When it comes to buying your first “real” watch, many make the predictable turn to a tried and true classic. Sure, the Rolex Submariner is iconic, the Omega Speedmaster is legendary, and most Breitlings will get you some respect around the office. But, there exists a number of alternatives that despite being a little under the radar, offer the same high-grade Swiss mechanics and the chance to differentiate yourself from your peers. After all, a watch says a lot about a man, and do you want it to say you’re like everyone else in town? Didn’t think so.

These five watches come from relatively young brands (the oldest was born in the 90s) and every single one of them is fantastic looking, features a Swiss made automatic movement, and has the potential to be a classic in its own right some day.

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Five New Classic Watches For Around (or Under) $5000.

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Men’s Waterproof-Watches vs. Water-Resistant Watches

Going away for the weekend this summer? Don’t let your bag reflect poorly on its contents. The following are some examples of stylish weekend duffel bags, regardless of budget.

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Men’s Weekend Travel Bags- Fashion Accessories

1.      Size her up. Getting the right size is key to finding the right fit, and feeling comfortable.  The best way to determine a women’s size is to look in her lingerie drawer. Note down her bra and panty sizes.  If she wears more than one size, (which is inevitable as some brands can differ), go with the larger size. Still unsure? Call her best friend.

2.      Know her personal style. One of the most common mistakes men make when buying lingerie as a gift is selecting items that they find seductive without considering what she would feel most comfortable and beautiful in.  Avoid this easy trap by noting the kinds of colors, patterns, and fabrics she has in her lingerie drawer. Stick to her tried and true natural style, and give it your touch by indulging her with quality lingerie.

3.      To contour or not to contour? From demi-cup, to contour, molded, padded, full cup & minimizer bras, there’s a world of bra styles out there to choose from.  Here’s how to keep it simple and get it right: For smaller cup sizes (A’s and B’s), go for a demi cup or contour bra. Check to see if she likes padding (something to note during your trip to the lingerie drawer).

For larger cup sizes (C’s and higher), she’ll likely be more comfortable in a molded , full cup or minimizer . No need to look at strapless bras; these are best left for women to buy on their own.

4.      Call in an expert. Still having trouble? Want to be sure of your selection before purchasing?

Simone Pérèle’s Lingerie Expert….your personal shopper is on call to help men navigate the lingerie-buying process with confidence.

Call 877.373.7353 Monday – Friday from 9 to 6pm EST for guidance on everything from size and fit—to color and style.

5.      Spoil her with a gift certificate. Gift certificates are a great way to let her surprise and seduce you.

And for those last-minute Valentine’s Day shoppers, Simone Pérèle’s eGift Certificates are instant and easy and they always fit.
Add some romance by pairing a gift certificate with something else on Valentine’s Day—like a dinner invitation, jewelry, or a spa treatment.

She’ll be pampered, delighted, and impressed—and she’ll think you planned it weeks in advance!

OUR GIFT TO YOU….As a special treat for Valentine’s Day, Simone Pérèle’s online boutique is offering complimentary gift wrapping from January 25th to February 12th.
Your order will be beautifully wrapped in a Simone Pérèle gift bag with elegant tissue, along with your personalized message.
To benefit from this exclusive offer, select “Gift Bag” option and during check out, enter coupon code: SPValentine.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

For more information, please visit Discover Simone Pérèle

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THE GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO BUYING LINGERIE FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

There are some timepieces that are so classic, so well-respected and so legendary that any modern man should have them on his radar.  This goes beyond just being able to identify them when he sees them adorn the wrist of a colleague or boss, but rather he should be able to speak to their provenance, what makes them interesting, and what makes them worth owning.  In this must-read list, we’ll run through ten of the most unmistakable and unforgettable watches on the planet. Study with close cause, because we can guarantee you someone you know owns one of them and our guess is they love to talk about it.  Enjoy.

1.    Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso: This dual-sided watch was designed in the 1930s for professional polo players in colonial India.  The face is hinged and can be hidden away so that it won’t be scuffed during competition.  The Reverso is considered a very aristocratic timepiece.

