TIME OUT Price: ~11,495 Pierre Cardin Empereur D'animation Chronographe comes with chronograph function and a water resistance of five bars allowing worry-free swimming and water sports. It has croco-pattern leather strap with stainless steel case and bracelet option. A sensible gift for a man with a taste for adventure.

OF STEEL AND STONE Affordable Price: ~17,995 and ~18,500 Made of ceramic and surgical grade steel, Bella by Xylys has a simple design that dazzles because of the 80 crystal zirconia stones that surround the dial. The dial is in striking contrast to the strap that is sure to make an impression. TAKE HOME THE PHANTOM Price: ~19,995 LUXURY The case and dial design of the Antonio If you’re feeling weighed down by the gloom and Bernini-Phantom resembles the afterburners of the plane. The men’s watch doom in the economy this Diwali, don’t lose comes with a dial with lattice-work finish and an integrated genuine leather strap. It heart. Try our selection of value-for-money gifts is water resistant and has a hardened crystal case with an extra large bridge mounted crown for protection.

EARTHY ART If you are at your wits’ end looking for gift ideas that’ll stand out from the crowd, here’s one: art. And you don’t have to spend a bomb to buy a painting, a graphic print or a photograph. Here are a few options: the most inexpensive — not because they’re not nice, but Indians just don’t seem to value them — are tribal or folk arts. Check out Dilli Haat, or the government emporia. You can also check out galleries such as Arts of the Earth in Delhi’s Lado Sarai arts district that sell tribal art — Warli, Saura, Madhubani, Bengal pata, etc. On the far left, is a painting by acclaimed Gond painter Durga Bai priced at ~5,000. But if it’s modern-urban expression that you’re after, try Bestcollegeart.com, an online platform for young, upcoming artists. It has paintings in every style going for as little as ~5,000. Given the religious tone of the season, you might like this (left) depiction of Krishna (acrylic on canvas, 20”x30”) by Howrah-based artist Bhaskar Lahiri, selling for ~15,000.

PRETTY PICTURE Price: ~8,000 and ~10,000 Early this year, photographer Amit Pasricha came out with a limited edition of prints of his well-known panoramic shots of India’s landscapes, monumental buildings, and lives of its people. Branded ‘Archiva’, these are beautiful digital art prints on canvas, museum- quality in their specs, that are then sprayed with protective chemicals so that they don’t need to be put behind glass and can be wiped clean with a dry, cotton cloth. What’s more, they come with certificates of authenticity signed by Pasricha and encased in beautiful, easy-to-carry tubes that make them stylish gifts for Diwali. See the collection online at www.archiva.asia and order online at [email protected]. Go grab

COOL COMFORT RETURN OF THE CAT-EYE Price: ~18,490 Price: ~14,840 A sturdy pair of aviators never goes Burberry BE 4117 (Black), a vintage pair with the classic Burberry out of style. We suggest you splurge metal check pattern on the earpieces, is a perfect gift for the ladies. on a pair of iconic Ray-Bans — the The ‘cat-eye’ design, which was made a rage by icons Audrey Ray-Ban Aviator Folding Ultra Limited Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, is making a strong comeback this Edition — with a folding design season. Both — the Ray-Bans on the left and the Burberry below — are dipped in 22 carats of gold. With only available at retail chains like Sunglass Hut. 7,500 sets worldwide, the frames, available in white and yellow gold, still bear the famous tear-drop shape (created in 1937 to protect the US Air Force pilots from glare while flying at high altitudes). The frames come equipped with a polarising filter, colour enhancement, anti-reflective coating and a water-repellent system. A WRITER'S PRIZE SILVER HAZE Price: ~46,750 (ball pen) With the Writers Edition 2012: Jonathan Swift, Montblanc pays tribute to the poet and essayist known for his satiric masterpiece Gulliver's Travels. The design carries little elements of the novel — the barrel is made of black lacquer, decorated with multi-layered inlays reminiscent of the ropes that were used to bind Gulliver on the beach of Lilliput. Bearing the signature of Swift, both the clip and fittings are platinum- plated. The rhodium- plated 18K gold nib is Price: ~3,100 to 4,200 decorated with an elaborate engraving These Ganesh and Lakshmi diyas are showing the imperial army of Lilliput GOLDEN WORDS made of sterling silver and accented marching between Gulliver’s legs. Be it the with 24k gold. Diya Balaji (extreme right) , the rollerball or the ballpoint pen, Price: ~18,800-~37,500 is also handcrafted in sterling silver. all will serve as collector’s items. Caran d’ache Leman collection, the sleek range of pens with ebony black bodies, come with silver/rhodium- plated clips and trims and will be a hit with the boss. One fountain pen, in particular, comes with an 18- carat gold nib (~37,500). With any of the pens from this range, the brand is throwing in a complementary Caran d'ache leather belt. Both Caran d'ache and Montblanc are available at William Penn.

