Tally up your answers to these simple questions and match your beau’s personal style to the holiday gift of his dreams.

What is your S.O.’s happy hour cocktail?
A. Whatever the mixologist bartender shakes up!
B. An Old Fashioned that he enjoys with a good read at the quiet local bar
C. A frosty beer at a sports bar flying his team’s colors
D. A whiskey neat, sipped in a swanky hotel bar
E. A gin and tonic, an easy drink to hold while working your way through the crowd at concert

It’s his turn to pick date night. Where do you go?
A. The opening of an art exhibit, followed by big bowls of ramen at a funky hole-in-the-wall spot
B. Actually, you stay in: cooking a hearty pasta dish and sipping red wine while watching a documentary on Netflix
C. The Knicks game—and you two look Kiss Cam ready sitting courtside in your matching orange and blue gear
D. A late dinner at the just-opened Spanish tapas bar
E. A warehouse party downtown where you two dance and groove to your favorite underground band

What is the most-worn item in your man’s wardrobe?
A. His minimalist watch
B. His navy wool peacoat
C. His Nike sneakers
D. His tailored-to-a-T suit and tie
E. His vintage Led Zeppelin tee

What does your guy always have in his bag?
A. The latest issue of Time Out
B. A well-worn copy of his favorite book
C. A water bottle
D. A running list of restaurants to try
E. His Beats headphones

Finally! Saturday! How does your guy unwind?
A. Catching a few flicks at an indie film festival
B. Idly reading the paper with a big pot of coffee
C. Jogging through the park or playing a game of touch football with his buddies
D. Testing his palate at a sommelier course
E. Sifting through vinyl at a record shop

 

MOSTLY As
Your hip guy is creative, open-minded, and loves to scope out new scenes. This is perhaps what you love most about him: his optimistic willingness to try anything, be it a performance art exhibit or a no-frills ramen noodle house. He is also full of surprises when it comes to unearthing some cool spots of his own. Present him with a Panerai Luminor. It’s a distinct and unconventional watch shape that he’ll love having as a conversation piece.

MOSTLY Bs
Your man is an old soul romantic. A bit of a homebody, he is quiet and incredibly thoughtful. He savors the little things in life, like getting lost a gripping novel or lazing about with the newspaper in bed. This holiday season, surprise him with a sentimental gift that isn’t too fancy, like a classic vintage watch. Watch collectors especially love well-worn watches and prize them as a piece of living history—and we’re sure your beau will similarly appreciate the watch’s legacy.

MOSTLY Cs
Your S.O. is a sports nut. Every Saturday, he laces up his sneakers and goes for a mind-clearing jog around the park. But he also loves the camaraderie of sports, cheering on his home team with his buddies and strategizing his fantasy football league. So while you could get him another sports jersey, why not get him a sporty watch instead? Look for a robust style with an easy-to-change rubber or NATO strap so, come game day, he can represent his team’s colors with pride and in style!

MOSTLY Ds
Your sophisticated partner works very hard at his corporate job so he can enjoy the finer things in life, namely travel and good food. He is a real globetrotter and loves to immerse himself in the cultures he visits—hence his impressive knowledge about Spanish wines and the many varieties of Italian olive oil. This smart dresser will love a pair of handsome cufflinks. They’re a practical addition to his sharp wardrobe but, because they’re from you, they will also be packed with lots of warm, personal meaning.

MOSTLY Es
Your night owl loves the music scene. He loves being front-row-and-center for his favorite band, and, when he can’t be at the show, he spins vinyl on his record player. Admittedly, he’s a bit of a music nerd, as evidenced by his near encyclopedic memory of his favorite bands, but isn’t that a part of his charm? Instead of getting him another set of headphones, get your audiophile the same watch as his favorite rock legend. For instance, Mick Jagger first wore a Seiko before switching to a TAG Heuer Carrera. Meanwhile, bandmate Keith Richards wears an IWC Portuguese Chronograph. Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones sports a Rolex GMT-Master.

Whether you’re a thrill-seeking traveler or working your way up the corporate ladder, here are the Rolex, Panerai and Omega styles that suit your look and lifestyle.

The Graphic Designer
Artist types need a cool-looking watch with some added panache. So, whether you have a passion for art or work in a creative environment, you will love an unconventional watchcase shape like the Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT. This conversation piece will enhance your wardrobe of slim ties, straight-leg trousers, and monk-strap shoes. 

