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Thread: Surprise birthday present for wife

  1. #1

    Surprise birthday present for wife

    Hi all

    Newbie on here looking for opinions on a surprise present for my wife’s 40th.

    I had a look at a few pre-owned Cartier Santos on Chrono24 but finding it really difficult to decide. Another watch in the running could be the Omega Constellation. Playing with a budget of around £2k here.

    Any thoughts? Thanks.

    So far I’ve got these on my shortlist.




    aluminium and hydroxide

  2. #2
    Wish my wife would have a surprise birthday. But no, she remembers exactly what day it is, year in, year out.

  3. #3
    Master
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    Aqua Terra? I got my wife a 28mm quartz one for £2K (disclaimer; she chose it. Left to my own devices I'd have bought her a Tudor).

  4. #4
    Master TimeThoughts's Avatar
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    I reckon for the missus (unless shes a serious watch buff)... Go quartz.

    Theres no danger my missus would relish setting the time each occasion she wore the watch.

    I got here a Longines Dolce Vita many years ago and she loves it.

  5. #5
    I would go for the middle one, so much nicer then the others and a timeless design.

  6. #6
    Master
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    Given she bought you a sub for your 40th I recon a bit of Patek love will suit her. And of course if she doesn’t like the Nautilus, you could wear it :)

  7. #7
    Craftsman
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    Whenever I have tried a surprise present for the EPO (entertainment prevention officer) I've always got it wrong so now ask her. I bought her an Air King a few years ago but only after she'd seen it and approved "my" choice!

    Sent from my Moto G (5S) using TZ-UK mobile app

  8. #8
    Master
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    Do you know for certain your wife likes the Cartier look? Variations on this thread pop up regularly and I think the correct answer is always to let her choose for herself, even though it might be a touch less romantic that way. She may very well surprise you with her choice.

  9. #9
    Master
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    There is no romance in allowing your partner to choose her own present.

    Man up and buy something and surprise her.

  10. #10
    Thanks for your advice.
    I foresee a trip to the shops with Mrs soon!
    Less romantic but least she gets to choose what she fancies!

  11. #11
    Master Maysie's Avatar
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    Could just get some 'elephant pants'?
    https://www.amazon.com/Elephant-Unde.../dp/B00JO9ZU4Y

  12. #12
    Master
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    I’d buy her a new Cartier Tank.

  13. #13
    Master Saxon007's Avatar
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    There is no romance in saddling your wife with a watch she doesn’t like but feels she must wear. The opinions of a bunch of strangers on the internet are unlikely to be helpful.

    Take her to lunch and surprise her with a card and a watch shopping afternoon together where she gets to select the watch.

  14. #14
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by henk View Post
    Stick to quartz

    Sent from my SM-G950F using TZ-UK mobile app
    Yes, I would second this. I imagine very few non-WIS have any interest whatsoever in having to faff around winding and/or setting a watch.

  15. #15
    All those screw heads at different angles are giving me anxiety

  16. #16
    Craftsman
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    JLC reverso
    Omega seamaster aqua terra

  17. #17
    Master
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    I bought a watch for a gf's 40th birthday, took her round a few ADs and let her select her favourite. I didn't buy it at that time to maintain some element of surprise to the gift.
    Fwiw she picked a two tone tank francaise, quartz movement. Very classy and understated.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by acg View Post
    All those screw heads at different angles are giving me anxiety
    LOL!

    Agreed with others about going quartz...I’m leaning towards the Tank though I’ve seen the 2-tone Constellation on sale currently which looks good too!

  19. #19
    Master
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    I would go with the thought of her picking3,5 or 7 watches out then you pick up one a later date to maintain some surprise.
    I surprised the wife this year by remembering her birthday, didn’t get her anything but a cuppa in bed that morning.

  20. #20
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saxon007 View Post
    There is no romance in saddling your wife with a watch she doesn’t like but feels she must wear.

    Take her to lunch and surprise her with a card and a watch shopping afternoon together where she gets to select the watch.
    Depends how well you know your wife and your own taste I guess... the later suggestion is a decent safe solution ...

  21. #21
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saxon007 View Post
    There is no romance in saddling your wife with a watch she doesn’t like but feels she must wear. The opinions of a bunch of strangers on the internet are unlikely to be helpful.

    Take her to lunch and surprise her with a card and a watch shopping afternoon together where she gets to select the watch.
    This.

  22. #22
    Apprentice
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    The budget is perfect for a Longines

  23. #23
    Master
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    Let her chose what she wants. Women are more selective when it comes to design, style and size etc. I reckon less than 1% of husbands/partners can successfully chose what watch their wives / partners would really fall for.

    Take out, let her chose and then treat her to a decent luch.

  24. #24
    Craftsman
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    Surprises are not all they are cracked up to be. When you hear the words " Oh....that's nice.... thank you" then you will wish you had chosen something that she likes rather than something that you like.

  25. #25
    Master
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    I'd agree with the taking her out to choose, and make a day of it. What ladies watch I like, which I think my wife will like, and what she actually likes, can be three very different things.

    On the Cartier front my wife loves the Panthere, indeed the all steel model looks better than the gold or TT. And quartz no-date, so just pick up and go.

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by coldfuzion1978 View Post
    Hi all

    Newbie on here looking for opinions on a surprise present for my wife’s 40th.

    I had a look at a few pre-owned Cartier Santos on Chrono24 but finding it really difficult to decide. Another watch in the running could be the Omega Constellation. Playing with a budget of around £2k here.

    Any thoughts? Thanks.

    So far I’ve got these on my shortlist.




    aluminium and hydroxide
    Go for the aluminium and hydroxide


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  27. #27
    Craftsman
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    I'm going to say go for it and buy her a watch as a surprise... taking her to pick from a shop seems a bit naff to me .. I have bought my wife 2 watches now without her input and she's loved both of them...
    Cartier is definitely a good choice for ladies as they will like the brand even without the watch connection.. as has been said before longines do some nice stuff in your price range but definitely go quartz no woman I've ever met will faff with setting time and date etc..

    Sent from my SM-G960F using TZ-UK mobile app

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