<p>ds is the first in our family to graduate college, next year he will get his masters at yale som. what would be a most awesome present? is a yale class ring thought of as stupid these days??? help!!!</p>
<p>How about a fabulous watch?</p>
<p>well, i looked at rolex, and i cant see 5000.maybe 1000, but wow</p>
<p>I understand your wanting to give something that is lasting and of value to commemorate this event (hence the watch/rolex). Perhaps there are things of sentimental value, not necessarily expensive, that would fill that need? Then a monetary gift would allow him to get something he wants or needs to start this new phase of his life.</p>
<p>You might want to get a figure on how many class rings are purchased - that would give you an idea of whether this is something parents/students are wanting these days. Then again - regardless of popularity, one kid might really want one even if no one else is wearing them while another might think it silly. I’ve had the luxury of using the sibling to weasel out such information from each of my daughters.</p>
<p>You can get a nice watch for $1000, Tag Heuer?</p>
<p>A nice watch doesn’t have to be a Rolex. </p>
<p>We got one kid a nice computer/briefcase.</p>
<p>How about a Yale chair? They’re pretty nice.</p>
<p>Or rather, a chair from his undergraduate school. I misread, I think. I think most schools sell these.</p>
<p>When my H completed his PhD, I gave him a Mont Blanc fountain pen engraved with his name, “Dr. X.” They have wide variety - 14K gold tipped, platinum, silver, etc. He loved that pen 'til he lost it 10 yr. later. He still mourns its loss.</p>
<p>A master’s degree from Yale is a great present ;)</p>
<p>I’m in the watch camp. Two things say a lot about a man, his watch and his shoes. I really stand by this. It is something he will wear daily that he will always think of the person who gave it and why he received it. It is something he will not buy himself. Personally, I think Rolex is over-rated and on a young person can scream ‘I just REALLY wanted a status symbol.’. That’s just me though.</p>
<p>Look at Breitling. They were originally Swiss aviator watches so they tend to keep some of the sportier qualities. Very high quality. I have known corporations to give them to their top executives as a symbol of the excellence they expect from them. Price runs all over the place, but you should be able to find a very nice one at $1,000-$1,500. They jump up when you have a feature to locate you if your plane goes down. Not everyone needs that…</p>
<p>I think you mean Breitling? I might look at Cartier as well. </p>
<p>At a different price point, how about a really nice piece of luggage – like Hartmann or Victorinox.</p>
<p>I gave my son a roundtrip ticket to spain for hs graduation. If your S did not get the chance to travel as an undergrad or has a place he has always wanted to go…this may be the present that will be remembered forever. If you can afford it you may want to send him with a sibling. After my MA, my parents gave my brother and I frequent flier tickets (just the tickets–we paid the rest) to go to England (where we were both born and bro majored in English lit) and Portugal (I studied Portuguese in graduate school)…I learned more about my brother in those few weeks and we became closer than ever before…our one chance to travel alone as siblings before we were married…I treasure the memory of that trip and still thank our parents now over 20 years later. We have talked about going with our families to retrace our trip.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what blueiguana would think of me but I hate wearing watches or jewelry of any kind. I sometimes wear a watch when traveling but that’s about it and now I usually use my cell phone instead. I’d rather wear a $15 plastic digital watch that has multi-timezones, alarms, etc. than a $10K Rolex. I’m practical to the point that I don’t care at all about ‘designer’ brands of anything - just the best product from a practical perspective within reason. (I’ve never even heard of some of the names pizzagirl just stated yet have traveled the world fairly extensively)</p>
<p>My own preferences aside, my point is to make sure you get a gift that fits the kid’s personality. Don’t just focus on the money spent and what you or someone else might like but rather, what your kid would like. Some people like a nice piece of wall art, others like something electronic, some like jewelry, and others would rather have an all expenses paid trip to expand their mind or relax their body.</p>
<p>For a graduation gift I like the idea of something that would be enduring, like artwork, a chair, etc. that they would still have 20 or 40 years from now and would be able to look at it and be reminded instantly of why they received the gift and their time in college. Outside of that I’d consider something like a trip if the kid’s into that where they can have enduring memories and photos of the trip as an enduring reminder. Things like laptops, TVs, etc. are nice but in a few years will be gotten rid of and it’ll be as if they never existed and no reminder at all of their time in college.</p>
<p>when I graduated (years ago)…my aunt gave me a large shadow box - She had created a great tribute to my years in college (collected pictures, items from my Mom, items from the school etc). I still have it hanging in my office - a very different graduation gift but requires some creativity. If you can find the keepsakes, you can have one made at a framing store. (She included a note from one of the professors that I thought had really influenced me). She put a lot of thought into it, did a lot or running around to gather the “stuff” and I really appreciated it.</p>
<p>For my son’s 18th birthday, you’re going to laugh, but he wanted a gold bar. (Yeah, like I’m Fort Knox or something.) I went to a coin store and they had some interesting collectible suggestions that I am confident my son will like. This is, of course, dependent on the person, but for the kind of person who would appreciate a collectible, that might be an idea.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t go with a Rolex. That’s a very particular look and it’s only for the person who wants that look. How about a Swiss Army Brand watch? That’s a much lower price point and more casual but is very good looking – my son got one for his 16th birthday that’s a classic that will last forever. </p>
<p>How about a really nice leather dob kit?</p>
<p>uscd<em>ucla</em>dad,
I only said it says a lot about you, and I do think it is an interesting way to see how a man sees himself and the world he lives in.
The fact that you have traveled the world extensively and not heard of a Cartier simply means that you place more importance on other things when traveling and skip the shopping district. You mention artwork, so perhaps museums or galleries? It isn’t meant to judge, just read.
Many men do not wear watches. Some can not stand anything but a wedding band. H has only 2 pair of dress shoes at a time, but their are the best quality he considers reasonable. He has them resoled. Someone looking could tell that and it simply gives a clue to how he makes decisions. One of my boys wears converse with dress clothes and slippers to school. The other wouldn’t think of it. The third has worn a nice watch since grade school.</p>
<p>You hit a key, consider the recipient.
Cheers.</p>
<p>^^ I’ve heard of the Cartier - just not the luggage brand names. You’re right though - I skip the shopping districts - I’d rather see an old castle or cathedral or Shinto shrine or the Matterhorn or Angel Falls. Artwork is something I’ve purchased as gifts for others. For gifts it all boils down to the recipient and it’d be a shame to spend a lot of money on something the recipient would fail to appreciate to the extent of the cost.</p>
<p>OP - Now that he has that grad degree, if he’ll be getting a job and a place on his own, consider getting something for his new place, especially things he might not buy himself like the wall art, some quality furniture pieces, some quality kitchen items, quality tools (like Craftsman - hand tools will last a lifetime), etc. depending on what he likes and what fits him.</p>
<p>Well, it’s not cheap to frame a diploma nicely. That’s an enduring gift.
I also like the chair idea.<br>
Pay a year of his student loans, if he has any.
If you get him a watch, I’d say let him choose. </p>
<p>Good luck, and congratulations!</p>
<p>I think the trip is a nice idea if your budget permits.</p>
<p>i really appreciate all the great ideas. here`s the thing, this kid IS into looking good. wears suits all the time, remember opera, and would definately prefer a dress watch over a sporty swiss. i am seriously thinking of either a very nice dress watch, or the gold yale crest ring…</p>