How To Know If Your Diamond Jewelry Is Real Or Fake

If you are shopping for a very costly piece of jewelry, and want to make a worthwhile investment, it can be kind of stressful, but you can make it fun. There are lots of different things used when making jewelry, which are all worth different amounts of money. A shopper who hasn't done their homework can wind up overpaying for a piece. Read on if you want some great advice about purchasing jewelry.

Most jewelry is intended to last for a life time. Get jewelry from a jeweler with a good reputation to be sure that it's of high-quality. Jewelry should display exemplary craftsmanship and be well-made. A jeweler should know about each piece he sells, including the person that made it, the origin of precious stones or other materials and other history, such as previous owners for antique or estate pieces. Take your time when selecting a high-quality piece if you want it to last you for a long time.

When you purchase jewelery ensure you know what you are buying. Gemstones come in three different varieties: natural, imitation and synthetic. While natural and synthetic stones are the real deal, imitation stones are made to look like a real gemstone, but could be anything from colored glass to plastic. Synthetic gems come from a lab and natural ones are found in the ground.

When you're shopping for jewelry, keep your budget in mind. A beautiful ring will soon lose its allure if you have placed yourself in a significant amount of debt just to acquire it. For a young couple, a cheaper ring is a better decision. It can always be upgraded later when they are more financially stable.

You can untangle delicate necklaces that have become knotted. While it can be frustrating untangling metal necklaces, consider using plastic wrap. Put your knotted chains on the plastic wrap and cover with a little baby oil. Use some needles to untangle. When you are done, use soap and water to wash them.

Give the jewelry a little test drive and wear it for a little bit to see if it is comfortable and lays right. This can also help you see whether the piece is durable enough to last.

When buying jewelry, think about what kind of stone would be right. Try to choose a stone that meshes well with your taste or personality. Also, consider what looks good on you. Choose neutral colors that will easily match any outfit you decide to wear. There is no point in buying something that is not functional.

If you are trying to sell jewelry on the Internet, make sure that you present it in an attractive way. This is very important since customers cannot handle the jewelry in an online transaction. Make sure the background behind the jewelry in the photograph is bland and boring, so as not to distract the viewer's attention away from the piece itself.

Work out a comfortable budget before going to purchase a piece of jewelry. This will give you a firm plan and help to keep you focused on what you really want and need.

If jewelry is handled properly, it can be worth a great deal, both in monetary value and in the emotions that are tied up in it. Learn to properly care for your valuable jewelry, to protect not only your investment, but the memories it evokes. There's always more to learn, and as long as you keep discovering about the delight of jewelry, there'll be more to enjoy.

