead of Its Time, the book is limited to just 4,500 pieces and is available at TAG Heuer boutiques and online. We suggest getting one before they’re gone.
Just a shade under $10 grand — fairly reasonable by luxury watch standards (especially considering the Carrera Calibre 02’s specs), but suffice to say you can file this one under “people I’m really trying to impress” on your gifting list.
Crown Royal XR Extra Rare, the second edition to the storied Canadian brand’s Extra Rare series, is crafted from one of the final barrels of whisky saved from the now ghost LaSalle distillery.
Using reclaimed agricultural tools, rare woods and ethically-sourced animal horn/bone from his native Brazil, Brooklyn knifesmith Max Poglia is crafting handsome, one-of-a-kind knives that are equal parts art and function.
With a journey that begins on the steppes of Mongolia and ends in an NYC design studio, SAVED proffers ultra-soft cashmere throws, pillows, blankets, hats, and scarves — all featuring the sort of punchy, voguish designs one might expect to catch in the background of a Wes Anderson film.
Helmed by two Canadian brothers in the heart of Alberta, AdrianMartinus focuses on gorgeous furniture and home goods painstakingly crafted from a very interesting type of reclaimed wood: old skateboards.
In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, legendary shaper Mikey Franco and his team are building snowboards in a way no one else in America does: by hand, specifically tailored to each and every client from the ground up.
Hailing from the tiny island of Kagoshima in Japan’s smallest prefecture, Olive Wagyu is the rarest beef on planet earth. Only a handful of Japanese cattle farmers produce it, and in extremely limited quantities — only 2,000 of these mythic cows exist in the world at any given time.
The first generation Ford Bronco is one of the most beloved SUVs of all time, unchanged from 1966 to 1977. Illinois outfit Gateway Bronco reigns supreme in the restomod game, hunting down these classics and meticulously restoring/refurbishing them to new levels of glory.
There is no piece of equipment more essential to mountaineering than the humble backpack. And no one makes them quite like Dan McHale, a veteran climber who’s been making bespoke ultralight packs out of a workshop in Seattle for more than 40 years.
Plying her trade from a by-appointment-only studio in the heart of Nashville, Savannah Yarborough is one of the most sought after designers of bespoke leather jackets in the country — her clients include Jack White, Jason Isbell, and, with a bit of luck, you.
Timepiece imagery courtesy of TAG Heuer
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