Retirement Gifts, From You or the Whole Team

Gifts for someone leaving work behind, to give on your own, with the family or with the whole team.

30 days to change your mind
A coworker My grandpa My grandma Someone who has everything Over $100

Retirement gifts are objects given to someone who is leaving their working life, most often by coworkers who chip in together, sometimes by family or friends. A decorative science instrument, such as a Nixie tube clock, a storm glass or a Newton's cradle, suits the occasion well: it lasts, settles into the home and stays linked to the people who gave it.

Retirement gift ideas, by theme

Storm glass and thermometers

By a window or in the hallway, these instruments get a glance in passing. The Cube Weather Glass (from $39.99) is best enjoyed as a curiosity: its crystals change their look, but it cannot reliably tell tomorrow's weather. The Teardrop Galileo Thermometer ($99.99), in crystal glass, reads without a screen or a battery, from 18 to 26°C (64 to 79°F). The Blue Galileo Thermometer ($79.99) follows the temperature of a room from morning to night with seven blue balls, in an 11-inch tube.

Watching time go by

Giving an object that measures time, just as their schedule changes completely, has something symbolic about it. The Wooden Perpetual Calendar ($79.99) borrows the look of a Chinese sundial, in wood and magnets, and marks the month, the day and the week. The Nixie Tube Lamp ($204.99) lights its six tubes in blue, green, light pink, yellow, red or purple, with 7 lighting modes and a wooden case.

Moving mechanisms

For someone who likes to understand how things work, a swinging mechanism hides nothing. The Orbital Solar System Desk Toy ($53.99) has no motor and no battery: its spheres slow down with friction, and a single push starts them again. The Cool Newton's Cradle ($34.99) shows five balls trading their momentum, with a modern metallic look. The Newton Balls Original (from $34.99) pairs wood and stainless steel, in three sizes from desk to sideboard.

A group gift

When a whole floor chips in, you can aim for a larger piece. The Large Galileo Thermometer ($182.99) stands about 25 inches tall, and its 11 balls follow the temperature degree by degree. The Large Newton's Cradle ($229.99), in stainless steel and ABS, is about 15 inches wide: a size that gets noticed on a living room sideboard. The Steampunk Nixie Clock ($259.99) combines solid wood, six glass Nixie tubes and metal hardware. More pieces at this budget are gathered in our selection over $100.

Retirement gifts for women

Her tastes matter more than her gender: think back to the objects she kept close at work. For a lover of stones, the Selenite Lamp ($109.99) is carved from genuine selenite crystals and gives off a soft glow. For a keen traveler, the Small World Globe Decor ($39.99) keeps its country labels clear on a 4-inch sphere. If she likes clean design, the Cloud Storm Glass ($49.99), shaped like a cloud, measures about 4.3 by 2.8 inches and comes in five liquid colors.

Retirement gifts for men

Look for the object he would never buy for himself. The Vintage Nixie Tube Clock ($396.99) borrows its case from the radios and alarm clocks of the 80s, and the color of each tube can be set from a Bluetooth app or touch buttons. The Sand Pendulum ($67.99) swings above a basin of sand and leaves a new pattern with each pass. Our selection of gifts for the person who has everything takes the list further.

How much to spend?

BudgetExamplesWho it suits
$35 to $70Galileo Glass Thermometer (from $39.99), Amethyst Geode (from $59.99)A close coworker or a friend, giving on their own
$70 to $120Wooden Newton's Cradle ($114.99), 30 Minutes Sand Timer Vintage ($94.99)A small team chipping in, or siblings together
$120 and upVintage Nixie Tube Clock ($396.99), Large Himalayan Salt Lamp ($179.99)A whole department chipping in, or the whole family

On the day of the retirement party

The retirement gift is often handed over in front of the whole team, during the speeches. Check beforehand that it runs: the Nixie clocks, for example, are powered by USB, so plan for a plug nearby. Prepare two sentences to explain how the object works, since that is often what the guests remember. Rather than a plain list of signatures, slip a few career memories written by the team into the package. Finally, steer clear of jokes about age or about filling the days: the gift celebrates a career, it doesn't comment on what comes next. If the person is simply changing jobs, our ideas for a coworker who is moving on will fit better, and all our gift ideas are close at hand.

Frequently asked questions

What are good retirement gifts for coworkers to give as a team?

When the whole department chips in, aim for one statement piece rather than several small gifts. The Levitating Globe ($204.99) floats under an inch above its base, turns 360° and lights up like a lamp. The Nixie Tube Clock Wood ($364.99) shows hours, minutes and seconds on six IN12 tubes set in solid wood. Ask everyone for a few words and slip them into the package: the object and the notes will be kept together.

How much should you spend on retirement gifts?

It depends on how many people chip in. On your own, a gift often stays between $35 and $70, with for example the Storm Glass Weather Predictor ($44.99), about 3.7 by 5 inches on its wooden base. A few people together can reach $70 to $120 and the Wooden Perpetual Calendar ($79.99), a wooden perpetual calendar. At $120 and up, a whole department can aim for the Large Himalayan Salt Lamp ($179.99), carved from pink salt, so no two are alike.

What are good retirement gifts for teachers?

Think of the subject they taught. A geography or history teacher will enjoy the Transparent World Globe ($69.99), whose continents are transparent while the labels stay readable. A science teacher will recognize the Crookes Radiometer ($39.99), invented by the physicist William Crookes, whose vanes spin in the light. For a math teacher, the Wooden Sudoku ($39.99) comes with 81 wooden pieces and a booklet of grids. Our gifts for science teachers offer more ideas.

Which retirement gift for your dad or mom?

For a parent, the gift comes from the family rather than from work: think of their living room rather than their old office. The Galileo Glass Thermometer (from $39.99), all in glass, comes in two heights, the smaller for a shelf and the taller for a mantel. The White Himalayan Salt Lamp ($59.99), a white salt stone on a wooden base, gives off a soft light. If this parent is also a grandparent, our pages of gifts for grandpa and gifts for grandma have more ideas.

Is a retirement gift that recalls their career a good idea?

Yes, as long as the nod stays kind and the object pleases even without the explanation. Among retirement gifts for engineers, a Nixie clock such as the Steampunk Nixie Clock ($259.99) celebrates real hardware: six glass tubes in a solid wood case. For someone who worked with light or energy, the Solar Radiometer ($49.99) spins its blades faster as the sunlight grows stronger. For a former pilot or travel agent, a globe from the selection will raise a smile.

Can the gift be exchanged if it isn't right?

Yes. You have 30 days to change your mind, which leaves time to hand over the gift at the party and see whether it finds its place at home. If it doesn't, it can be sent back within that period. There is also free shipping on orders over $59.90, which a group gift usually reaches on its own.