Replica Hermes Bracelet

MB&F Boucheron JwlryMachine Watch

For the final exciting iteration of the Horological Machine No. 3, MB&F has partnered with world-renowned Boucheron to create the JwlryMachine. Swiss MB&F who celebrates the art of the machine combines their technology with French Boucheron who celebrates the art of jewelry. The result is an incredible work of three-dimensional art that will be made to order for those who want to add this stunning luxury to their collection.The HM3 watch should require no introduction. It originally came out in two styles which I discussed here, was then offered in another limited edition form as the HM3 Frog here, and you can read a review of mine on the HM3 Sidewinder here.MB&F is known to exchange talent with other highly-respected watch designers. If you recall, Alain Silberstein lent his talents for the creation of a limited edition HM2.2 Black Box watch that I displayed here. They have indicated to me that such collaborations are not only fun, but highly inspiring - so expect more of these in the future.Boucheron is a brand I've discussed before. For me, they are most well-known for their almost whimsical-style jewelry that is as fun as it is beautiful. Coincidentally enough, I wrote a piece on them that also featured a purple owl when talking about their Bestiary Ronde Seconde Folle collection of watches here. Why owls? The purple owl is a common symbol of the night and of mystery. Owls also have additional benefit of having an engaging visage. Even in jewelry form its large eyes are expressive - creating a highly palpable face. Out of all symbols and figures, the human mind is most drawn to faces. Human faces first, and likely animal faces next. The larger the eyes, the more we are drawn to the face. No wonder we are so fascinated with owls.The JwlryMachine is a mechanical bird. Better stated, the JwlryMachine is a bejeweled bird with mechanical innards. The watch is like an MB&F with Boucheron clothing - and in this instance the tailor was very good. MB&F was actually surprised at how smoothly this partnership went. According them, Boucheron was quickly and easily able to take the HM3 and work their Parisian magic on it. The specially modified case is still in 18k gold (white or pink) and titanium, but with its new avian and feather inspired shape. The clear sapphire crystal of the open movement windows on the front are no longer used to cover the movement - but they are still used for the cylinders that tell the time. MB&F worked with Boucheron to create the feathered look of the owl's breast and the "eyes" over the time columns in two special colors.That is right, the JwlryMachine will come in at least two versions. The displayed purple version, as well as a pink version. Plus, because the watches are made to order, MB&F and Boucheron promise that almost any color the client can imagine will be feasibly available. I personally like to call the purple version the "Night Owl." Because the Night Owl is also a character from Watchmen, and because that character had a ship named Archimedes that looked like an owl. Thus, I placed those images in the post. The Night Owl, as being a major gadget guy himself, might like a JwlryMachine for extravagant nights out on the town.Amethyst is used extensively in the JwlryMachine Purple. You'll find it as the large cabochon style eyes at the top of the hour and minute indicator cylinders, as well as over the open movement. The crystal there is specially engraved to look like feathers. What is really cool, is that it is semi transparent. Meaning you can