20 years ago, a grinch economist named Joel Waldfogel wrote an academic paper titled “Deadweight loss of Christmas” where he posits that “Christmas gift-giving destroys between 10 percent and a third of the value of gifts”; that is to say, there is a gap between how much person spends on a Christmas gift versus how much the recipient values the gift.

“We imagine our friends opening a gift that is impressive, expensive, and sentimental.” – Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

Thankfully, the Atlantic has a more recent 2014 study which shows that we’re only terrible gift-givers because we attempt to be too considerate when choosing Christmas gifts or guessing a person’s Christmas wishlist. LUXUO is going to take that information a step further, and present a curated list of universally desirable accessories and accoutrements that any man would want. The only consideration here is how cool, how stylish and how exquisite. In other words, we’re going to take the guess work out of gift giving and just focus on pure, unadulterated awesomeness.

Here’s our inaugural holiday wishlist for men with LUXUO’s 10 best gifts for Him for Christmas 2017:

Luxuo’s 10 best gifts for Him this Christmas 2017

Ermenegildo Zegna Elements of Man: Passion

A Scent for Him: Ermenegildo Zegna Elements of Man: Passion

This Christmas, get him a gift of intoxicating fragrance that exudes the resinous potency of olibanum, deepened by the spirited notes of rich rum and smooth cognac warmed over a steady flame. Invigorated by exotic saffron, amber makes itself sumptuously present through the burning radiance of fireglow. For their latest cologne, Elements of Man: Passion, Ermenegildo Zegna worked with with Estee Lauder creative director Trudi Loren and together with some of the best perfumers of our time, has created the gift of long lasting scent (almost 10 hours).

Price: SG$550
Availability: Ermenegildo Zegna (The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Orchard ION)

Czech & Speake Zebrano wood shaving set

Keeping Him Well Groomed: Czech & Speake Zebrano wood shaving set

Zebrano wood, so named for its distinctive zebra-like striped grain, was first recorded in the British Customs returns for 1773 . Thus, for the man in your life interested in not just the finer things but objects with a little bit of history in them, this handsome shaving set by Czech & Speake might just be the thing to boost not just the appeal of his grooming routine but also serves as a satisfying bit of decor for your bathroom shelf.

Price: SG$685
Availability: www.mrporter.com

A Professional Accessory for Him: Saint Laurent Pebble-Grain Leather Cardholder

Besides a watch, nothing telegraphs prestige like whipping out your name cards from a beautiful cardholder. This Christmas 2017, get your man a Saint Laurent  pebble-grain cardholder to keep his essential cards in organised. Crafted in Italy from pebble-grain leather, this compact 10cm x 8 cm card holder is kitted with four slots and a central compartment for receipts or folded notes. It’s slim enough to slip in your pocket without adding bulk.

Price: SG$200
Availability: Saint Laurent (Orchard ION)

A Watch for Him to take from Office to Off-hours: New Omega Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial Master Chronometer

To bring a sense of balance, the cases of these Aqua Terra models have been reshaped with a new symmetrical design, slightly different from previous versions. To further this idea, the date window has been moved from 3 to 6 o’clock, just like the very first OMEGA watch with a date window which was released in 1952. Omega’s improved integration between metal bracelet and case not only improves the look, it provides a better fit for wearers with slim wrists. Finally, Master Chronometer certification earned by passing tests approved by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology means there’s a unparalleled level of reliability for the timepiece.

Price: SG$7,600
Availability: Omega boutiques and authorised retailers

For the Man who wants a smart looking smartwatch: Montblanc Summit

Smartwatches have a tendency to look like they were designed by technophiles with good reason, but what happens when you take a Swiss fine watchmaker like Montblanc and get them to produce a smartwatch in accordance to fine watchmaking principles? The Montblanc Summit Smartwatch results. Combined with Android Wear™ 2.0, Google’s latest operating system for smartwatches, the Montblanc Summit with Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 2100 processor is one of the most advanced and powerful wearables processors in the market for smartwatches

Price: SG$1340
Availability: Montblanc boutiques (Ngee Ann City, Raffles City)

For the Style Conscious Gentleman Audiophile: Master & Dynamic’s retro cool headphones

Master & Dynamic’s retro cool MW60s are startlingly beautiful. If you haven’t heard of Master & Dynamic, don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s because they’re not fantastic, it’s because they’re not your mainstream audio device maker. The brand specialises in artisanal headphones with impeccable finish, often in pebble grain leather and brushed aluminium. Bluetooth pairing is painless but they’ve thoughtfully also included an audio port for sound buffs. Soundwise, it’s not bass laden like your run-of-the-mill BEATS, it’s warm, precise and natural. Not to mention, you’d feel comfortable wearing these all day long. As a Christmas gift for him, it’s pretty hard to beat.

Price: SG$760
Availability: www.masterdynamic.co.uk

For the man who yearns for instamatic photo printing: Leica Sofort Instant Camera

The appeal of the Leica Sofort Instant Camera lies not just in the great eye-catching design in an array of colors, but also the familiarity and nostalgia for the days of instamatic photo printing pioneered by Polaroid. On the Leica Sofort Camera, intuitive controls make it easy and fun to shoot but most importantly, while the Leica is itself fairly pricey, it uses the affordable and ubiquitous Instax film from Fujifilm rather than a proprietary Leica format. Great for documenting moments rather than having them lost to the infinite scroll of your smartphone photo reel.

Price: SG$ 399
Available: www.leica-store.sg

Every man needs a baller pinkie ring: Gucci Silver Lion Head Ring with Swarovski crystal

If your man doesn’t have an alumni or some exclusive gentleman’s club pinkie ring, the best you can do is get him this Gucci Silver Lion Head ring. Crafted in Italy of antiqued silvertone brass, Gucci’s Lion Head ring is a sculptural accessory bound to elevate his “style game”. A popular motif seen throughout the famed house’s collection, the bold lion holds an oval blue Swarovski crystal. Best part, it’s made in Italy and not one of those mass produced pieces of swag.

Price: SG$ 520
Available: Gucci boutique (The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Paragon)

Make him a little more distinguished: Hugo Boss Round metal cufflinks with enamel inlay

These are not your usual cufflinks. Sure, you’ve seen insurance agents and realtors wear cufflinks but not ones like these. Elegant, distinctive and understated, these 15mm cufflinks in sophisticated, hand-polished metal come from Hugo Boss and they’re the furthest away from the plebeian choices as you can get. Featuring a solid enamel inlay framed by an engraved logo detail, this sleek pair is finished with a fixed, round fastening. It’s unabashedly contemporary, that is to say, they will never look aged or off trend while the zen simplicity of polished steel and enamel will ensure their classic elegance ad infinitum.

Price: $120
Available: Hugo Boss (Ngee Ann City) or www.hugoboss.com

He loves travelling in style: Ermenegildo Zegna Pelle Tessuta™ Cabin Luggage

This Spring Summer 2018 (and just in time for Christmas), the innovative Ermenegildo Zegna real leather “fabric”: the pioneering Pelle Tessuta™ made from weaving extremely thin strips of nappa leather on special looms, replicating the traditional way of weaving cloth, makes its appearance on Ermenegildo Zegna’s cabin roll-on luggage. It’s surprisingly light despite its full leather construction and while it won’t make you a target for eagle-eyed baggage thieves at Charles De Gaulle, those in the know will definitely give a hat tip to your man for travelling with such class.

Price: On request
Availability: Ermenegildo Zegna (Orchard ION)