Every year Day of the Dad comes around and every year it’s a struggle to know what to buy for the old man. Here are our top 7 unique gift ideas for Father’s Day that almost make me want to have kids!

Father’s Day in Australia and New Zealand is on the first Sunday of September. But around the world people celebrate their dads throughout the year.

From March 19 – when Italians, Angolans, Bolivians and Mozambicans celebrate their dads – all the way through to December 26th, when it’s Bulgaria’s turn to honour their paters.

But whenever the day is, the dilemma is the same – what do you get him? There are so many ideas you’re almost drowned by too much choice and it feels like there’s nothing to get him at all. It’s a paradox.

Here are a few ideas for Father’s Day gifts that, if nothing else, I’d like to receive. And that’s really how I judge if a present idea is any good or not!

7 unique gift ideas for Father’s Day

1. Jord wood watch – time with a difference

I love watches. Mrs Romance started this passion of mine with a gift on our first Christmas together and ever since then I’ve been hooked.

This Jord watch, which is made almost completely of sustainably harvested wood, is absolutely stunning and now my current favourite. I love the feel and look of the wood, and I also enjoy being able to see the gears moving in this model – the Dover. It’s quite mesmerising!

Each Jord piece is individually handcrafted from a choice of wood and fitted with a beautiful Swiss movement. Some, like this one, are self-winding.

This really is a watch with a difference. Yes, it’s made out of wood – this one’s made from the koa tree, the second most common tree on the Hawaiian islands – but the designers have really made the most of the watch’s movement too. The window on the back lets you see right through and shows you how it all works. It’s really quite lovely.

There are several different models available, but this Dover Koa and Black is definitely my favourite. It’s so different yet incredibly stylish and beautiful. And as you can see, it comes beautifully packaged and you can even have the strap personally sized. Kind of goes without saying this would make an amazing Father’s Day present.

That being said, there’s also potential for a great Mother’s Day prezzie here – in the Jord women’s watch range. 😉

2. Real Australian handcrafted rum

I’m not talking Bundaberg mass-produced hangover juice here. I’m talking real, delicious, handmade Australian rum. There are some amazing micro-distilleries right across Australia making perfect gifts for Father’s (and Mother’s) Day.

Dead Man’s Drop from Stone Pine Distillery in Bathurst, NSW is a black spiced rum – and the first of its kind from Australia. Here’s more of what we’ve got to say on this sweet, spicy number made from Aussie botanicals.

Ord River Overproof and Spike’s Reserve from Hoochery Distillery in Kununurra, WA. Don’t let the weird labels on these bottles fool you – this rum is absolutely on point and from one of the most fascinating parts of Australia: the Kimberley.

Black Gate Rum from Black Gate Distillery in Mendooran, NSW is a small-batch release rum, which means it sells out really fast! It also means every bottle is nurtured into existence by distillers Brian and Genise Hollingworth like it’s one of the family.

Check out Nip of Courage for more information and to order these rums. There are also amazing Aussie gins, whiskies and other delicious things for sale and delivery here.

3. Orbitkey – how to get Dad’s keys to stop jangling 

I love the design of these things. They look really sleek and are such a clever way to keep your keys from poking you in the leg or jangling in your pocket like you’re Jacob Marley or a jailer.

This cool key caddy start-up is the brainchild of two Aussie mates when they both realised how much jangly jeans irritated them both. From there they came up with this stylish answer to pocket clutter.

Orbitkeys fit most regular door keys and have a ring at the top where you can attach car keys and remotes. You can also order an Orbitkey with a bottle opener and a little USB on it, which I think is very slick.

4. Beer Days rare craft beer gift box

A beer on Father’s Day is almost law, even though I’m not a parent! So getting Dad a gift box of top notch hard-to-come-by beer is a gem of an idea.

Thankfully, two Aussie mates have come up with this genius plan to make this happen – and their Father’s Day gift pack is even better than that. With this 12-pack of beautiful Australian craft beers comes a selection of extras you can choose depending on what your old man is interested in.

They’ve got 4 tailored packs – the Foodie Dad, the Music Loving Dad, the Sporting Dad and the Surfing Dad. Each beer pack comes with a relating book (for example, the Foodie Dad pack comes with the superbly droolworthy Pornburger – hot buns and juicy beefcakes by Matthew Ramsey), a beer snack, beer tasting notes and a cool wall-mounted retro bottle opener.

And if you think this is something your dad would like to get on a regular basis, there is a monthly or quarterly subscription you can sign him up to as well.

5. Secret Bottle – Australian wine genius

If the old man enjoys his wine – especially unique Australian wine, this will definitely his thing. Secret Bottle is a wine subscription that showcases the smallest Australian boutique wineries in a very smart way.

Secret Bottle has a tasting club subscription that sends three 60ml test tube phials each month so you can try wine from all over the country. And this wine isn’t available in supermarket chains.

The taster subscription is $17 per month and the bottle subscription, which sends 3 bottles each time from 3 different regions, is $69 per month.

6. The best Cuban cigars

As you may know, I’m a big fan of the occasional cigar. It’s one of my favourite ways to unwind. Pair it with a good glass of red, a nip of whisky or even a coffee and I’m in heaven. Plus it makes me feel very manly!

It can be hard to choose which cigar to buy though, especially if you don’t know much about them. So if you’re looking at getting one as a gift (or for yourself!), here’s how to choose a perfect cigar.

If your dad doesn’t have a favourite brand or type, go with something like a Partagas. These are medium-bodied cigars (so they’re not too strong) and also more affordable than some of the other premium brands.

The short Partagas Serie D No.3 and the larger P No.2 are superb cigars. My current personal favourite is the Montecristo No.2 mini, which is a shorter version of what’s widely understood to be the best cigar in the world. All are available from the online store I use called PuroExpress.

7. History and beer experience – sounds like my kind of tour!

If your dad likes pubs and history, he’ll love this. Explore Sydney’s oldest suburb – The Rocks – on this unique walking tour with Sydney Pub Tours. You visit 5 of the most significant and iconic pubs of Australia’s convict and colonial history.

This guided tour takes you through the streets and alleys bringing Sydney’s past to life, making use of Australia’s most important landmark: its pubs!

Far from being a pub-crawl, this is a history tour that also happens to include beer. Or wine. Or lemonade if you like.

So how will you celebrate Father’s Day this year? Tell us in the comments!

Images by Mrs Romance using an OM-D E-M5 mark II Olympus camera.

Luxury Wood Watches