SECURE YOUR CIGARS Price: About ~15,000 Price: ~8,500 A good cigar deserves a good humidor. While you’ll find plenty of Ganesh Avneesh is in pristine white China-made humidors costing under ~10,000 in the market, marble, handcrafted and embellished loosen the purse strings a bit and invest in a Prometheus — a in sterling silver. global brand whose products are now sold at the finest cigar shops in 25 countries. Named after Prometheus, the Greek mythological figure who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to humans, Prometheus started out as a lighter company in 1992 but now offers a complete collection of fine cigar accessories: ashtrays, cigar cutters, humidors, leather cigar cases, and lighters. The humidors come with wooden holders to secure your cigars and a complementary travel carrying case.

HAPPINESS HAMPER Price: ~5,000 onwards The bespoke gift hamper from The Oberoi New Delhi, wrapped in ornate boxes, can be customised according to a guest’s wishes. Price: ~14,000 For friends with a sweet tooth, this might Ganesh Bhalchandr is handcrafted and be the ideal present — the goodies range stylised in mixed media and embellished from macaroons, dry fruit, cookies to in sterling silver. It has Ganesh reposing fluffy chocolate, fruit and cheese on a large granite moon. cakes from The Oberoi Patisserie & Delicatessen in New Delhi. For timely delivery, place your order within the next week.

Price: ~9,000 T-Light Morning Glory is stylised with sterling silver petals that open up to receive the rays of the sun. All the above are from Frazer and Hawz .

GANESH FROM LET THERE BE LIGHT SUPERHERO SET SHOOT AT SIGHT Price: ~25,000 Price: ~5,500 each Price: ~3,999 (Blu-ray) and Price: ~24,990 The mini Ganesh from Daum is available These 12x9 cm Lladró lithophanes ~1,499 (DVD) Know anyone who wants to upgrade from in amber, blue and rose pink. About 4.5 — Ganesh and Lakshmi — have been The Nolan Collection beings four of the the point-and-shoot camera and get into inches in diameter, this hand-made sculpted by Dpto. Diseño y best Christopher Nolan movies —Batman ‘serious’ photography? Then the Canon sculpture is rendered in fine crystal and Ornamentación. Each of these Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, 1100D is the one for him this Diwali. has been specially created by the crystal handcrafted sculptures from Spain Inception — in one box. There are also two Affordable and easy-to-use, the 1100D studio based in Nancy, France, keeping includes a battery-powered LED for additional discs of Inception and Dark also video-records in HD. It comes with the festival of Diwali in mind. Each illumination, although a candle of a Knight with special features like the an 18-55 mm lens and has a pentamirror crystal piece has its own individuality fitting size can also be used. Upon making of the films and interviews viewfinder, which wasn’t part of Canon’s and no two are identical. turning on the LED or lighting the with the director. earlier entry point SLR. The 1100D is candle, the transparency of the lighter and the screen size (2.7 inches) porcelain makes the light enhance is also bigger than the earlier entry the engravings. level camera.

CHOCOLATE BOMB, ANYONE? CRYSTAL CLEAR BOND WITH THE BEST SPLURGE ON SILVER Price: Combo pack for ~2,295 Price: ~15,000 to ~25,000 Price: ~24,999 Price: On request Packaged in retro styled boxes, these mock Amour Vase, Love Bowl and Roses Tumbler A collectible box-set featuring all 22 If you are willing to splurge on silver firecracker-themed chocolates from are all from the Lalique Rouge Collection. James Bond films on Blu-ray disc with beyond the ~25,000 cap, then this one is Chokola make for a delectable gift . Choose While the goblet of roses measures 9.45 more than 130 hours of bonus features, a good option. The Ganesh is part of the from a selection of four: ‘Choko Sparkles’ — inches in height and 7.80 inches in including original radio interviews of Sean divinity collection at Rose Salon at DLF chocolate sparklers made with pretzel diameter, the Love Bowl is 0.67 inches Connery, directors’ commentary, music Emporio in Delhi. Made of precious and sticks and dark chocolate; ‘Choko Blast’ — high, 3.82 inches long and 3.9 inches videos, deleted scenes and much more. semi-precious stones, the design dark chocolate fudge; ‘Rocket Rose’ —pure wide. The heart-shaped Amour Vase is By far, the most comprehensive collection combines contemporary art with a indulgence of dark sultry roses; and 'Choko 6.10 inches high and 2.05 inches in and a must-buy for Bond aficionados. traditional appeal to give an ethereal Anaar' — traditional Indian shape of diameter. A colour red has been beauty to the idol. flowerpot filled with the crunchiness of developed in ‘Rouge à l'Or’, a captivating rice crispies moulded in dark chocolates. crimson red which is the result of a secret Available at Chokola outlets. mixture of pigments and gold powder.