The Rolex brand has long connoted a sense of luxury and artisanal craftsmanship, and for good reason. Rolex watches are made with the finest materials and the utmost precision. However, the meticulous care that goes into every model should not immediately disqualify the brand to collectors on a budget. We’ve put together 7 Rolex models that can star in your watch collection without breaking the bank, plus a few tips for choosing more affordable iterations of popular models.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 

A collector who prefers their timepieces to look minimalist and uncluttered but still significant would appreciate the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. This unobtrusive model features sharp, square hands and markers housed inside a sleek Oyster case. One shouldn’t be fooled by the simple design, however: inside that case lives an incredibly precise and powerful movement that keeps this watch accurate to -2/+2 seconds per day. This financially accessible watch is perfect for the collector who is just starting to dip their toes into the world of horology. It runs for about $2,500 on TrueFacet Marketplace and about $4,850 at retail price.

Rolex Datejust

The Rolex Datejust comes in so many iterations—featuring a variety of dials and bezels to suit every collector’s personal style—but its air of sophistication never wavers between designs. New collectors often assume that the Datejust lands on the pricier end of the spectrum because of that stateliness that it exhibits, but in actuality, this watch’s regal and understated look is quite accessible. This would make an excellent starter dress watch for a new collection. It runs for about $2,000 on TrueFacet Marketplace and about $6,000 at retail price.

Rolex Explorer

For a collector who seeks a timepiece that will accompany them through their adventures through the great outdoors, the Rolex Explorer would make the perfect entry-level Rolex. This model evokes traditional Rolex design, with lumes in the hour markers, arrowhead hands, and a rotating bezel for a second time zone, all of which are present in one form or another on classic Rolexes like the GMT-Master and the Sea-Dweller. It runs for about $4,000 on TrueFacet Marketplace and about $8,200 at retail price.

Rolex Submariner

Even the most seasoned watch collectors will never turn their noses up at a Rolex Submariner. This model has one of the most recognizable designs in Rolex’s entire compendium of watches. With its Cerachrom rotating bezel, luminescent markers and hands, and signature casing, the Submariner is one of the classic models that make an excellent investment. That said, new collectors will find that their dollar goes far when it comes to this watch, which would truly become a cornerstone piece in their burgeoning collection. It runs for about $6,000 on TrueFacet Marketplace and between $7,000 and $30,000 at retail price.

Rolex Milgauss

Science enthusiasts would especially love the Rolex Milgauss‘s tribute to the field of engineering. Built for scientists who are exposed to strong magnetic fields on a day-to-day basis, this unique timepiece features a soft-iron inner case and anti-magnetic parts to quell the effects of the field on its timekeeping ability. New collectors will love this watch’s surprisingly low price point and fascinating history. It runs for about $6,000 on TrueFacet Marketplace and between $8,000 and $9,000 at retail price.

Rolex AirKing

The retro design on the Rolex AirKing makes this affordable model singular in its 1950s-inspired aesthetic. The AirKing was made to pay tribute to pilots, and as such, it is equipped with a strong stainless steel case and bracelet, anti-magnetic parts, and a very readable dial. Not only is this model visually timeless, but it’s also incredibly functional—the perfectly pragmatic addition to a growing watch collection. It runs for about $3,300 on TrueFacet Marketplace and about $6,200 at retail price.

Choosing the More Affordable Model
Here are a few quick tips for selecting the cheapest option between versions of the same model.
1. Choose stainless steel over yellow or white gold or silver.
First of all, stainless steel is not nearly as precious a metal as gold or silver. When a whole watch, bracelet and all, is made of those precious metals, its price skyrockets. Opt for a classic stainless steel case for a timepiece that will not only be more affordable, but it will also be much sturdier and scratch-resistant than a gold or silver watch.
2. Pick a plain dial.
Rolexes often come with mother-of-pearl dials or with diamond markers. These details hike up the price of what could be a very affordable timepiece because of their expensive material and because of the scarcity of authentic models made with those adjustments. Stick to metal dials and markers for a simple look that won’t break the bank.
3. Stay away from rare or limited edition pieces.
This one should be obvious, but new collectors simply aren’t always informed about which models are limited edition or special. And when it comes to Rolex, even pieces that seem to be damaged can cost a veritable fortune! Check out this post for more information about picking out special Rolexes and identifying cost-inflating “damage” on vintage Rolexes.