More Graphic Designer Watches

From left: Corum Admirals Ac1-45 Chronograph Mens 45Mm Watch; Shinola The Runwell S01000035 Stainless Steel Quartz 41mm Mens Watch; Hublot Big Bang Evolution 301.PX.1180.RX 44.5mm Watches

 

The Globetrotter
World travelers who are constantly jetsetting off to an exotic locale need a watch that can keep up with their adventures. Therefore, check out a resilient watch with travel-friendly complications like this Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Dualmatic. Equipped with a GMT hand to read a second time zone, this water-resistant and durable stainless steel case is your dream travel companion. 

More Globetrotter Watches

From left: Breitling Transocean GMT AB045112/BC67-134S Stainless Steel Automatic 43mm Mens Watch; Rolex Explorer II 16570 Black Mens Watch; Omega Speedmaster HB-SIA Co-Axial GMT Chronograph Ref. 321.90.44.52.01.001

 

The Athlete
Guys who are up with the dawn, sweating it out on the treadmill, should have a light-weight watch that wicks away sweat. Try a water-resistant chronograph for timing your laps or mile time like this Omega Speedmaster on a NATO strap. The fabric strap means you can easily rinse away any sweat while the clean dial and split-second stopwatch means you’ll never struggle to read the time of your personal best. 

More Athletic Watches

From left: Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 215.32.44.21.01.001 Stainless Steel Automatic 43.5mm Mens Watch; Tudor Fastrider 42010N-Rubber-Red Stainless Steel & Ceramic Automatic 42mm Men’s Watch; Rolex Submariner 16610 Stainless Steel / Nato Strap 40mm Mens Watch

 

The Executive
If your eyes are set on that corner office, dress the part and distinguish yourself from other working stiffs. A sleek and timeless watch like this Rolex Datejust is a smart finishing touch to your suit-and-tie uniform. This quietly impressive Rolex also has a thin watchcase to smoothly pass under your shirt cuff and avoid that unattractive sleeve bunching. 

More Executive Watches

From left: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26320ST.OO.1220ST.03 Stainless Steel Chronograph Mens 41mm Watch; Patek Philippe Calatrava 18K White Gold Watch On Leather Strap 5196G; Rolex Datejust Stainless Steel Fluted Blue Index Dial Mens Watch

Your favorite pieces—a tweed blazer, never-fail LBD, or broken-in moto-jacket—say a lot about your style type and offer telling clues as to how you can build and refine your look with the perfect finishing accessory. We decode your personal style to help you pick the next watch or jewelry piece to add to your collection.

If you pride yourself on your vast collection of Converse sneakers…
Then you need a two-tone Rolex Datejust. 

Sporty style types will love the cool and robust look of the Rolex Datejust. The sleek Datejust has an unexpectedly sporty flair to it and lacks all the usual trappings of an overtly sports-inspired watch (think silicon bands and a flashy bezels). Instead, with its steel and yellow gold color combo and clean dial, the Datejust gives the perfect amount of polish to your low-key t-shirt and jeans to elevate your casual looks to fashionable and luxurious new heights.

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If Coco Chanel is your spirit animal…
Then you need a Chanel C&C brooch. 

Every fashionable Francophile will love having a Chanel brooch in their jewelry collection. A C&C brooch is a fantastic way to add some coveted Chanel to your wardrobe without breaking the bank. Pin one of these onto your jean jacket or printed blouse to give your ensemble a healthy dose of edge, luxe, and “je ne sais quoi” appeal.

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If charcoal grey is the “boldest color” in your minimalist, monochromatic black wardrobe…
Then you need a Bulgari B.Zero1 Ring. 

You are a master of the pared down wardrobe: a closet brimming with black blouses, slacks, skirts and A-line dresses that you can effortlessly mix-and-match and still look immaculately pulled together. To round out your buttoned-up looks, invest in the Bulgari B.Zero1 ring. The architectural shape will seamlessly enhance your wardrobe, giving you the right amount of shine without being flashy.

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If your closet is stocked with nautical striped tops…
Then you need stacks of David Yurman Cable Classics. 

The New England prepster style is crisply polished and dashed with a playful touch and spry energy—as if you would feel as calm, cool and collected at a black tie dinner as you would in a game of tag football on the lawn. Therefore, for this kind of assured style, we recommend adding the David Yurman’s Cable Classics to your jewelry wardrobe. The bracelet’s helix motif plays perfectly into your style’s balance of prep and athletic spirit.

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If a black leather moto-jacket is your most prized—and well-worn—possession…
Then you need a Cartier Roadster. 

Round out your closet of leather leggings, over-the-knee boots, and perfectly slouchy tees with a Cartier Roadster. Rock-and-roll style types will revel in the Roadster’s bold look and sturdy feel. Moreover, the watch carries a little daredevil flair thanks in large part to the 1950s and 60s car races that inspired its design.

From a Rolex jubilee bracelet to a Cartier alligator strap to an exotic leather, here’s how to safely clean your watch bracelet or strap at home.

