August 2009 – Her Watch and Pen

A Most Functional Watch

Back when I worked in retail, I always found myself looking for a pen when I needed one. Indonesian designer Raka Gemma created a watch that would have made my life, and search for a pen, much easier.

The Helix is a beautifully designed digital watch. Its smooth lines and vertical display are very fashion-forward. Worn as a bangle, the watch curls around the wrist like a serpent. The display looks like a digital ink display, and is colored to create a striking contrast against the smooth plastic finish of the bangle. When not being worn as a watch, it can be uncurled and used as a ball point pen.

As I said, this pen would be perfect for those who need a fashionable accessory to tie an outfit together, but must have a writing instrument with them at all times.

Red

To celebrate the history of the technological marvel that is the Vanishing Point Pen, Namiki has released a red version of the original Vanishing Point pen. The red pens are available with medium point nibs, gold accents, and 18k nibs. Only 2000 of these red beauties are available, so collectors may want to jump on this one!

A New and Completely Different Swatch

Almost in contradiction of the original nature of its business model, the Swatch Group announced its creation of a most opulent watch. The Diaphane One Turn 2 Him and the Diaphane One Turn 2 Her are the most expensive watches ever manufactured under the Swatch name. Both watches have skeletonized movements, and escapements and balances that are attached to a platform that rotates within a cage two times per hour. While not true tourbillons, the watches represent a dramatic turn from the Swatches you normally see.

The Turn 2 Him is a limited edition of 130 pieces, and costs $13,500.00. The Turn 2 Her is a limited edition of 50, and costs $8,000. Both are available only through a few of Swatch’s high-end Tourbillon stores. These are not your father’s Swatches!

A Pen for the Moon…

I am a little late to the party with this one…

The Fisher Space Pen Moon Pen Fisher Space Pen Co. “launched” a new pen to honor the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon. The pen, a limited edition of 1,000, is of the model AG7-40LE Space Pen. This model is the anti-gravity space pen that flew aboard the Apollo missions.

Sealed into the pen’s cap is a piece of “Kapton” foil, used as protective insulation on the Apollo 11 command module that carried the astronauts to the moon and back. The lid of the presentation case included with the pen is a beautiful rendition of Neil Armstrong’s iconic first footprint on the moon. The case also includes a magnetic display pedestal for the pen, and is engraved with Armstrong’s first words on the moon and information about the trip and the first steps on the moon.

This is one serious collector’s item! It is available direct from Fisher Space Pen Co..

New Links on the List

I will be expanding the number of links on my list. If anyone has any that I do not have, let me know! If it is a great link about watches or pens, I will add it!

TX Watches

TX 500 World Time Back in 2005, The Callanen Group, a Timex company, launched the TX Watch brand. TX Watches are a definite step up in design and technology from Timex. Using quality leathers in the watch bands, premium sapphire crystals, and innovative designs, TX manufactures beautiful and elegant time pieces. And the best part–TX offers several ladies models! TX offers perpetual calendars, retrograde displays, and available Mother of Pearl faces on the ladies watches.

TX Watches are available at several online retailers, including eWatches and Amazon.