Cheap Thrills

Skagen Steel Watch Sometimes, you just find a great deal that you can’t pass up. I found one of those this week. A local discount department store had a small display of several brands of mid-range watches at nearly half off. I had to partake–it would have been a crime if I hadn’t.

Here is my new watch. An inexpensive one, as watches go, but a nice one. It is a Skagen from last year’s collection. The face is rectangle mother-of-pearl, with tiny crystals at all points but 12, 3, 6, and 9. It is a different shape and style for me. This is my first rectangle-shaped every-day style watch. I think I will like it. I was hoping to find a good, mid-sized chronograph or multi-function watch, but settled for a simple face with a date window.

The best part about inexpensive watches, is that you CAN wear them for every day. I wear watches to match what I am wearing, or what I am doing. I have several everyday watches, and I change them like my moods. I think my mood will be rectangle tomorrow…

Watches for Women

While it is true that the wrist watch was popularized by men, the first actual watch created to be worn on the wrist was made for a woman. In 1868, Patek Philippe created the first watch meant to be worn on the wrist. Watches of the time period were pocket watches. Women carried pocket watches, too. They were beautiful, but needed to be carried in a small purse, or pinned to the clothing.

In 1868, all that changed. A watch was created for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary that was small enough to mount on a bracelet. The watch, along with other examples of the craftsmanship of Patek Philippe can be found HERE. Most men thought that a watch worn on the wrist was too small, and would not keep time well. However, the style persisted, and was made popular for men just before World War I. In 1904, Alberto Santos-Dumont, an aviator, asked the French watchmaker, Louis Cartier, to create a watch that would be more convenient to use while Santos-Dumont was flying. Cartier used the inspiration of the first wristwatch to create the Santos wristwatch. Made even more popular during World War I, the wristwatch has evolved into more than just jewelry for a woman. It has become a symbol of taste, elegance, and style.

So if the wristwatch was originally created for a woman, why does it seem that there are so many more watches for men? Some of the most beautiful watches ever created are created with a man’s wrist in mind. It is true that the larger cases on men’s watches give watch artisans more room to work in. However, that is no reason for watchmakers to ignore 50% of the World’s population!

Ladies watches do not have to be small and delicate. They can be bold, functional, and beautiful, all at the same time. Along with pens, I intend to talk about all kinds of watches. While some may be small and delicate, most will be bold and beautiful!

So What is the Difference, Anyway?

So what exactly makes a pen a ladies pen, anyway? Is it the size of the barrel? The color? The length?  The weight?  The style?  Or is it just that it is a ladies pen because a woman happens to use it? In a word, yes!

A pen must be comfortable in the writer’s hand. It must fit well, and feel right. It should inspire the writer, making the task easier. Many people do not write with fountain pens because they think it is too much bother to fill a pen, clean the nib, etc. They think fountain pens are old fashioned, outmoded, and impractical. They think that a fountain pen is just too hard to use, and are intimidated by the thought of using one.  Many women (and men) fall prey to these myths, and I think they are losing out on a great writing experience by not trying to use a fountain pen.  Fountain pens are just like any other writing instrument. With the right touch, and a bit of practice, a fountain pen can be just as easy to use as any other type of pen.  I have used pens of every barrel size, length, and weight imaginable.  Not all would be called ladies’ pens by any means.  I write with the pen that I think will be comfortable for the task.

Some examples of pens that were/are marketed for ladies include the Sheaffer Lady Skripsert line of pens, the Greta Garbo pen by Mont Blanc, the Lady Fair line by Wearever, and the ici and la line by Waterman, to name a few.  All of these pens have slimmer barrels, are lighter in weight, and are shorter in length.  Geared toward smaller hands, it is easy to see women being more attracted to these pens.

However, as I said before, any pen that is comfortable in a woman’s hand is, in fact, a ladies pen.  Do not limit your pen selection to those marketed just for women.  Look at all examples before making a decision on a pen.  You will find that the ladies pen you are looking for is the pen that is right for you!

Additions…

Not much to look at, huh?  Yes, I know.  I am just starting out, so this place looks like a spartan apartment right now.  However, I will be adding links to watch and pen sites that I like, as well as other sites that I regularly visit.  Watches and pens are not my only interests, and you will see that in the links.  

So check back soon.  I promise to jazz the place up as soon as I can.

Auspicious Beginnings…

I have always found watches and pens interesting.

I received my first watch (a Mickey Mouse) when I was four years old.  It was a gift from my parents on the last day of a trip to Disney World.  I saw the watch in a display case in one of the gift shops, and thought it was just the neatest thing I had ever seen.  I spent the entire trip home from Florida to Ohio telling everyone in the car what time it was, every 15 minutes.  By the time we got home, I think everyone in my family wished I had lost that watch!

My first fountain pen was a gift from my mother.  It was a Lady Schaefer Skripsert pen that she had had for many years, and did not use anymore.  She gave it to me when I graduated form high school.  We shared a love for writing instruments, and I learned a lot about them from her.  I still have that pen, and it has always been a favorite.  Since receiving that pen, I have used, owned, and collected many more.

So, this site is devoted to two of my greatest interests.  Watches and pens–from a woman’s point of view.