How to gently tell partner I don't like gift

Even for a special anniversary gift ?

I hope it works out for you, I actually bought my wife a very similar, but more expensive nurse's fob watch as a replacement when she graduated as a SRN having had it especially engraved, and while the watch "was very nice" you should have seen her face when she ( eventually!) spotted that it was engraved 💞

Pop back and let us all know how you get on....

Thank you for such a thoughtful gift, it really is lovely and I cant believe how considerate you have been. Its not really my style though but maybe as you know so much about watches (and I dont) we could go any choose another one together at the weekend that is more to my taste but equally of good a quality?

However, If you dont like watches then just say so! My ex did a similar thing for me years ago. He was really into watches and bought be one worth £600. Wasted gift as I was happy with a £50 G-shock and actually preferred it.....
I was accused of being ungrateful when I hinted that it wasn't quite 'me' but that was him all over

I would let him know that I appreciated him buying a gift but that it was not ‘me’ and more reflective of what he wants to buy me. I would ask for it to be returned and the money used for something else.

Surely he would want you to like and use the gift above his thought of buying the gift??

you don't like it and you cannot even wear it at work.

Can I suggest you go back to him with an idea for a £400 gift that would fit the bill and that you can exchange the watch for?

I think you need to be honest or there will be more watches coming your way.

Explain to him that you love the way he wants to make this special occasion so memorable for you both, but that as you won’t be able to wear this type of watch everyday, as you'd want to, then it's not really a practical choice, as much as you like it.

Then (if you like this alternative suggestion) suggest swapping it for something like these alternative, which he can have engraved to personalise it for you.

(And maybe also get a nice little pendant to top it off with a nice "feminine" touch.

This us just an example, and they are available in a variety of case finishes.....

Hope this helps.....

Wow. I usually get mine from Next & never spend over £45. They tell the time just as well as one that costs 400 I'm sure.

This is a very very reasonably priced watch!

@Runnermumof2just be honest with him!

£400 on Something you don’t like /can’t wear. Def tell him and change it

if it was £30/40 I would have kept stum but not that amount

I'm stunned that anyone could spend £400 on a watch 😳

an ex of mine was really into skiing. So he bought me a ski suit for Xmas. I didn't ski, still don't ski and had told him numerous times I had no interest in ever trying skiing.
He was extremely offended I didn't like his gift. So many women would be thrilled, absolutely thrilled if their boyfriend offered to take them skiing, he said. And I was totally ungrateful.
I was not one of those women though.

Oh give over with your ‘rude and unkind’. 🙄 If my husband wanted to divorce me over hurty feelings about a crap gift, or I needed to crack it out and wear it regularly to protect his delicate ego, then quite frankly he’s a dick, and so would I be for marrying him.

If you’ve been together for ten years you should definitely be able to tell him and change it for something more appropriate.

I'd say the divorce rate is due to more women having the financial independence and balls to realise they don't have to put up with lazy, selfish men who can't think beyond their own preferences and try to pass it off as thoughtful. Remember the thread last week about the Dyson Air wrap? Same thing. Woman is v v clear and explicit, including a link and a heads up that a second hand one will be the wrong model. Man thinks he knows better. This one, after ten years, man doesn't know his wife can't wear a watch to work and is using it as a way to show off / indulge his own interest in fancy watches.

This, 100%.
Not surprising divorce rates are so high, going by the amount of rude and unkind suggestions in this thread.

Best answer ever!

Having spent the majority of the year getting rid of possessions for the Oldies in the family, just take it back. You have the receipt.

You can talk to him first obviously and tell him how much you appreciate that he wanted to celebrate your 10 year anniversary but you can’t wear watches at work and you feel that you won’t get the wear out of it.

Then spend the money on something you would enjoy.

Whatever you do, don’t keep hold of a possession that you don’t like just to protect his feelings.

THIS!!! My EX DH did that, and IOUs, so often it started to wear me down, especially when I would go to a lot of time and effort to think about him and find gifts he would love.

YANBU. Personally, I'd be really upset that (after 10yrs!) he was incapable of choosing something for £400 that I would actually love to wear. Maybe his Mum helped him choose it? Which would be the bigger problem.

Just tell him, you really appreciate the effort he went to to surprise you with a decent watch to mark a special occasion, remind him that you cannot wear it for work and are not sure when you would ever wear it, you've let it sit with you for xyz days and still feel the same. Then I'd ask him, did he think it was a style you would like? The fact that he's more interested in giving you an expensive watch than whether you like it at all, frankly speaks volumes. Don't let this fester any longer than you already have.

Get him to return it. Surely he knows you can’t wear that type of watch at work? £400 is a weekend away!

£400 is a lot of money for something you don’t want. It sounds like having something to keep is important to him. I’d say you appreciate the gesture but can you perhaps replace it for a small pendant or something you can wear at all times, and (together) spend the rest of the money into your holiday fund / weekend away / finally getting the garden done up.

I don’t think you need to pussyfoot around him too much op. He’s clearly bought something with no thought however much it cost.

I’ve told my DH on numerous Christmas mornings that I’m grateful for the thought but he’d probably better dig out the receipt and take it back. Now he jokes about wrapping up the receipts! But he has also bought me amazing gifts which he genuinely knows I love and appreciate.

I never understand why women are so scared of being honest about gifts (or anything really).