It’s Christmas time, and that means the man in the red suit will be coming our way soon. We’ve assembled a range of gift guides this year to help you pick something for that special someone, even if that someone is yourself! Today, it’s all about tonneau and barrel-shaped watches!
The tonneau watch is certainly a niche pick in the watch industry – typically one that would attract those of a unique style or watch nerds looking for something different. Meaning ‘barrel’ in French, it’s distinctive by its stocky, rounded nature in contrast to the sharp lines you would normally find on a square or rectangular watch. A contemporary symbol of innovation, the tonneau has always been a bold choice. It stands out in a way that no other watch type does, resulting in a unique yet timeless aesthetic.
If that sounds right of the alley of your favourite someone(s) – yes, yourself included – then I believe a tonneau watch is in your future! And while the shape is a truly unique find, don’t worry: Again, that’s what I’m here for! I’ve curated a list just for you, exploring as many price points and unique designs as possible to make sure there’s something for everyone. After all, isn’t that what the Season of Giving is for?
Tissot Stylist
Staring once again at the most affordable end is the Tissot Stylist. A little-known name in the Tissot lineup, the Stylist made a significant impact back in the heyday of the 1970s/80s Quartz Crisis due to its slim and dainty nature. Resurrected for 2024, the new Stylist comes in a 32mm package with two different variations in quartz: A blue dial with Roman numerals, and a silver dial with gilded accents. Both are standouts in any situation, with colour palettes suitable for either a day at the office or a night on the town. Though it’s mostly marketed for females, the stockier shape of the Stylist can also lend itself to the smaller-wristed gentleman.
- Reference: T159.909.16.043.00
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$420
For More Information, Visit Tissot.com
Galvin Suvi Lupine
Coming fresh out of Australia is microbrand Galvin. Designed and assembled in Sydney, the brainchild of Australian watchmaker Susan Galvin has flourished in the last four years since opening its doors in 2020. The Suvi is her latest creation; Meaning ‘summer’ in Finnish – A nod to Galvin’s lineage – this tonneau timepiece comes in a wide variety of colourways that are perfect for any occasion. My personal favourite is the Suvi Lupine, whose purple grained dial and Breguet-style numerals strike a perfect balance between playfulness and tranquillity. Also, you hardly ever see any purple dial watches around these days, nor do you see them looking this good at this price!
- Reference: N/A (Suvi Lupine)
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$699
For More Information, Visit Galvin.com
Lorier Zephyr
The second of three microbrands I’ll be mentioning here is Lorier. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Lorenzo & Lauren Ortega, they create affordable modern timepieces with a vintage flair. Drawing on several heritage inspirations – primarily vintage Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier – the Lorier Zephyr is an amalgamation of the greatest dress watches of yore. It’s also the reason why they decided to still use acrylic crystals, due to their shatter resistance and the warmer tones projected onto the dial. Similar to the Galvin Suvi, this watch has an automatic Miyota series movement, providing reliable accuracy for an excellent value proposition However, they only make these in small batches, so be sure to either pre-order or get them before they run out!
- Reference: N/A (Zephyr White)
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$791
For More Information, Visit Lorier.com
Farer Tonneau Paris
One of the most successful microbrands of the last few years, British watch company Farer has made a significant name for itself within the watch industry. By fusing solid manufacturing and engineering principles with funky colouring and design, it’s hard for a Farer to not stand out in a crowd. The Paris rendition of their Tonneau lineup is one of their more familiar-looking offerings, outfitted with a reliable Sellita SW300-1 automatic movement. The polished chamfer along the edge of the watch makes it glint in the light, and the brilliant blue dial provides a great contrast to the applied white Roman numerals and indexes.
- Reference: Tonneau Paris
- International Recommended Retail Price: £1,095.00
For More Information, Visit Farer.com
Hamilton American Classic Boulton Mechanical
Ever-reliable in terms of value-for-money, the Swiss-American Hamilton Boulton has always been a reliable and presentable selection since its introduction in the 1940s. Additionally, it’s the first manual mechanical movement I’m featuring on this list! The green version above is my personal pick of the bunch, with a printed set of white Roman numerals and minute track. The Cal. H-50 is one of the best manual wind movements at this price point, too – a monstrous 80-hour power reserve makes sure of that. If you want that signature Swiss reliability and precision without having to spend a fortune, this is certainly one you would want to pick up.