still see the 22k gold battle ax style automatic rotor spinning underneath it. Another amethyst is used as a cabochon on the crown. The watch has about 41 carats of amethyst. Aside from amethyst you'll find a few precious stones on the complex case. These include about a carat of diamonds, as well as over 5 carats of mixed blue and purple sapphires.The JwlryMachine Pink has a few changes, but remains more or less the same. First, the case is in 18k pink gold versus white gold.?? Instead of amethyst, the watch design uses pink toned quartz and rubellite. It also has diamonds, and a mix of pink, purple, and blue sapphires. This should be a nice "day owl" compliment to the night owl.I have to say that the combined effort of MB&F and Boucheron is really rewarding. The two respected brands have melded their talents well. and the "JwlryMachine" might have an 'interesting' name but a face anyone can love. The HM3 Frog proved that this was a design meant for eyes, and this is a version of the watch that really proves it. The HM3 JwrlyMachine retains the ability to tell the time, but the date complication has been probably partially obstructed due to the design. I think that is an acceptable trade-off for this fantastic three-dimensional machine and jewelry sculpture. The watch will come on a purple (or otherwise) toned alligator strap with a 18k gold and titanium deployment clasp.Where can you get one? How much will it cost. Distribution will be highly limited and watches will be mostly made to order. A few MB&F retailers will carry them, but for the most part the watches will be available through Boucheron boutiques around the world. Prices for the MB&F HM3 JwlryMachine will start at $215,000 and depend on the version as well as exchange rates. This isn't the MB&F watch we used to. You don't see precious or semi-precious stones on their watches. The JwlryMachine is certainly a change of pace for the luxury machine style watch MB&F is known for producing. Some people might see that as an issue, but I could care less about the thematic departure. This is simply a revision of their aesthetic as dreamed up by Boucheron, and a beautiful item of interest for all people to enjoy. The real question is, can a man pull off wear it? I am imagining a custom model in all black and while with yellow eyes. That would work.Tech specs from MB&F:JWLRYMACHINE  Movement:Three-dimensional horological engine designed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor;Girard-Perregaux oscillator and gearBalance oscillating at 28,800 bph. 22K rose gold battle-axe shaped ‘mystery’ automatic winding rotorHour and minutes information transmitted via ceramic ball bearings to laser-cut hands.Number of jewels: 36 (all functional)Number of components: 304 Functions:Hour and day/night indicator on one coneMinutes on second coneDate around the movementCase:JWLRYMACHINE, Purple: 18K White Gold/Titanium and AmethystBreast made of an engraved amethyst: 35.27KEyes made of two cabochon amethysts: 6.34KDiamonds: approx. 0.96KBlue and purple sapphires: approx. 5.17KScrewed-down crown with cabochon amethyst: 0.33KJWLRYMACHINE, Pink: 18K Pink Gold/Titanium and QuartzBreast made of an engraved quartz: 32.71KEyes made of two cabochon rubellite: 7.88KDiamonds: approx. 0.96KPink, purple and blue and purple sapphires: approx. 5.17KScrewed-down crown with cabochon rubellite: 0.33KSapphire crystals: Cones and both display backs with anti-reflective treatment on both faces. Strap & Buckle:Hand-stitched alligator or lizard strap with 18K Gold and Titanium custom designed deployment buckle.