How to Clean a Metal Watch Bracelet with Soap and Water
Most watch bracelets can be quickly cleaned with a polishing cloth. Work a polishing cloth in between the alternating links by bending the bracelet and rubbing the cloth against the grooves. This should easily loosen and wipe away any surface dirt.

If gunk and grime is really caked in between the chain links, you’ll need to remove the bracelet for a deeper clean.

In a small bowl, dilute a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water. Submerge your metal bracelet into the water. Use a clean soft bristle toothbrush to gently brush away stubborn dirt. If your bracelet is made of gold, we recommend skipping the toothbrush, which will scratch the soft metal. Instead, use your fingertips to loosen dirt trapped in between the links. Pat the bracelet dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

How to Clean a Watch Bracelet with an Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner
For heavy-duty cleaning, bring it to a jeweler for a quick dip in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. These devices use inaudible high-frequency sound waves to agitate the cleaning liquid and essentially shakes any hard-to-reach dirt loose.

For a thorough cleaning inside and out, we recommend bringing it to the manufacturer or a professional jeweler or watchmaker. They can safely lubricate the movement and refinish the case and metal band to restore the watch’s original luster and shine.

How to Clean a Leather Watch Strap
After you have removed the leather strap from the watch, gently rub a leather cleaner—a little bit goes a long way—into the leather strap with a clean, lint-free cloth. Always do a patch test in a discreet area of the watch strap before using it all over.

To preserve the integrity of your leather watch strap, limit the number of times you clean it with a leather cleaner. Heavy duty leather cleaners like saddle soap can soften (and eventually weaken) the leather so do not use it more than twice a year. Instead, get in the habit of regularly wiping it down with a soft, lint-free cloth and swiping a damp cloth over it when you need a deeper clean.

How to Clean an Exotic Leather Watch Strap
Although saddle soap is a reliable cleaning agent for smooth calfskin leather, skip it if you have an exotic leather watch strap. Saddle soap can get trapped in the thin grooves of a textured alligator, crocodile or lizard leather strap, leaving behind a white crust. Instead, use a cleaning product specifically made for exotic leather.

Beeswax is an alternative gentle cleaner. Simply rub the beeswax onto the watch strap with a soft, lint-free cloth. Let the strap dry away from direct sunlight. Once dry, buff it with a soft cloth. But, before you coat your alligator watch strap in beeswax, do a patch test in a discreet area of the watch strap to ensure it does not discolor the leather.

If you’re nervous about cleaning the exotic leather, safe yourself the stress and bring it to a professional watchmaker for a safe cleaning.

How to Clean a NATO Watch Strap
A fabric NATO strap is the easiest watch strap to clean—lucky you. Simply use a little mild dish soap and warm water and gently scrub the strap. Rinse it thoroughly and set it on a flat surface, away from direct sunlight, to air dry.

Do not use any kind of heater or hair dryer to try and expedite the drying process. You run a serious risk of melting or burning the strap. Be patient and let it just air dry.

To learn more about how to care for your watch at home, read our best tips here!

TrueFacet partnered with Affirm to help you finance your purchase.

Affirm makes it easy for you to buy now and pay later with monthly payments for your TrueFacet purchase. With Affirm, there are no hidden fees so you know exactly what you’ll owe before you commit. There are no hidden costs and no surprises.

To help you learn more about Affirm’s services, here are some of the most frequently asked questions and a step-by-step guide of how to checkout on TrueFacet.com using Affirm.

What is Affirm?
Affirm is an honest and modern financing solution that allows you to pay over time, on your terms. When you buy with Affirm, you can pay off your purchase in fixed monthly payments with no hidden fees, modern security, and superior customer support.

What information does Affirm require?
Your Affirm account is created using your name, email, mobile phone number, birthday and last 4 digits of SSN. This combination helps Affirm verify and protect your entity.

How is financing through Affirm different from putting it on my credit card?
Affirm is a very different product than a credit card. Affirm is a closed end installment loan while a credit card is a line of credit. Affirm also does not charge any sort of origination fees, late fees, or pre-pay fees. Affirm’s credit check doesn’t affect a consumer’s credit score, as opposed to a hard credit pull that many credit cards require. Checking out with Affirm requires 6 pieces of information in, as opposed to typically longer full credit card application, and Affirm automatically has payment reminders enabled and also has auto-pay options.

Does Affirm perform a credit check?
Yes, when you first create an Affirm account, Affirm performs a ‘soft’ credit check to help verify your identity and determine your eligibility for financing. This ‘soft’ credit check will not affect your credit score.

What are my payment options?
When you make a purchase of $100 or more with Affirm, you can pay over 6, 12, or 24 months.