- Reference: H13519561
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$1450
For More Information, Visit Hamiltonwatch.com
Longines Evidenza
Mainly for the ladies but also unisex-leaning, the Longines Evidenza is but one more great watch in the insanely consistent lineup at the Swatch Group brand. Like the Hamilton, this one comes with Roman numerals and a minute track, but has been significantly dressed up with pink-gold tones. This makes it a great wear for special occasions, like a dinner date or an end-of-year meetup. While the blue one is the main tastemaker in my opinion, the best part about watches from Longines is that there are always more than one rendition of the same watch. That way, you can get two of the same watch in completely different colours – everybody wins!
- Reference: L2.142.4.96.2
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$3,475
For More Information, Visit Longines.com
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang
Okay, now we’re getting into the big leagues with this one. What better way to do so, though, than with a watch that causes a Big Bang? The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang collection – which we’ve gone hands-on with before – is a bombastic skeleton-dial timepiece that comes in a 42mm tonneau package. No expense was spared in its creation; Whether that be the Grade 5 titanium, the micro-blasted black ceramic or the Zenith-based HUB4700 movement, Hublot timepieces always know how to make their (pun absolutely intended) ‘presents’ felt at any special occasion!
- Reference: 642.NM.0170.RX
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$37,600
For More Information, Visit Hublot.com
Cartier Tonneau
Of course you knew we had to circle back to Cartier eventually! The Parisian brand has always been as adaptable as it is timeless, and the Cartier Tonneau is of no exception. Packaged in a decadent 18k rose gold case, everything about this watch screams Cartier. Introduced just two years after the Cartier Santos, the Tonneau has needed very little adjustment for it to remain a standout in the lineup. The signature apple-shaped hands, the shaped buckle, the sapphire cabochon crown – what is there left to say? It’s gorgeous! If you already have a Cartier Santos-Dumont, and want to splash a heck of a lot more cash on a stunner of a timepiece, then this is absolutely calling your name.
- Reference: WGTN0006
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$50,500
For More Information, Visit Cartier.com.au
Breguet Héritage 5410
If you know Breguet, then you’d know that their star collections are the Marine, Classique, Type XX, and Tradition. However, I find that the Héritage is one of the great hidden gems of their current roster, especially that of the 5410 series. Be warned – they’re certainly not small watches, standing at a majestic 16.1mm thickness. However, the guilloché dial, big date and small seconds with angled Roman numerals is a tried and tested design that has been executed to a spectacular degree here. This effectively makes the watch a hybrid: part statement piece, part dress piece, and 100% a knockout when you walk into any room.
- Reference: 5410BB/12/9VV
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$54,000
For More Information, Visit Breguet.com
Corum Golden Bridge
I bet you were expecting Richard Mille to be in this list somewhere! Well, you’d be mistaken – Unless you have just won the lottery (or you’re a Sultan of someplace), I hardly believe that you’d be buying RMs for presents, at least not for anyone but yourself. The Corum Golden Bridge, whilst certainly ostentatious, is a criminally underrated piece of haute horlogerie. I’m not going to pretend that this is an everyday stocking stuffer, but the Golden Bridge’s design is certainly one that will get people talking, should it be on your shopping list. Delicate on the inside but flamboyant on the outside, the Golden Bridge’s heritage stretches back to 1980, and remains one of the most brilliantly-engineered and unique-looking watches you will ever find in the industry.
- Reference: B113/01042 – 113.160.59/0001 0000
- International Recommended Retail Price: CHF 48,400
For More Information, Corum-watches.com
So, there you have 10 watches that are not rectangular, not round, but somewhere in between for those who like to stand out from the crowd. Don’t forget to check out our other Christmas Gift Guides below!
- Gift Guide to Square Watches
- Gift Guide to Dress Watches
- Gift Guide to Field & Adventure Watches
- Gift Guide to Chronographs
