Unique and Unforgettable Father's Day Gifts

Make this Father's Day unlike any other. We always say "it's the thought that counts," and that's true -- especially now, when money is tighter than ever.

Still, a budget doesn't have to prevent you from tracking down an amazing Father's Day gift that he will be talking about at the office or country club for years to come. Here are my favorite Father's Day gift ideas for 2010, all of them under $350:

The Hamilton Men's Khaki Field automatic watch is $335 on Amazon. He'll love this one because of the watch's durability, vintage styling, and masculine appeal. Hamilton was originally "the American watch company" and was well known in the early 1900s as a reliable watch used by railroad men. More recently, the brand was acquired by Swiss watch group Swatch (they own other high-end brands, including Omega), and Hamilton is still a name associated with no-frills timekeeping quality. Plus, it is an automatic, meaning there is no battery inside: the watch is powered by the regular movement of your dad's arm throughout the day, which winds up a weighted rotor. It's the sort of thing Da Vinci probably wishes he had invented. In a way, getting him this gift is a bit self-serving: someday it may be yours. They last forever.

United Airlines Miles are a perfect gift for the father who has everything else. Using United's online GiveMiles program, you can buy them in increments of 1,000 miles. 5,000 miles costs $196.25. This one is great for the dad who plans to travel and see the world, but not necessarily tomorrow: he can keep the miles in his United Mileage Plus account until he's ready to skip town and explore. The miles can be used for any flight on "United or any Mileage Plus airline partner, or toward upgrades on United."

A massage is another thoughtful gift. Remind him it's OK to ask for a female masseuse, unless getting man-handled is his thing. Expect to pay $80 to $175 for a one-hour Swedish massage or deep tissue massage gift certificate. Anything significantly cheaper -- those $45 massages downtown -- is to be avoided. You want to give a quality gift, not a seedy discount massage. Check to see if there's a Bliss Spa in his city -- they're all over New York, and have locations as far away as London and Hong Kong. Get him the United Miles, and pack a Bliss gift certificate in his carry-on as a surprise.

The Kindle DX, Amazon's newest portable e-book reader, is another sure-fire hit with dads (my father just got one a few weeks ago -- I haven't heard a word from him since). Get it for $259 on Amazon with free super saver shipping. At 10.2 ounces, it's lighter than your average paperback novel and is only 1/3 of an inch thick. He'll be able to download titles wirelessly over Kindle's 3G network for just $9.99 per book. Well worth the price tag for a more cultured, and happier, father.