The Roberto Coin Appassionata collection is singular in its unique, woven texture that appears in its 18 karat gold necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings. These pieces take on a fabric-like aesthetic that evokes the incredibly detailed and meticulously handcrafted jewelry of Ancient Egypt. We’re taking you inside this fan-favorite collection and explaining how the basket weave design works.

The Backstory

Ever the innovator, Roberto Coin found inspiration for the exceptional woven texture of his jewelry when he was in a car factory. The elegant arrangement of intertwined hoses at the factory left an indelible impression on the designer, and from it was born the Appassionata collection. With a name meaning “passionate” in Italian, this collection clearly came to life thanks to Coin’s discerning eye and dedication to design.

The fabric-like composition on the pieces in this collection is meticulously handcrafted by the artisans at Roberto Coin. Each “thread” is one thin piece of gold, laid flat and then heated so that it bends. These strands are then skillfully woven together like a basket, forming one cohesive design that is both sturdy as well as beautiful.

A Wardrobe Staple

This collection’s woven look is so popular that future collections, like Primavera and Designer Gold, incorporated the technique into their designs as well. It’s easy to see why this incredible, statement-making design is such a fan favorite.

First of all, pieces in the Appassionata collection are inherently hard-wearing. The woven texture of the pieces makes it so that the gold is very thick and difficult to break. On the necklaces, since each link is woven together and not connected through tiny rings that can warp or break, the wearer can rest assured that their piece will not fall apart easily, if at all. Some of the pieces even incorporate diamonds into the design, which are, of course, the hardest gemstone in existence. Roberto Coin clearly designed this collection with longevity in mind, making it excellent for heirloom pieces that will survive the ages.

More than that, the unique design is one that will never go out of style. The bold lines and prominent silhouettes of Appassionata pieces transcend fickle trends and will complement any ensemble thanks to their simplicity and classic composition. Each piece commands attention because of its significant presence on the hand, wrist, or neck, making it the perfect statement-maker that won’t overpower the rest of the outfit, or indeed, the rest of the wearer’s jewelry collection.

One attractive element of the Appassionata collection and of Roberto Coin’s jewelry as a whole is actually not visible from the outside. Each piece is fashioned with a tiny ruby on the inside that makes direct contact with the wearer’s skin. According to legend, ruby gemstones are harbingers of good fortune, and in this case, they represent the message of good wishes that Roberto Coin dedicates to his passionate clientele.

Header image courtesy of First Dibs.

There are times, as a member of the jewelry community, when I take for granted the fact that those inside of my bubble (namely jewelry designers) are not always known by name to shoppers in the outside world. While in conversations with longtime friends, I’ll sometimes find myself wondering why they have a puzzled look on my face when I mentioned names like Fernando Jorge or Arman Sarkisyan and the beautiful designs they create. Thankfully, because they’ve known me as a person who’s been in the industry her entire adult life, they often want me to elaborate and educate them on what makes these people and their work so special and what separates them from some of the more mainstream names in the jewelry business– which is also what I’m going to do here in this very article.

Here are five jewelry designers whose names you may not know, but who create works of wearable art and uniquely designed adornments worthy of your research.

Peter Schmid of Atelier Zobel
It is safe to say that Peter Schmid does what no other jewelry artisan even comes close to doing. Born in Ostrach, Germany in 1971, Peter Schmid completed a three-year apprenticeship with a master goldsmith in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany in 1995 before joining the team at Atelier Zobel as a goldsmith the same year. In 2005, he became the head designer of the jewelry house, before taking over the company as the owner. With extraordinary works that have been displayed in fine art galleries around the world, Peter has formed a following within the art community who see his contrasting patterns and unusual shapes for what they are: creative, substantial, and one-of-a-kind.

Nancy Badia of Buddha Mama
Bold, beautiful, and brave, Nancy Badia opted for as more creative way to make a living after working alongside her husband for twenty-five years building their family business. With the help of her daughter Dakota ( who is also a jewelry designer), Nancy launched Buddha Mama, a line of finely crafted handmade jewelry inspired by Buddhism and Eastern traditions. Nancy and her team travel the world in search of stones, carvings, and artisans who are able to help her to bring her spiritually-inspired ideas to fruition.

