Dress up your watches

Apart from my wedding plus engagement rings and the occasional pair of drop earrings, I’m not really one for jewelry. Sure, I’ve been known to bling it up on particularly dressy occasions, but for the most part, I prefer to adorn myself with very little- and the one small jewelry box in my closet is testament to that.

My watches, however, are… plentiful, to say the least. From vintage roman numerals to digital displays, rhinestone-encrusted numbers to Mickey Mouse hands, watches are most definitely jewelry- functional jewelry!

And therein lies my love of them. Not only are they beautiful or fun or kitschy, they actually tell me what time it is! Some throw the date in as well, or let me know what time it is in Paris, where some of my family live.

If you’re wondering where this Ode-to-a-Watch-esque post came from, I’ve been asked to do a review of Watchband.biz, a site offering- you guessed it- watchbands.

Not just any old watchbands, mind you. We’re talking artisanal watchbands, crafted by hand in Austria in a process that involves more than sixty separate stages. That’s right, sixty. This means that no two of their watchbands are alike- and, given the proper care, should last you a long, long time.

The site features many gorgeous, buttery-leather straps, but the ones that immediately caught my eye were the ones pictured here, the Prestige collection. The texture and colors of these straps look just about right for a variety of watch styles. At US$107.40 per band, what’s to stop me from “sharing” the band among several of my watches? All I need are some tools, maybe a couple of pins and screws (also available at the site) and I’m ready to go.

Of course, there are straps of every kind here- from mesh metal to waterproof rubber-but what struck me is that they all look exquisitely made. Definitely a store for true watch aficionados, and those like me- who just love a good watch. Visit Watchband.biz to see more.

Nice Knockers (and Knobs, too)

Door knobs, knockers and handles don’t sound very sexy, but I like to think of them as jewelry for your home. When my husband and I first moved here, one of the first things we did was change all door and cabinetry hardware… not only was it a quick way to update the look of our rooms, but it was an inexpensive way to do it as well.

ArchitecturalClassics.com is sponsoring this post, but I want to make clear right now that I’m being completely objective here. If I didn’t like their products, or their site, I’d call them on it. But the truth is, I do like their products, and probably would have featured them here even without the sponsorship.

They describe themselves as “one of Europe’s leading retailers of period, decorative and classical pieces”- so if you’re decorating in an ultra-modern or Asian-zen style, their offerings probably aren’t for you. I’m partial to European grandeur, ritzy hotels and antique designs that have stood the test of time- so there was lots that I found to love here.

The Lion’s Head Door Knocker shown here, for example, is a hand-finished reproduction of an original period piece, available in polished brass or (as shown in photo) patina. Perfect to adorn your front door, whether you live in a simple cottage (like me), a sprawling mansion, or a city apartment. It costs 100 euros- not cheap, but I prefer to think of it as a small investment in my front door. Heh.

Their site is easy on the eyes, with enough helpful information to simplify ordering, and a solid search engine that located the crystal doorknobs I was looking for… and they might just have what your house needs as well. See more at Architectural Classics.