Breguet Type XXII Watch

On the list of watches that I would brutally and without remorse murder for is the Breguet Transatlantique Type XX and possibly the Type XXI (in the right color scheme). Representing a less brutally expensive Breguet, the Type XX and XXI are wonderful sport watches with a beauty that is deserving of the Breguet name. For 2010 Breguet has released the Type XXII watch into the mix. Known more directly as the Type XXII Flyback Chronograph GMT 3880 ST, the watch is also meant as a 50th anniversary piece for the first of these model which were originally made for the French naval air force (see the limited edition collection that stemmed from that anniversary here). A beautiful watch by most angles, is gets so complex and hard to understand, the passion for me is lost. It isn't that I am a moron and need only "simple" watches, it is rather that I don't like to look at a dial and immediately get confused. Even while having Breguet show me the watch, we were unclear as to how to operate it. Which then inspires that dependable catch-all phrase "this is just a semi-functional sample piece." Sure... In a nutshell, I think that what they are trying to do with the watch is great, but it comes across as being confusing. Not just in operation, but as in "why even do that?" Sort of like the answer to a question no one asked.The Type XXII watch has some very cool things about it, both visually and technically. Of interest is the very high beat movement that operates at 72,000 vph (vibrations per hour). This is very, very fast. Most nice movements operated at about 28,000, and the Zenith El Primero goes at about 36,000. So up to 72,000 (10 hertz) is a major step up. This means that the chronograph for example can be used to measure very small fractions of a second. It is so fast, that the chronograph seconds hand rotates the entire dial in just 30 seconds. Breguet says this allows the watch to measure time with "twice the precision." Which is another discussion unto itself, but you can measure up to 1/20 of a second precision with this baby. Though really, if you want that much precision when timing with a watch, get yourself a quartz Casio.OK, so before I talk about the prettiness of the piece, let's talk functionality. Inside the watch is an automatic Breguet 589F movement with a silicon escapement, silicon balance-spring, and 45 hours of power reserve. These latter two silicon parts are a major part of the high beat ability of the movement. Functions include the time, date, a 60 minute chronograph, and a GMT hand that comes with a synchronized 24 hour hand. Let's talk about the GMT hand first. The lower subdial at 6 o'clock has a large 12 hour hand which is the GMT hand for a second timezone. It has a synchronized 24 hour hand at 3 o'clock so that you can know whether it is AM or PM in that second timezone. If the AM/PM indication was so important, wouldn't it just make sense to have the second timezone hand in 24 hour format? So much of the dial is taken up but this redundancy. Sure, "no one else has done this before." Maybe for good reason. I don't know why the lauded Breguet had to "innovate" in this department. I can see the Seiko engineers laughing about stuff like this.Then you have the chronograph, a poor overly complex 60 minute chronograph. So the main dial has two hands. The red chronograph seconds hand, and the white hand with the red arrow tip. The flyback chronograph seconds hand moves around the dial once each 30 seconds. In order to know whether it is on its first or second pass for that minute, you can look at the linear-style dial sitting under 12 o'clock (which goes from 0-60). Leave it to Breguet to make using a chronograph too quirky to be fun. I am sure the device is fun to watch, but hard to feasibly use for any serious purposes. You read the elapsed minutes via the white centrally mounted hand with the red tip - which uses the main dial for this function. The subdial at 9 o'clock is for the seconds for the main time.So basically what Breguet did is force people who buy this watch to rethink what certain dials are used for. Nothing on the watch feels intuitive. You see certain scales, and placements of dials on the watch and want it to do one thing, when in reality is does another. I see two thin hands on the main dial, and I think rattrapante. I see a linear scale style dial and I think power reserve indicator. I see a synchronized 24 hour hands and I think it is for the main time, not the second time zone. There is just so much to remember with the Type 22 (XXII) watch. I do further fear that the movement is too complex. I could be totally wrong, but I think that it will take Breguet a while to work the kinks out of this complex little mechanical dancing number.Visually the dial looks great. Cool looking, and easy to read (for the time that is). The multi-level dial is easy on the eyes, and the hands and numerals are easy to read. The 44mm steel case is beautiful and complex (water resistant to 100 meters), building on the?? classic complexity of the Type XX and XXI designs. Case has a rotating diver's style bezel and a very handsome look. Check out the two-tone crossed stitching on the leather strap. Is that fancy looking or what?I just want the dial and functions of the watch to be more straight forward. I am all about complexity and complications, but make it matter! Here, I just feel like they wanted to do something different. The complex, high beat movement inside could be emphasized better, and the functionality needs to be seriously streamlined. This watch just didn't feel thought-out enough. The sporty line from Breguet deserves better, something more inspired to be worn and used, rather than to have mere bragging rights on paper. I'd gladly wear the Breguet Type XXII Flyback Chronograph GMT watch because it looks good. But I would abstain from using its functions out of protest!?? Price is in the $18,200 range.See Breguet watches on eBay here.See Breguet watches on Amazon here.            Rare Breguet Solar Powered Watch Winder Reference EC3310$1,200.00Time Remaining: 45mBuy It Now for only: $1,750.00Buy It Now | Bid now