Daria de Koning
A graphic designer-turned-graduate gemologist and metalsmith, Daria de Koning is a born and bred New Yorker of Dutch and American descent. Inspired by her love of painting and attraction to cabochon-cut gemstones, Daria’s designs play with a mix of colors, creating pieces that use clusters of stones in a way an artist would when painting, thus giving the pieces she creates an organic feel that comes off as both easily wearable and eye-catching. Daria, unlike a handful of designers, is also extraordinarily comfortable at the bench because of her background in metalsmithing.

Emanuela Duca
A native of Rome, Italy, the contemporary designs of Emanuela Duca are a reflection of the ancient history of her homeland and the modern New York City, where she now partially resides. Through her use of textured sterling silver and 18K yellow gold surfaces which often resemble the look of volcanic ash, Emanuela pays homage to the ruins of Italy. Her unique designs come off as both primitive and sophisticated, and the metals she uses to create them allow her pieces to be affordable for the woman looking to start a substantial collection.

Moritz Glik
Originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Moritz Glik, a shoe designer-turned-jewelry artisan, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising before moving to New York City in 1991 where he quickly found his true calling in the jewelry universe. Loving colored gemstones and diamonds alike, Moritz found mastery in precious metals as well, learning the world of goldsmithing which he put to use in his mesmerizing works. His playful nature is apparent in his Kaleidoscope collection which uses multiple loose gemstones housed between panes of white sapphires to give the appearance of shimmering, shaking gems behind glass– a design that has earned him numerous awards over the years.

While the jewelry world is home to a plethora of extraordinary, talented designers, craftspeople, and artisans, these are five designers who standout for me because of their uniqueness and wearability of their work. And like any industry, with each passing day, new superstars are born, and so the design world has no shortage of talent, nor do I suspect that it ever will. This is likely why it’s easy to get lost among the big names if you’re a designer, but take it from the five above: doing things differently and thinking outside of the box will most certainly get you noticed.

Functional and fashionable, these watch and jewelry finds make for the perfect traveling companion as a utilitarian time-keeper, sweet souvenir, or versatile accessory.

If you plan on packing any piece from your fine jewelry and watch collection, read our complete guide to how to travel with jewelry and fine watches here, where we share crucial tips on how to double-check your insurance and how to securely pack everything.

Colored gemstones often switch off with each other as the most popular center stone for jewelry: for years, sapphire was king, then emerald started gaining popularity. Now, red gemstones, especially ruby, are starting to take center stage. Ruby, however, is exceptionally expensive, which is why we’re showing you your options when it comes to more affordable red gemstones that will allow you to stay on trend without breaking the bank.

Red Spinel

While spinel is available in a vast array of colors, red spinel is likely the most popular type. One of the reasons is that the average consumer with a naked eye usually can’t tell the difference between a ruby and a red spinel. But, there certainly are differences between the two.

Mined largely in the same places across the globe, a ruby – a gemstone which is part of the corundum family of minerals – rates at a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness while spinel comes in at an 8. That means that a negative for spinel is that it’s a less durable option, especially if you intend on wearing it every day. Another downside is that red spinel isn’t as vastly available for purchase as rubies are, making them harder to find. However, because red spinel generally has a better clarity than rubies do, when you find a ruby that’s as imperfection-free as many red spinels, you’re going to pay a lot more money for it.

Garnet

January’s birthstone in the red variety is more on the blood-colored side with brownish undertones, but there are lighter versions of the gemstone out there if you know where to look. Almandine and Malaya garnets are more on the red side, and rhodolite garnets tend to have a purple-pink, raspberry color to them. All, however, are less expensive than a good quality ruby, are fairly easy to find, and will generally give you a similar look for the type of jewelry you’re seeking.

Rubellite

Also referred to as “red tourmaline”, rubellites can range from pinkish-red to bright red, and from purplish-red to reddish-purple, similar to many specimens of ruby. Most red to pinkish-colored tourmalines are colored by manganese but are also known to be colored by lithium. Again, in comparison to a medium to high-quality ruby, tourmaline is an excellent alternative, price-wise, and are widely available in the gemstone market.

If the three options above still don’t seem like they’re exactly what you’re looking for, you can also try looking at deeply colored pink sapphires, fire opals (though they are more of a reddish-orange), and red zircon, though the red variety is a pure color and is extremely rare to find.

