There are some ideas one would be better off without. Like treating a man to a watch. To begin with, the plan seems pretty simple; a classic gift, no more, no less. Especially since there are a few ideas floating around thanks to hearing him talk about Patek Philippe, Hublot, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Audemars Piguet and plenty of others. No doubt about it : this should be a straightforward operation and your man will be thrilled.

At least that’s what you thought before stepping into a boutique. Whether mono- or multibrand, it’s soon pretty clear that we don’t speak the same language. You ask to see some watches and they answer with words such as chronograph, automatic, quartz, small and grand complications… No idea what the latter means in terms of the watch, but for the lady trying to buy one, grand complications is a pretty good description of the situation! A superhuman effort helps you remember that your man has mentioned a chronograph. Relax ; the worst is over and he will get his gift. Then come further questions… In steel, gold or platinum ? With a power-reserve display ? A wristband with a folding clasp ? A black or white dial ? At this point, you’re casting a discreet glance at the door. Just a few metres, and you could be out on the street, free to go your way… But that means your man won’t get his watch! The one he is bound to cherish since it will have been so lovingly chosen. You pull yourself together ; you’ve already accomplished tougher things than this.You adopt a serious attitude and launch into a list of specs : steel, a wristband with a folding clasp and the dial colour will depend on the model. Anticipating the trickiest question of all, you list the names of brands that your man always speaks of with respect.  Breathe. Having ten or so models in front of you makes you feel a bit more at ease. It’s like choosing a handbag – you can trust your instinct – plus you know your man and what suits him! After just a quarter of an hour, the choice is made: steel, a black dial on a sleek and elegant model. All that remains is to check the price, pay and head off. As regards paying, it will take a bit longer than you imagined. You even wonder if the sales assistant has understood that you want to buy one model and not the entire collection. Yes, he had ! Farewell Chanel handbag, Louboutin shoes, Max Mara coat… You silently hand over your credit card.

It’s all in a good cause : your man  ! The one you tenderly observe as you hand over the gift-wrapped parcel that evening. He opens it, smiles, enthuses… although actually not that much. He looks more like an elephant stuck in a narrow corridor and trying to squeeze out of it delicately. “It’s magnificent, darling. Do you know if we can exchange it ?” Not so sure about the watch, but the man can definitely be traded in !