LUM-TEC Combat B7 Watch Review

LUM-TEC recently sponsored a Combat B series watch giveaway on aBlogtoRead.com and I was impressed with results. It was a record month for giveaway entrants, and tons of people seemed to swoon over what LUM-TEC has to offer. There is something about LUM-TEC watches that drives passion in watch lovers and novices alike. Almost since the brand's inception, the Combat B series has been part of their collection. A more modern interpretation of the classic coined-edge bezel fleiger - this watch has been offered in a ton of limited edition versions. This is the Combat B7 model.Each LUM-TEC watch is a limited edition. I've reviewed their watches before, and most of you know and like them. LUM-TEC is a homegrown US brand hailing out of Ohio. In my opinion, the key to their success has been to closely listen to what the American watch buyer wants. The last 20 years have seen an overall drop in American's consumption of timepieces. There are a great many reasons for that, so please don't just blame mobile phones. Part of that has to do with Swiss brands losing touch with what Americans want, and Japanese brands being able to come in and win over value-conscious Americans with good, cheap watches. 20 years of Casio G-Shock makes a lot of people more than hesitant to buy a $5,000 Swiss timepiece.But I digress. LUM-TEC came on the scene with timepieces in the $300 - $400 range and proved that Americans are quite interested in professional looking analog watches that has a "functional promise" personality. Not most LUM-TEC watches are bit more (but so are the quality), but continue the same tradition of activity and professional style watches for everyday use. The design is modern and straight forward. There is an edginess to them, but there is also a handsome utilitarian quality to these timepieces. You know what? LUM-TEC watches are the American pickup trucks of the watch industry. I just realized that - I feel like I had an epiphany.... and Europeans do not make good pickup trucks.The Combat B7?? is a lot like today's Jeep Wrangler. It certainly has a military vibe to it, but is refined looking, and focuses subliminally suggesting to you activities you should perform while wearing it. Put one on and look at the high-tech looking carbon fiber dial?? in the dark matte gray case and tell me you don't just want to go straight in to a group of trees and get lost? The steel case is 43mm wide and PVD coated to a dark gray, but not quite black. It has a satin finish to it. The crown is large, and voila... I finally have in my possession a LUM-TEC watch with a signed logo on the crown. What prevented this before was LUM-TEC not yet deciding on a good logo in this size.With highly curved lugs the watch is comfy. This is especially true with the 22mm wide NATO style nylon strap that gives it a snug fit. LUM-TEC throws in two straps. One in black, and one in this olive green. I opted for the green pretty quickly because I love the military feel of it. Of course, you can use your own strap is the bulky style of a NATO strap doesn't suit you for all occasions. What about a rubber strap? or perhaps a distressed black leather (even pigskin) strap with white contrast stitching. That might be interesting. NATO straps get some getting used to, but offer two major advantages. First is that if one pin between lugs breaks you won't lose the watch. Second, is that the style of the buckle places it to the side. Thus all you have is a smooth and flat piece of strap on the bottom of your wrist. This is good for when your wrist hits things underneath it - and would be uncomfortable or damage other watches.LUM-TEC rates the watch as 100 meters of water resistance. The watch has a sapphire crystal with double AR coating, and nice looking real carbon fiber dial. I don't much like most carbon fiber dials, but this is one of the exceptions. Basically, the problem with most carbon fiber dials is that its almost 3D look hides elements on the face like hands and markers. When you can preserve high contrast, then a carbon fiber dial can look great. In this instance the hour markers and hands contrast quite well - for high performance legibility and look. LUM-TEC uses a no nonsense set of hour markers, minute markers and a full set of Arabic numerals. This makes the watch dead easy to read, and thankfully straight forward. It might have the pretty minimalism of a Panerai, but will beat it in terms of reading accuracy any day. One issue I have with the dial is the size of the hands. They just aren't quite large enough for my taste, and strict rules of watch dial proportions. Further compounding the issues it the style of hands LUM-TEC uses are outlined in black, which makes the hands look even shorter due to the fact that much of the time what you see if the white, not the black part of the hands. This doesn't effect legibility too much, but strictly speaking, the hands should be longer. I do like the splash of color on the dial with the red title of the watch.One other small complaint about the dial is the date window. I like that LUM-TEC experimented with making it a round hole, versus a square one, but it is literally a little hole drilled into the dial.

