Oh, Hermés... why can't we be?

I need this Hermés Alligator Leather Table Clock in my life! Desperately. Sadly, I can only daydream about its magnificence because come September this one-of-a-kind piece will be auctioned off at the Only Watch 2009 Event during the Monaco Yacht Show. I am heartbroken. I envy the bagillionaire that will wake up every morning with such greatness on their night stand or perhaps admire its beauty on the corner of his desk while reading my blog (hah). All I could do now is print a copy of it, put it in my wallet, and take it out once in awhile only to think of what could have been. The heartache.

4 watches worth looking at:

• Hublot launched a very “Tron”-looking Gummi Bang watch (top left). It’s an amazingly cool rubber model with a tourbillon entirely covered with a grid, which also appears on the bezel, the band, the case and the dial. It was weirdly reminiscent of the avant-garde English designer Gareth Pugh.

• Rado, the company that is collaborating with the English designer Jasper Morrison, introduced the R5.5 (top right). It’s quite a beauty, constructed from Rado’s signature durable ceramic but with a dark matte finish. The square case has rounded edges and a gradually reducing band that gives it space-age sleekness. It will be available stateside in 2010.

• DeGrisogono countered with the Fuso Quadrato in pink gold with a black titanium dial, featuring a “Moonraker”-like spiral “space hatch” (bottom left) that opens and closes at the press of a dial to reveal the dual time zone function (bottom right). By the way: pink, gold and black was a great combination that popped up quite a bit in Basel.

Maybe with all this focus on the cosmos, the watchmaking industry is trying to show us the way to a more stellar future?

What should You Be Doing Now?

The Average Day Watch ditches the conventional 24 hours marks and instead shows a breakdown of what the average people do on an average day. So when you DO look at your watch, you will see what you should - on average - be doing at any time. I think it's clever, geeky, and all around siiick! For 200 buck-a-roos, I say YES to Mr. Jones creation.

Pocket Watch = Gentleman-esque

Pocket watches aren't as popular these days as they were in 1912 (shame). But that is also the same reason why they are a must-have; definitely an eye-catching statement. For example, say your waiting for your table to be called at Mr. Chows and a cutie asks you for the time. Instead of looking at your wrist, you pull out a nice timepiece out of your pocket. Classy, impressionable, and gentleman-esque. I would highly suggest the Hermés Arceau Moonphase Retrogade--perfect for such an occasion. The timeless piece is set in 18kt gold in a 34.5mm casing (glorious). Plus the leather strapping offers a fashion spin on the classic and formal pocket watch. Timeless, modern and über siiic? Yes, please!!!

Patek Perfection or Obsession?

If you knew me personally, you would know that I am OBSESSED with ticking timepieces!! And this is an understatement! After first being introduced to the Louis Vuitton Tombour collection when I was in high school, I became a watch feign. But my ultimate match that gets me giggly is the Patek Philippe timepieces. Drool. I had the honor of trying on some pieces at Tiffany, who are in cahoots with the Swiss geniuses. I pretty much died when I walked out of the store empty handed.

If you would ask any watch connoisseur whom they believed to be the finest in watch creations, they would say PATEK PHILIPPE!!!! No joke. A Patek Philippe piece is a work of horological art and timeless aesthetic perfection that represents the absolute pinnacle of luxury, elegance, and refinement.

What is also unique to these babies is that they increase their value more than almost any other brand in the industry. Take for example the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon model (pictured above), which sold for $1.49 Million at Sotheby's Hong Kong Auction in '08. Absolutely ballin'!!!