Try the Bvlgari Diagono Aluminum if you are Looking for a Great Weekend Watch

Titanium, once an uncommon and exotic material for use in luxury watches, has become much more widespread, as manufacturing techniques have evolved.  If you like the feathery weight of titanium, and enjoy its great feel and durability, but are getting the itch for something different, you might consider a more uncommon alternative–aluminum.

The Bvlgari Diagono Aluminum watch features a case made from ultra-tough aluminum, a challenging material to machine with the extreme precision required for a water resistant watch case.  Like titanium, its purity makes it a great choice for anyone who has allergies to many metals, and of course it is also very, very lightweight.

Bvlgari has done a great job with this Diagono watch variant which combines aluminum with rubber and carbon fiber in a very appealing way that really emphasizes a casual, very sporty type of luxury.  I really can’t think of a watch that epitomizes the “weekend watch” more than this one–stylish, easy to wear, and low key, its nonetheless very high quality and sophisticated while being able to endure the elements well.�

John Hardy Diamond Earrings: a must-have

More advice from the Valentine’s Day front: you can’t go wrong with diamond earrings! These John Hardy sterling silver diamond earrings are a great alternative to platinum or white gold, since these earrings are rhodium treated which helps bring out the white and limit any tarnishing. They have the signature carved look of John Hardy and they have a 0.73 total carat weight of pave diamonds. I love how you can always count on John Hardy to make a simple twist on a classic pair of earrings. Love em!

The Awesome IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar watch – comprehensively satisfying

There are a lot of fine watches on the market. Some, by virtue of their combination of presence, heft, quality and mechanical intricacy leave a lasting impression on many levels at once. One such piece for me is the IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar watch.

First of all, I think this IWC watch really makes the best use of the famously large Portuguese case design. With all the subdials, it manages to look technical without being overloaded; it somehow works better to my eyes than the Portuguese Automatic watch, that seems comparatively bare for its size. Then you pick it up; the mass impresses immediately, as does the thickness. The technical substance is equally captivating—I love the IWC Pellaton movement, which has one of the coolest looking structures of any self-winding mechanism out there, and I even love the sound it makes while it winds. What it does is pretty amazing too—a full perpetual calendar, with century indication, and a dual-hemisphere moonphase complication that will have only one day of error in, sit down for this…577 years!

With its massive gold case, the IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar watch swaggers into a room like Leroy Brown. With its commanding size, the aura of the red gold, and the superb finish, there is no question you are in the presence of an amazing watch, even if you aren’t sure exactly what it is. IWC’s slightly smaller Portuguese Perpetual Calendar II watch is no less striking, and perhaps a slightly better choice for classicists; the dial is a bit less busy (due to the non-hemispherical moonphase indicator) and its also available in white gold, for those who prefer a little more understatement.

Gurhan Yellow Gold Earrings: Strike gold with your girl on Valentine’s Day!

Listen up guys, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and you can’t slack off on a gift for your lady. So if she loves yellow gold, look no further than Gurhan for some finely made gold earrings. Here, we’ve got three versions, for the variety of ladies out there, and of course Gurhan has a bunch more here on Vialuxe. These confetti flake earrings are hand hammered and feature some gorgeously blue briolettes that give a bit of movement to these pieces. These Gold Collection marquis stencil earrings also have some movement action on the top with gold beads. I love the cutout shape of these beauties. Certainly not least, we’ve got Gurhan’s simple teardrop shaped earrings, that are extremely versatile. These three options from Gurhan are sure to please any great girlfriend this Valentine’s Day!

Zenith Starissime watches: Fanciful, Eye-Catching and Spectacular

The current Zenith watch collection definitely polarizes watch discussions.  Some love the diversity of the new Zenith watch lineup, while old-school watch fans and purists scorn what they see as a virtual prostitution of a classic Swiss watch manufacture.   Regardless, I don’t think there’s any question that the Zenith collection is more diverse than ever before, and while the watches are bold, there is still a lot to admire.

One area where I see Zenith watches as being very strong now, is in the haute joaillerie segment—exquisite ladies jeweled watches.  I really think that the Starissime watch collection has some beautiful choices.  For example, I love the combination of fine baguette diamond setting and the fanciful mother of pearl dial of the Baby Starissime Open Elite watch.  And then there’s models like the 12 Coups de Minuit watch which allows a customer to be able to customize a diamond-set number on the dial to match her own preference.   

While these watches are unquestionably attention getting and whimsical, it is all done in very good taste, and the craftsmanship is superb.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch: A classy luxury diver that respects its roots

The newly introduced Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch is one of my favorite timepieces among the current Blancpain offerings.  I admire the retro-inspired design, which really gets back to the essence of the original Fifty Fathoms watch that put Blancpain on the cutting edge of dive watch technology back in 1953.  (The controversy over whether this watch, or the Rolex Submariner came first, still rages hotly.)

If one compares this Blancpain watch to the original Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the design heritage is immediately apparent; larger size aside, the only meaningful difference is in the fineness of the execution and the refined details of the new model, which are really outstanding. The domed sapphire bezel with its luminous indications is a particularly beautiful touch.  Add to this the technical appeal of a new Blancpain manufacture movement with a number of fine mechanical details and superb craftsmanship, and you have an absolute winner in a truly distinguished luxury sports watch.