Hublot King Power Ayrton Senna Limited Edition Watches

In 1994 a terrible accident during an F1 race in Italy caused Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna to die. I believe that he was the last person to die during a Formula 1 race, and has been a testament to the needs of caution and safety in the work of super-fast racing circuits. Since his death, lots of new safety regulations and technology have been implemented to make the world of competitive racing safer.Recently an event was held in his honor, to raise money for charity via the Instituto Ayrton Senna. Hublot, a long time partner with many drivers as well as the official timepiece maker of Formula One was there to offer two new limited edition timepieces. The event would have been Senna's 50th birthday, and at the event was a debut of a new documentary film about his life called "Senna." The film is being carried by Paramount Pictures, having been developed by Working Title and Universal together. Might be something we find in theaters soon.The two limited edition Ayrton Senna watches from Hublot are quite interesting. Hublot here has been able to showcase a few new things. The first of which are all carbon-fiber versions of their King Power watch cases. Often times cases will have carbon fiber inserts, but theses 48mm wide cases are in all carbon fiber, though part of Hublot's typical sandwich construction.?? This in a sense is Hublot's answer to Audemars Piguet's forged carbon cases on some of their Royal Oak Offshore watches. While the cases are carbon fiber, the bezels are in matte ceramic and made to look like disc brakes. The screws and crown are PVD black titanium.As I said, there will be two Hublot Senna watches. The first is the "Hublot King Power Ayrton Senna." In almost all black, the watch is 48mm wide with a black Nomex (with yellow stitching) strap, and yellow elements in the hands and hour indicators. The skeletonized dials shows off part of the HUB4247 automatic movement - which is neat. For instance, the column wheel for the chronograph is right there on the dial. Despite the skeletonized interior of the dial, it is still easy to read given the large applied hour indicators. The movement has the time, split second 30 minute column-wheel based chronograph, and a power reserve indicator. This latter feature is particularly handsome as done in color dots. Hublot placed Senna's signature in yellow, right over the subsidiary seconds dial. The watch is extremely cool looking with 500 pieces available.I really do look forward to checking out these all carbon fiber Hublot cases. I am curious as to just how light they are, as well as the tactile feel they have under the fingers. These pieces also seem to have very intricate pushers. For example the start and stop pusher for the chronograph has a Senna logo placed in it, while the Hublot logo is int the crown. The execution of the piece is very thorough, and somehow avoids feeling cheesy.The second of the two limited edition pieces is much more limited and has another interesting quality. Limited to just 10 pieces, the "Hublot King Power Tourbillon Ayrton Senna" has a different caseback for each piece. If you look at the image gallery here I show you the 10 casebacks. Each is an image from a different point in Senna's life from the early 1980s to 1993. The pictures are emotionally rich points in Senna's driving career and were chosen by members of his family specially for the timepieces. The individual images on the caseback crystal are a nice idea from Hublot, and certainly will add desirability to the piece for Senna and F1 collectors.Inside the King Power Tourbillon Ayrton Senna is a tourbillon movement made entirely in-house at Hublot in its Confrerie Horlogere department (that is responsible for making Hublot's most complex haute horology movements). The HUB6300 movement has a flying tourbillon, column-wheel based monopusher chronograph, power reserve indicator, and time with subsidiary seconds dial. The flying tourbillon captures your attention in the lower part of the dial, with the subsidials being up top - once again you can see the exposed column wheel at the top of the dial in this instance. Like the split-second chrono model, there is a dot style power reserve indicator. The colors for the power reserve indicators are even applied in color SuperLumiNova. So with all the colors on the dial, these must look like spaceships glowing at night. The HUB6300 movement has a power reserve of up to 120 hours.The Tourbillon Ayrton Senna is really quite a show stopper. I quite like the in-house made movement and the design. The yellow strap is also Nomex but here has green and blue stitching - clearly a signal to the Brazilian flag. As a testament to Ayrton Senna's life, regretful death, and continuing legacy - these two limited edition Hublot watches are well done, and the special casebacks on the tourbillon model feel meaningful. Hublot and F1 collectors will be hard pressed to pass these up.

Zenith El Primero Tourbillon Watch

This is actually a tourbillon watch I would wear daily. Zenith's new El Primero collection of watches is a thing of beauty. I have been eying them for a while, enjoying how they look on the wrist. They have now announced a tourbillon version of it.Now most of the time when a company takes a new collection and shoves in a tourbillon I hardly take real notice, but in this instance Zenith has put together a satisfying set of feature that you could wear each day - assuming you can afford it of course.Let's pretend for a second that you can. There are two versions of the watch available. Each comes in a 44mm wide case. One is steel with a black and silver dial, and the other is in 18k rose gold with a silver and gold dial. The steel is my choice simply because I like the colors more - but each is quite lovely.Using the good looking new El Primero watch style case the the movement used is Zenith in-house made 4035D automatic tourbillon chronograph movement. Being a high-beat El Primero movement it runs at 36,000bpm and has a power reserve of 50 hours. The high frequency of the watch gives it added accuracy over other watches, especially tourbillons. Thus, you have something pretty accurate, and it is also an automatic. The chronograph functions are neatly integrated on the dial in an asymmetrical fashion. The subdials are thankfully really easy to read.Zenith uses a new date display system around the tourbillon window. A small disc with a window in it is used to indicate the date, as it frames the exposed tourbillon window that doubles as a subsidiary seconds dial. The retro functional feel of the dial is what sells me on the looks of it. Not ultra "exciting" at first, the style and easy to enjoy looks of the dial do grow on you.Turn the watch over and you'll find a handsome exposed movement through the sapphire crystal caseback window. I like the Zenith star logo cut into the automatic rotor. Back on the dial the hour indicators and hands are great. Very complex looking, the hour markers are applied and have SuperLumiNova on them. Hands are sized well and easy to read. You also forget with how simple it is all put together that this is a serious piece of haute horology. I would totally wear one daily. Price is $49,700 for the steel version and $66,800 for the 18k gold version.See Zenith watches on eBay here.See Zenith watches on Amazon here.            Movado Gold Filled Museum Watch w Swiss Zenith 17J Mechanical Movement$50.00 (1 Bid)

