The Wall Street gift guide: What bankers are asking for this holiday season

By Alice Tecotzky

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Rolex and Patek Philippe were among the most popular brands listed among respondents.

"There's still room and opportunity, even with all this digitization, of having a really nice statement watch," said Reginald Ferguson, a fashion consultant and founder of NY Fashion Geek, who works with some clients in finance.

The pieces can cost tens of thousands of dollars — new models of the Rolex Daytona that one person mentioned, for example, range $16,000 to $141,150.

A Cartier Santos, which costs between $4,800 and $77,000 new on Cartier's website, is a "great flex/gift," Ferguson said.

Respondents mentioned health-tracking bracelets, running gear, and a bike. One said they wanted something from Goruck, a company that sells gear for rucking, or walking with a weighted pack.

Another mentioned a Garmin Venu4, a smartwatch that tracks heart rate, stress, ovulation, and sleep, among other metrics. It costs $549.99 on the Garmin website.

Jeremy Balrup, who covers sales and analytics for Bloomberg's enterprise data business, told Business Insider he'd love a specific gym bag: P. Johnson's suit travel bag, which has compartments and folds into a tote.

"You don't want to be the dude with the duffel bag or banker bag. That's kind of douchey," he said. Balrup, 30, added that the bag is pretty pricey — it's $370, according to P. Johnson's website — but is "super sleek."

One self-identified VP said in the survey that they want a "designer bag that I can use for bringing by gym clothes into work."

Other respondents mentioned an Hermes bag or a Tumi backpack, which range from $175 to $2,195.

Balrup said he is also looking for multifunctional clothing, like a wool sweater.

"There's a meme of, 'Go from the boardroom to the bar,' and that's kind of cringe, but actual clothes that have more wear than just office wear," Balrup said. "We're not at a point where you have to be super white collar or formal at work."

Some survey respondents said they want coats, sweaters, or suits from quiet luxury brands like Loro Piana.

Mentions included a roughly $4,000 Dunhill wool jacket with gold buttons, a more than $1,000 Moncler gilet, and a Brunello Cucinelli shearling coat, some of which go for more than $17,000. Another requested Versace ties, most of which cost $275 on Versace's site.

One survey respondent said they want the $1,100 Zegna sneakers, which have recently started to take over trading floors. Another said they might want a new pair of penny loafers, and another specified they wanted Loro Piana shoes. Loro Piana men's loafers range from $950 to $1,830, while women's loafers cost between $925 and $8,725.

Some Wall Streeters would rather spend their holidays doing something than unwrapping something. Several of the survey respondents said they want rest or family time, or are spending days off traveling. One person mentioned a two-week trip around Southeast Asia with their partner; another said they're going skiing in Switzerland.

Elisabeth Brown, the US membership director at the luxury concierge service Knightsbridge Circle, has mentioned an uptick in experiential gifting, which can include sporting events, concerts, or trips.

"A lot of these people do sort of have everything they want, from a physical perspective," she said.

A few survey respondents had their hearts set on cars. Two mentioned wanting a Porsche — a vintage model and a 911 — and another said they want a Ferrari F80. Porsche 911 models start at more than $130,000.

And despite the wellness boom on Wall Street — and many other corners of the corporate world — alcohol is still a go-to option. None of the survey respondents said they wanted booze for themselves, but Eileen Rizzo, the CEO of Zachys Wine and Liquor, said it's a popular gift.

Rizzo said that champagne is "always the hero of the holiday season," but more customers are starting to opt for statement wines, like those that are limited-edition or grace the top of annual best wine lists. People interested in banking and investment are among her most active clients, she added.

"Champagne, Italian, and Bordeaux wines tend to be the most requested categories as they're classic, universally respected, and easy to tailor to different budgets," Rizzo said.

Wine Enthusiast named the $179 Mastroberardino 2018 Stilèma Riserva Aglianico as its top wine of 2025, and the $370 Gusbourne 2016 51°N Traditional Method Sparkling Blend took the number-two spot. A bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut champagne usually costs $57.95 on Zachys' website.

Seventeen survey respondents said they're giving colleagues alcohol, and Balrup said a nice bottle of wine is always a hot gift in his office's white elephant exchange, either to drink or regift at one of many holiday parties.