2.    Patek Philippe Calatrava: Patek Philippe is often referred to as the finest watch company in the world and the Calatrava is their least expensive yet most popular piece.  Originally produced in 1932, the Calatrava is a simple watch that rarely features anything more complicated than a simple date window.  It is the quintessential “dress” watch.

3.    Blancpain 50 Fathoms: The archetype modern diving watch, this was the first timepiece designed to be worn under water for a lengthy period of time.  It was quickly adopted as standard issue for many nautical fighting teams around the world.

4.    Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Steel: A classic watch if there ever was one; worn by everyone from Brad Pitt to Paul Newman.  The Rolex Daytona is the most identifiable chronograph in the world and it has remained an icon since its release in the late 60s, although it did not gain cult status until the late 1980s.

5.    Omega Speedmaster Professional: The first and some say only watch ever worn on the moon.  The Speedmaster Professional beat out 5 other chronographs (including one from Rolex) to become NASA standard issue.  The Speedmaster is still made today just as it was back then.

6.    Tag Heuer Monaco: This Heuer represents a first in watch making.  Until the release of the Monaco in 1969, all chronographs were manually wound.  In addition to being the first automatic chronograph, it became iconic when Steve McQueen wore it during the filming of 1972 racing classic “LeMans”.

7.    Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: The Royal Oak was introduced in 1972 as the only true “luxury sport watch” in the world. Less of a diving watch and more of a yachting accessory, the Royal Oak continues to be one of the most respected timepieces on the planet.

8.    Panerai Radiomir: The Radiomir was Panerai’s first watch and was designed in the late 1930s for use by the Italian Navy.   The original Radiomir featured a Rolex movement and they are now considered some of the most sought after vintage watches in the world, but luckily Panerai makes a modern-day Radiomir that is much easier to obtain.

9.    Cartier Santos-Dumont: When aviator Albert Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier that it was difficult to check his pocket watch during performance flights, little did he know that he was about to change timepieces forever.  It was the Cartier Santos that first popularized wristwatches for men in the early 20th century and the Santos is as much an icon in timepieces today as it was 100 years ago.

10.     IWC Ingenieur: IWC’s most iconic model, the Ingenieur was introduced in 1955 as the first anti-magnetic watch marketed to the public.  Originally popular with engineers and military personnel, the Ingenieur is still made today and it remains one of the best all-purpose watches in the world.

“Ben Clymer is a noted wristwatch expert based in New York City.  He is the Executive Editor and Publisher of Hodinkee.com, as well as a widely regarded journalist in the field of luxury timepieces.”

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10 Classic Watches Every Man Should Know

Most American restaurants have a dirty little secret. Very little of the meat they sell as Kobe, is actually Kobe beef. Thankfully, an ounce of education can save you tons on your next pound of Kobe. We’ve got the story on this famous beef, the questions to ask when ordering, and a few budget-minded/juicy alternatives.

The Story of Kobe Beef

Real Kobe beef, like real French Champagne, only comes from one place in the world, Kobe, Japan. It is made according to strict traditions and costs enough to relegate it to special occasions and celebrations.
And, like Champagne wine laws, the Japanese are desperately trying to protect the integrity of the name, Kobe.

Deep within the Hyogo Prefecture (of which the city of Kobe is the Capital), the special Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle is reared according to strict Japanese tradition. Select breeding, isolation and daily massage make for some of the most pampered livestock in the world. These cattle are also some of the best fed – washing down their cud with buckets of shochu, a beer-like grain-based alcohol. This leisurely lifestyle creates succulent meat – Kobe beef can have almost 90% body fat.

American Wagyu – The Not Quite Kobe Beef

In 2001 tragedy struck the very few American epicures who were already savoring this rare treat. After a mad cow disease outbreak in Japan, the USDA closed all imports of Japanese beef. During this time the select American farmers who were able to smuggle in real Japanese cattle before the ban gained a virtual monopoly on the American Kobe scene. They followed the strict Japanese traditions and produced meat of an extraordinary quality for the nation’s top restaurants during a time when Kobe’s cache was at its highest. Five years later the ban was lifted, but many continued to use the American beef for its relative value over the Japanese version.

