Father’s Day may well be one of the most challenging gift-giving days of the year. It is the one day of the year when you can celebrate your dad, but finding the right gift can be a challenge for even the most seasoned shopper.
One of the most important things to take into account is that a Father’s Day gift is about creating a memory – something that will remind dad of the day and the gift giver.
“I still wear one of the chains that I gave my father back when I just started in the business. He had it for many years, and every now and then I’ll pull it out and put it on,” says Marsha Bryant, Director of Merchandising, for Island Companies Ltd. “There is just something different to a piece of jewellery or a watch as opposed to a shirt or a tie or a pair of pants – it definitely has that heirloom factor tied to it – it has lasting value. It is an experience and a memory of days gone by,” she says.
“It goes from generation to generation, and we see that all the time in our stores, where someone will come in with a diamond ring that they’ve inherited from their dad or their mum and they want to have it reset into another ring or a watch that has somebody’s initials or a date engraved on the back of it. It’s all a part of those great memories and experiences in life that if you’re fortunate you get to experience someday.”
Of course, there are many types of dads out there, from the laid-back to the athletic or the button-down business type dad. Of course, depending on the day of week a dad can be any or all of the above. And therein lies the beauty of picking a Father’s Day gift – you can find something that complements that part of dad he tends to neglect.
According to Marsha, one of the all time classic gifts for dad is a watch.
“It is one of the best gifts a family can give to dad, because it’s the gift of time,” she says. “It is something you know he will be appreciative of and will wear for a
long time.”
Depending on what you are looking for, Island Companies has a variety of stores to suit your needs, from Watch.Me which specialises in more fun, funky and sporty selections, to Island Time and The Mansion.
“At our Watch.Me store we have a multitude of different types of rugged watches, the Suunto watches, as well as Bulova’s and G-Shock watches, and pretty much everything in the store is well below $1000. Everything is very sporty, very trendy, and very up to date styles,” says Marsha.
For those looking for a watch with a unique look, Island Time might be the perfect place.
“The watches at the Island Time stores appeal to watch connoisseurs, they have different types of movements, in some cases they are solid gold. Our Cuervo Y Sobrinos brand has one exclusive style that comes with a cigar humidor,” says Marsha.
Island Companies specialises in everything from the simple to the spectacular, and so brands to keep in mind range from Ulysse Nardin and Parmigiani to Movado, Seiko, and Philip Stein.
One of the other great things about giving a watch is that most dads could do with a couple of different watches, depending on which part of their personality they want to showcase. So if you have a dad who always wears a big diver’s watch, even when it doesn’t quite go with his suit, Father’s Day might be the best possible day to set him straight in the nicest of ways.
The average grown male owns at least four watches, and for the corporate warrior, nothing can be better than a watch with multiple time zones, so dad can remember the important things, like when to call home to read that bedtime story, no matter where in the world he might be.
Then again, watches are not the only option for dads. Those with a bit of a showman in them may well appreciate something a little bit more expressive, and there are some excellent options at the John Hardy boutique in the Flagship store on the waterfront.
“We have an entire area dedicated to men, with bracelets, cufflinks, tie bars, pendants that definitely lends itself to that hip and modern dad that when he goes out he wants to absolutely look like he’s the hottest guy around,” says Marsha.
One item that truly fits the bill is a braided black leather bracelet by John Hardy, with a dragon head clasp. It exudes just the right balance of style and class with a little bit of dangerous thrown in for good measure.
Of course, when it comes to finding something for business dad, cufflinks and tie bars are great gift options.
“There are so many different business occasions that lend themselves to getting a little bit dressed up, and cuff links are always a welcome gift, because they are not readily available. We happen to have an amazing assortment between John Hardy and Milus in our store,” says Marsha.
“At our Ammolite by the Bay store we have 14Kt. gold cufflinks, rings and tie bars that are set with ammolite. It is so beautiful, because there are no two stones that are alike, just like your kids, and they all have different colour variations to them and again that is a perfect one of a kind gift.”
Although not all dads have a taste for jewellery, Island Companies has some excellent options for those who do.
“We are just rolling out some really sharp stainless steel and diamond bracelets. They beauty of stainless steel is that it’s great for people with active lifestyles – you don’t have to worry about destroying it or it turning colours because it’s stainless steel, and yet it still has the diamonds in it, so they get their little bit of sparkle on there without it being too obtrusive and the prices start at $199, so it is very affordable. It one of the hottest trends this spring and summer,” says Marsha.
When it comes to rings, gold Cayman link chains, men’s watches, The Mansion has an amazing selection, including many options in alternative metals like tungsten and stainless steel, while also catering for those who would like something a little more traditional.
“We are starting to see a return to a little bit more of the yellow gold that is starting to enter into the fashion arena. For many years everything was white and it’s a wonderful thing, but now we’re getting more requests for the yellow,” says Marsha.
Although she says many men will never think of wearing a piece of jewellery until they try it on and see what it looks like, even those who want to surprise dad need not be too concerned, as the company offers a 90 day money back guarantee,” We are the only company in the Caribbean that provides that service. So if it is not quite dad’s style, he can return it and find something that is more to his taste. It happens occasionally, though not often,” says Marsha.
“If it’s not quite his taste, we still have our 90 day global money-back guarantee – you’re never stuck. It happens occasionally, though not often,” she says.
Father’s Day is a momentous occasion, and dads deserve to be celebrated. It is, as Marsha points out, one of those roles that you do not know quite what you’re getting into when you start, but it is a never-ending journey that just brings so much satisfaction and new dimensions to your life.
For more information on Island Companies, visit The Mansion at Camana Bay, any of their 25 other stores on island, or islandcompaniesltd.com