Swiss Army Victorinox Dive Master 500 Mechanical Watch Review

Swiss Army Victorinox watches are very important to the watch industry in my opinion. For many people not familiar with the greater breadth of offerings from the watch industry, these Swiss timepieces are a creamy options when wanting a piece that combines good design, sporty styling, and solid value. As a kid I grew up knowing about Swiss Army watches, and not so secretly wanted one. I recall in college an friend of mine who had received one as a gift wearing it around (as I admired it). He wasn't at all a watch person, but liked its chunky substantial feel, and dead-easy to read dial. Swiss Army for many people represent a good choice for a nice watch, and the brands hold's this reputation well.It all starts with the logo. The little Swiss flag made into a strong looking shield. It is a slight modification of the logo of the actual Swiss Military. A not so subtle reminder of the value of the Swiss watch industry, and the strength of the brand. In my opinion, this is one of the most clever logos in the watch industry. Being attractive, while at the same time communicating the values of the brand and the Swiss timepiece industry. This even persists despite the ironic nature of the Swiss army itself - which is more or less a peace keeping force. So you have a brand built around the idea of a durable high-activity timepieces, but with the name of a lack-luster military power. Switzerland is a well-known neutral country and has a small armed forces unit that never makes the news. When was the last time you actually heard of the Swiss army? Google "Swiss Army" and the watch brand holds the first few positions. If anything, the best thing that happened to the Swiss military was Swiss Army watches. Interestingly enough, according to Wikipedia, the Swiss army has mandatory services for males when they reach age 19. Though no one has ever mentioned this to me while I was in Switzerland.The vision of the Swiss army has been over taken by watches, and we can thank Swiss Army for that. They add the Victorinox name in there because no brand can sustain a trademark with a name like "Swiss Army." The success of the brand has yielded many competitors who have similar names and symbols. These include Wenger and Swiss Military Watches. But I digress.A few years ago Swiss Army Victorinox decided to ramp up (substantially) its presence in the mechanical watch market. The idea was to take the core look and values of the brand, and produce higher-end pieces. As such, the brand would retain its core market of quartz based timepieces, and supplement it with mechanical watches that has the same feeling, but with upgraded cases, components, and of course movements. The positive association with the brand would make it easy for a generation of Swiss Army watch lovers to "graduate" to mechanical watches from their quartz timepieces. Staying in the same brand would be of course good for Swiss Army.So you started to see mechanical watches. Often in limited editions models, Swiss Army has now offers full (non-limited) collections of Mechanical watches that are quite impressive. Many of them feel like more polished and better conceived versions of the military-esque mechanical watches that Hamilton has been offering for years. Hamilton just sometimes offers totally weird stuff that I don't understand. I appreciate the experimentation, but Swiss Army seems to retain a more conservative quality to their mechanical watches that I appreciate.A few years ago the Swiss Army Dive Master collection of watches came out to my delight. From the first time I saw them I loved the quartz based dive watches that came in cool gunmetal gray cases. As I pointed out above, Swiss Army released a limited edition mechanical version of the Dive Master, and eventually a full line of mechanical diver watches called the Dive Master 500 Mecha (or Mechanical) collection.Dial design differed from the quartz models. It is a matter of taste which you prefer. The dials for the Mecha models are a bit more intricate, but there is a bold simplicity to the quartz ones that I like.?? New for 2010 is this blue colored version of the Dive Master 500