What can I get for new partner's significant birthday?

[eewwdavid]

I'm with a new partner post marriage breakdown and he has a "big" birthday coming up. We've been together for almost exactly a year, so i didn't get him anything last year as I barely knew him! Things are going well so I need to find a balance between something that seems reasonably significant but that also doesn't seem too "heavy". At Christmas I got him a little piece of artwork with special significance which was well received but I then feel i couldn't repeat that.
I feel a bit more pressure because it's a special birthday too. We will do something, dinner or whatever, but I also want to get him a physical gift.
Budget about £100 i guess but doesn't need to be that much and I could stretch to a bit more! He is better off than me which i feel conscious of (altho he doesn't give a jot about that!)
Any suggestions gratefully received

Keen cook?

A really good Japanese Gyuto or Nakiri knife. I have a Shun and ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. Tojiro is another good one.

A a Leatherman multitool - so many variations at different price points, and for different activities - maybe even the outing hobby of the birthday boy?? You can get them engraved too. I’ve given them to several men for significant birthdays, and they’ve always been well recieved.

Thank you!
Such lovely ideas. I see him almost every day, so i know what he likes and what he has...he's the kind of person who will buy 1 very good version of something and stick with it, which rules out a lot of things.
The experience/ trip would be fairly easy to do, but I'd really rather something he can keep, at least for part of it!

What about a cookery class? You could then get him the Nakiri knife (or some other nice utensil) as a keepsake gift - although that might blow the budget. I tend to go for experience gifts these days as it’s more about spending time together than buying stuff (and we all have too much stuff anyway)

A nice fountain pen? I think it’s a great gift as it’s not something you’d buy for yourself. There was a thread recently but I’m not sure how to link to a thread on my phone.

It was in AIBU on 3rd April

A watch? A nice beer tankard/brandy glass or similar. A hip flask? If he doesn’t drink alcohol but drinks coffee a coffee machine type thing - I don’t drink coffee so can’t be more specific sorry.

Oh he loves coffee actually...that was an avenue I hadn't considered thank you...not a drinker unfortunately.

What did he say when you asked him what he would like?

Bottle of whiskey
Really nice, bespoke wine/whisky glasses (e.g. cornet Barcelona)
artwork
something for the house (lamp, big bowl, vase etc)

I haven't asked him, was trying to surprise!

I am exactly the same! Not quite 20 years but not far off, I find it harder and harder each year to keep coming up with different birthday and Xmas surprises and special gifts! Some years something brilliant might fall into my lap but apart from that…! It can be a real struggle even after so many years.

So many options for coffee lovers! Lots of different types of coffee machines. I have a bodum vacuum coffee maker, it’s totally different to all the other machines/pots etc that I have. Mine is electric but you can also get them that use tealights, iirc.

I’m a little confused. You’ve been together a year and you’re around 50 at that age usually know whether something is right or not. You’re not kids anymore. Is a year not a serious relationship?

Is it really unusual at 50 to have dated somebody a year and for it not to be serious enough to get something heavy emotional emotionally as you put it?

@bumptybumI'm also confused by your comments! I know him as well as can be expected for a year long relationship, it's going well, so i want to get him something special to reflect that? After 20 yrs+ with exDH we were at the point of either not bothering or getting something boring and domestic...I'd like this to be memorable/ special/ personal/ romantic!