Watches make a "timeless" gift: they're practical, long-lasting and useful on a daily basis. Additionally, watches have come to symbolize love, thoughtfulness, good taste and status. It can be a daunting task to pick out a gift watch for a loved one, so here are some tips to help you make a good selection.

Many people start their search for watches online. Here you can get a ballpark figure on prices at a glance, as well as browse style variations. If you're looking to browse but not buy online, then try the websites for your local department stores. For example, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Wal-mart, Dillards and Sears all offer a wide selection of watches ranging from $20 to $2,000.

If you're looking to buy online, try searching by price, gender or an extensive list of brands at WorldofWatches.com, WatchZone.com or WatchesPlanet.com. Some online browsers prefer sites like Bizrate.com, which compiles a compendium of different online sites and will allow them to search by gender, strap type, face shape, feature, price, style, movement or material. Discount selections can be found at Overstock.com, JomaShop.com or MisterWatch.com, to name a few.

In the stores, what brands should you look for? First, consider your budget. Are you looking for a $29,000 new Rolex or a $20 Catalog watch? For high-end watches priced in the thousands, check out Cartier, Breitling, Omega, Universal Geneve, Jacques Lemans and Tag Heuer. For watches in the hundreds price range, you can get a good deal on a Movado, Bulova, Gucci, Citizen, or Invicta. Occasionally you can find some Tag Heuers and Omegas in this price range as well. In the lower hundreds, Seiko, Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss offer classy styles.

Perhaps you're looking for a good gift watch that doubles as a piece of jewelry. If you're on a strict budget, start with department stores. For instance, at Macy's, you could buy a women's Fossil bracelet watch with a sparkling Swarvoski crystal and stainless steel band, a diamond marker and Mother of Pearl inlay for $57 and get a bonus diamond accent pendant gift with your watch purchase for an additional $49.

However, if you're looking to really impress for that special occasion, you will want to begin looking for jewelry watches at a jewelers like Zales, Kay's or Littman's. You could get a stainless steel ladies Bulova watch with diamond inlays for $300 (or $20/month) at Zales, with a pink sapphire ring bonus gift for an extra $30. Tiffany and Company is world renowned as being the quintessential jewelry watch, but expect to pay in the thousands. If you're looking for the extreme in high-end jewelry watches, you will have to visit New York City or Toronto to find an authorized Rolex dealer in North America.

When shopping for watches online, be careful to check what kind of warranty is offered and look into where you can have your watch serviced, if need be. While the deals may be tempting, it's generally safer to go through a jeweler, department store or authorized retailer, especially if you plan on spending a lot! Watches are gifts that can last several lifetimes and be passed down from generation to generation, so browse around and be sure to select the right watch that fits you or your loved one's distinct taste and practical needs.

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