The primary birthstone for the month of June is the often imitated but not quite duplicated gem that we know and love, the pearl.

The Origins and Cultural Significance of Pearls

The world pearl in English derives from the French perle, originally from the Latin perna meaning “leg”—a weird connection, but it actually references the “mutton-legged bivalve”, otherwise known as the mollusk that creates pearls.

Pearls are produced within the mantle (the soft inner tissue) of a living shelled mollusk, though they can also form in other creatures. They are composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers.

Often referred to as the “Queen of Gems,” the pearl has a history that reaches far beyond what many jewelry lovers today may realize. A natural pearl necklace comprised of perfectly round pearls that matched in color and size was looked upon as a rare treasure and often grouped in with some of the most expensive jewelry in the world.

According to author and gemologist George Frederick Kunz, an ancient fish-eating tribe that possibly lived somewhere along the coast of the Indian Ocean initially sought the shape and luster of pearls, which they discovered while opening oysters for food. However, it is still unclear when exactly the first pearls were discovered.

In terms of where pearls were first recognized, many countries have their own history with the gem. Some of India’s early recorded sacred books contain a multitude of pearl references, with folklore also stating that the Hindu god Krishna discovered pearls after plucking one from the sea to present to his daughter on the day of her wedding. As far back as 4200 B.C, the Egyptians used mother-of-pearl pieces as decorative adornments, and ancient Rome’s pearl infatuation reached its peak during the first century B.C. when Roman women upholstered couches with pearls and sewed pearls into the hems of their dresses.

According to the American Gem Society, “the rarest, and therefore most expensive, pearls are natural pearls made in the wild. The majority of pearls sold today are cultured or farmed by implanting a grafted piece of shell (and sometimes a round bead) into pearl oysters or freshwater pearl mussels.” It is a common misconception that only a grain of sand can act as the irritant that eventually becomes a pearl.

Notable Pearl Jewelry

While pearls have adorned many crown jewels, one of the most famous pearls in history had no connection to any nation’s monarchy. The Hope Pearl is a 450-carat blister pearl once belonging to nineteenth-century gem collector Henry Philip Hope (yes, the same man who owned and named the Hope Diamond). It is currently on display as part of the permanent collection of the British Museum of Natural History in London.

The Properties and Hardness of Pearls

Pearls have a hardness on the Mohs scale of 2.5–4.5 and can range in color from white to cream, champagne (or golden), to black (which are technically more like a greenish-purple), and pearls can be dyed to change their color.  

While we tend to think of pearls as perfectly round (and those that are do tend to be more valuable), pearls can also form into one-of-a-kind shapes that are interesting and which have character. Those pearls are often referred to as baroque.

Pearls are most popularly sold as necklaces or earrings, though they are popping up more and more in more unconventional settings, like engagement rings.

Fall is rounding the corner, and with it comes cool weather, the start of a new semester at school, and the end of the long, warm days of summer. Soon, you’ll be breaking out those thick sweaters and weatherproof boots. We’ve pulled together these wrap bracelets and watches to help you wrap your summer up right and accompany your wardrobe shift.

Fendi Selleria wrap bracelet

The simple, hand-sewn detailing on this leather wrap bracelet gives it a rustic charm that would perfectly complement any knit sweater.

Hermés Kelly wrap bracelet

Ever a classic, Hermés’s Kelly line is versatile enough to pair well with both summer and autumn clothes without sacrificing that signature designer touch that makes it so timeless.

Ippolita Wrap Hook Bracelet

This unique nautical design can easily take you from summer days on the water to chilly autumn nights along the pier.

Hermés Cape Cod Wrap Watch

This gorgeous timepiece’s unique lettering spices up its simple design and can upgrade pieces made for any kind of weather.

Michael Kors Runway Wrap Watch

A simple, classic face pairs perfectly with the double-wrapped leather strap and can dress up a cozy ensemble in a snap.

David Yurman Albion Wrap Watch

The pavé diamond and metallic detailing on this wrap watch makes it a perfect contender for a fancy night out, no matter the weather.

Movado Museum Wrap Watch

This metal wrap watch evokes the creativity of modern art while calling back to the classic designs of the 1960s, perfect for summer nights at open-air art installations or chilly afternoons at a museum.

We rounded up our favorite new and vintage watches and men’s accessories so you can surprise Dad with the perfect Father’s Day gift!