5 Timepieces That Make Great Graduation Gifts

Over the past twenty something years, you have watched your son transform into the fine young man that he is today. In a few months time he will be graduating college, and the next chapter of his life will officially begin. Welcome your son into the working world and show him that you're proud of his hard work with a new timepiece at graduation.

Giving a watch at graduation has been a tradition for many years. A nice watch is a crucial accessory for every man, and with proper care, this symbol of his parents' "congratulations" will stay with him for the rest of his life.

To help inspire you, we have made a list of our 5 favorite timepieces for grads. Let's take a look so you can start planning ahead:

1) Tag Heuer - Formula 1

Item Number: GBW4589

Inspired by the F1 race car, Tag Heuer's Formula 1 watch line was made to perform in stressful environments such as driving at 200 mph. It does this through its quartz chronograph movement, which uses a battery to power very consistent vibrations in a quartz crystal. These vibrations then drive the movement of the hands. This Swiss made movement is highly accurate, measuring a 12 hour period within a 0.1 second variation.

This specific model is made out of brushed steel and features a 42mm face. It's protected by a scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass that allows it to be water resistant up to 200 meters.

The chronograph allows the watch owner to use this piece as a stop watch with a 30 minute sub-dial at 9 o'clock, a 60 second sub-dial at 3 o'clock, and a 1/10 second sub-dial at 6 o'clock.

2) Raymond Weil - Maestro Automatic

Item Number: GSW2385

Swiss watch makers Raymond Weil often turns to music for inspiration in their designs. The Maestro collection is a tribute to the masters of music and was designed to synchronize the rhythm of tradition and innovation.

This watch features a 39.5 mm stainless steel case with two sapphire crystals protecting the front and back. Although it has a leather strap, the case has been designed to be water resistant up to 50 meters.

One of the defining characteristics to the watch's design are the clear back and the opening at the dial's 12 o'clock. These features allow you to view the automatic winding mechanical movement. The automatic movement allows the watch to be powered simply by wearing the watch, and it has a power reserve of 38 hours.

3) Shinola - Runwell Chrono

Item Number: GSW2791

A new comer in the timepiece industry, Shinola, has gained popularity quickly. Headquartered and produced in Detroit, Michigan, Shinola watches are a true tribute to the quality of American craftsmanship.

The Runwell Chrono comes in two sizes: 41mm and 47mm. Both sizes features a stainless steel case with a sapphire face and are water resistant up to 100 meters. This timepiece is powered by a chronograph movement, which is assembled using knowledge and parts from their Swiss partner Ronda AG. This chronograph gives the timepiece a stopwatch function, that includes a 30 minute sub-dial at 9 o'clock and a 60 second sub-dial at 3 o'clock.

One of the nice features of this watch is how highly customizable it is. There are many color options for the watch face to choose from, as well as a wide selection of straps. The straps can also be interchanged, which gives the wearer the ability to change his look without buying a whole new watch.

4) Victorinox Swiss Army - Alliance Chronograph

Item Number: GBW4079

Victorinox's Alliance Chronograph offers the performance of a luxury watch at a modest price point.

This timepiece features a 42mm case protected by a sapphire crystal. The face features three sub-dials: a 30 minute dial at 9 o'clock, a 60 second dial at 6 o'clock, and 1/10 of a second dial at 3 o'clock. These sub-dials are all operated by the Swiss engineered quartz chronograph. which is precise up to 1/10 of a second.

This is a great everyday timepiece for a young man as it is water resistant up to 100 meters and comes with a three year warranty on all parts including the battery.

5) Longines - Présence

Item Number: GGW0362

The Longines Presence ignores the distracting features of other watches and focuses on simplicity and elegance instead.

This timepiece is very lightweight with a 38mm case protected by a sapphire crystal. It is powered by a quartz movement and is waterproof up to 100 meters.

The Presence is best known for its luxurious appearance, which comes from a combination of an 18 karat gold case, crocodile band, and the simple white roman numeral dial design. The design allows the watch to remain simple, with the purpose of keeping the time and date.

If you are interested in seeing any of these watches in person, stop by any of our five retail locations! Click here to schedule an appointment and have one of our Long's watch specialists ready to greet you when you arrive.