Ask him what he wants and he says: nothing. And he actually means it. A mechanical DIY model still isn't one more thing for the cupboard. It's a project for a few evenings, and at the end there's something on his table that he built himself and is proud of.
Why he's so hard to buy for
When we give, we usually think of the moment the paper tears. The person receiving the gift thinks more about the weeks after: what do I do with this? Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University see exactly this gap as one of the most common reasons gifts miss the mark (Carnegie Mellon University).
With a man who already has everything, the gap gets bigger. The good whisky and the new gadget he buys himself as soon as he wants them. What he rarely buys himself is a reason to sit down and do something with his hands.
Why a UGEARS model works here
Giving an experience brings people closer than giving an object. A study from the University of Toronto showed this (University of Toronto). A kit is both at once. First come evenings that belong to him alone. He gets absorbed and only notices late how much time has passed. Afterwards the result stands on the shelf, and he still remembers exactly how long he sat over that one tricky part.
Unlike an experience voucher, it isn't tied to a date. He starts when he feels like it and stops when he's had enough.
It's still no craft project, though. There are lots of gears and small parts, and the mechanism has to sit just right. That takes patience and concentration. In return, the gears mesh precisely at the end, and everything runs the way it should.
Which model suits him
The easiest way to find it is through the topic. Think about what he can talk about until someone interrupts him.
If he tinkers with engines
The V8 Engine shows what happens under the hood: pistons, valves and camshafts, turned by a knob or a small electric motor. Anyone who knows the principle wants to put it together himself once.
If he wears a mechanical watch
The Sky Watcher Tourbillon Table Clock has the part watch lovers spend a lot of money on: a tourbillon. Here it turns openly on the desk, driven by a spring. Why the tourbillon is considered a masterpiece is explained in Why is time the new luxury?
If he can quote every Star Wars™ scene
The Millennium Falcon™ is the big project: over a thousand parts, an LED hyperdrive and an opening roof. Afterwards it needs its own spot on the shelf.
If he likes puzzles
The Book of Secrets looks like a bound volume on the shelf. It only opens with a number code and a secret key, and behind them is a compartment for keys, jewellery or a banknote.
If he never really has time
The Engine Clock is done in a weekend. A pendulum clock in an engine-block design, with pistons moving in time.
All models are rated from about 14. More ideas under Gifts for men and Built to Impress.
And if it doesn't fit after all?
You know him well, but there's never a guarantee. That's why you have 100 days to return it, and returns within Germany are free. We ship from our warehouse in Essen, usually in 1–3 working days. And if a part breaks while building: spare parts are free.
If you're really unsure, go for the gift card. Then he picks his model himself.
At the latest when he shows you the finished model for the first time, you'll know it was the right one.
Sources
- Carnegie Mellon University (2016): Gift-giving errors – on Galak, Williams & Givi, "Why Certain Gifts Are Great to Give But Not to Get", Current Directions in Psychological Science. cmu.edu
- University of Toronto (2016): The science of gift giving – on Chan & Mogilner, "Experiential Gifts Foster Stronger Social Relationships Than Material Gifts", Journal of Consumer Research. utoronto.ca