Now back to that dirty little secret. Many famed American restaurants, despite impeccable reputations and lavish prices, have mislabeled their menus – the beef touted (and sometimes priced) as Kobe is in fact, “Kobe-style.”

Wagyu is the breed of Japanese cattle and Kobe refers to the place and how it was raised. According to the famed butchers Lobels’ website: “all Kobe beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe beef.” Wagyu refers to several breeds of beef cattle genetically predisposed to intense fat marbling. The meat from Wagyu cattle is known worldwide for high quality, flavor, tenderness and juiciness. American Wagyu can be of extremely high quality but it makes sense to ask the provenance of the beef – actual Kobe Beef should cost 2-3 times the price.

Despite the added fat and heart-attack induced cost, Wagyu may also be healthier than standard beef. Because of the Wagyu’s genetic predisposition and a special diet, it contains a higher percentage of omega 3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats.

However, all Wagyu is not created the same. If you’re looking to cook at home and you can find Wagyu at $30 per pound, you are better off buying USDA Prime. This is one instance when you should go big or go home. In Japan, full-bred Kobe costs upwards of $300 per pound, but Lobels in Manhattan and other premier retailers sell the top quality American versions for around $100 per pound.

Ordering and Cooking Kobe

According to the owners of the Morgan Ranch, a boutique, “The best way to prepare Kobe is to cook it fast over a hot flame. The fat in Kobe melts at a lower temperature than regular beef.”

Reducing the meat to a shriveled lump of burnt coal and ordering it “well-done” should never be allowed for any meat, but Kobe suffers more than others. If you overcook the meat you risk having all of the fat melt away. Remember, the fat is what you pay for; it gives the meat the flavor and texture that has made it legendary.

Since Kobe started at a $200 steak and can now be found in a $13 taco, it no longer has the culinary counterculture cache. Many top chefs are switching to the less mainstream (who would have ever though Kobe would be mainstream?) Matsuzaka. Along with Kobe it was also banned between 2001 and 2006, but it never had the popularity of its bovine brethren. Some claim this high-fat-content beef is superior to Kobe.

Matsuzaka is a produced from virgin female Wagyu cows, in a serene area along the Miyagawa river not too far from Kobe. They are fed plenty of fodder, tofu lees and ground wheat. When they have no appetite, they are fed beer to stimulate their eating, and they also receive regular massages with straw brushes after being sprayed with shōchū and are taken for daily afternoon walks.

Another type of up and coming Wagyu is Mishima. It comes from a small island with a dwindling herd and is among the most highly prized beef in Japan. A select few chefs are using these meats for their high quality and the fact that Kobe is becoming ubiquitous. Next time you see Matsuzaka or Mishima on a list, casually drop, “ I used to eat Kobe all the time but these types of Wagyu are much more unique.”

Kobe beef can be found in a few variations that make it more approachable than a $200 steak. Although Kobe is best savored when cooked as simply as possible, so as not to mask its natural flavor, here are a few more approachable ways to get a taste in NY.

Kobe Burger: BLT Burger ($$$)

They offer a $62 Japanese Kobe version. Don’t bother with this 5 oz. patty. It’s good, but the flavors are covered by the condiments and it doesn’t warrant the price tag.

Kobe Hot Dog: Old Homestead ($$)

A $19, 11 ounce foot-long American Kobe hot dog is served in a custom-baked brioche bun and doused with truffle-spiked mustard. Although the meat’s flavor is once again muffled, this is seriously delicious and worth the price.

Kobe Beef Tacos: Dos Caminos ($)

The asada grilled (American) Kobe beef and caramelized onions, with cascabel chiles and guacamole ($13.50) suffers from the same problem as the others; the delicate Kobe taste does not shine through more flavorful ingredients. Still, it is tasty enough and the price is not inflated egregiously, so order away

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Kobe Beef – Did You Pay For Fake Kobe Beef?