Are there any interest fees associated with Affirm loans?
Affirm loans vary between 0% and 30% APR, subject to credit check and approval. Affirm does not charge late fees, service fees, prepayment fees or any other hidden fees.

How do I checkout on TrueFacet using Affirm?
To apply for an Affirm loan, simply enter in some basic information and get a real-time decision to split your purchase into three, six or twelve monthly payments with rates from 0-30%APR*. You can also find out your terms without affecting your credit score.

When you’re ready to checkout with Affirm, go to your shopping cart on TrueFacet.com. Complete your shipping and billing address information as usual. Then, under your Payment Options, select Affirm. Click Continue.

On the Review & Confirm page, verify your information is accurate and click Place Order. From there, you’ll be redirected to Affirm’s website and prompted to securely enter in your information for financing approval. You will complete your checkout through Affirm’s website but will receive a confirmation email from TrueFacet once your order is finalized and received.

What will my monthly payments be?
Enter in some basic information about your purchase into this Affirm calculator for an estimate of what your monthly payments will be.

For more information about Affirm, visit their website affirm.com or email help@affirm.com.

*Rates from 10–30% APR.Subject to credit check and approval. Down payment may be required. For purchases under $100, limited payment options are available. Estimated payment amount excludes taxes and shipping fees. Affirm loans are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC. See www.affirm.com/faqs for details.

With all the advances that have been made in gemological technology in recent years, it has been increasingly difficult to discern a genuine diamond from a fake diamond, like the ones that are made from cubic zirconia or glass. If you have a loose diamond lying around and want to see that it is, in fact, a real diamond, we have put together a few fun DIY methods you can try at home using only your stone, a glass of water, and a few other things you can find in your kitchen. Of course, these are simple tests that aren’t foolproof, so we recommend that you take your stone to a jeweler or an appraiser to verify the stone’s quality.

1. The Density Test

Real diamonds are incredibly dense, and often outmatch the fakes in density tests. To confirm this, fill a glass up with water and drop your diamond in. A fake diamond will most likely float on top or only sink to the middle while a real diamond will sink to the bottom thanks to its density. Keep in mind, this test isn’t foolproof; cubic zirconia or glass that have been cut generously and are actually pretty heavy could pass this test.

2. The Fog Test

Because real diamonds don’t retain heat well, they will never fog up the way glass or other diamond substitutes will. An easy way to check is to exhale on your stone like you’re trying to fog up a window. If it does fog up, then it’s definitely glass.

3. The Heat Test

Before you continue with this test, you should know that, if your diamond is inauthentic, this test will damage it. Only follow through with this method if you are indifferent to ruining this stone if it proves to be false.

Diamonds are incredibly stable materials, so drastic temperature changes won’t affect their structural integrity. To test this, hold the stone to a lighter and heat it up for 30 seconds before immediately dropping it into a glass of cool water. A real diamond wouldn’t be affected by the drastic temperature change and simply sink to the bottom of the glass, but a fake diamond would shatter immediately.

3. Explore Your Options

If water doesn’t do it for you, we have a list of other methods you can try here. If you’d rather not risk your stone, fake or not, we recommend taking it to a jeweler. Professionals have sophisticated tools, like UV lights and extremely powerful magnification devices, to help them discern with absolute certainty whether a diamond is real or fake, and even whether it’s natural or lab-made.

Like Coco Chanel, Christina Samoylov is a bit of a maverick.

At 23, Christina set up an eBay shop in 2011—a then-newfangled approach to selling vintage wares—and sold goods as a side hustle while she pursued a degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.

To stock her eBay shop, Christina would scour Los Angeles thrift stores and auction off her lucky finds. But, to really scale her business into a full-time gig, Christina carved out a niche for herself and zeroed in on vintage Chanel handbags and jewelry. Christina’s venture received an incredible boon after an avid Chanel collector approached Christina asking for help to consign a Chanel collection, valued at—wait for it—$2 million.

Since that fortuitous encounter, Christina has moved off eBay and built her business, Designer Vault, a partnering TrueFacet vendor. Designer Vault is regarded as the premier online consignment shop for authentic vintage Chanel pieces. By personally handling, authenticating, and valuating hundreds of vintage Chanel pendants, earrings and brooches, Christina has become a veritable expert in her field.

We spoke with Christina to pick her brain about her top style tips, investing in vintage, and how she upholds the rebellious spirit of Coco Chanel.

Which vintage Chanel pieces are trending right now?
Necklaces are coming back. For a while they weren’t selling as well, but now they’re really making a comeback, whereas brooches were [previously] really hot sells and now they’re slowly tapering off. I feel like when fall comes around, people are more interested in necklaces as festive pieces, especially the pearls and CC necklaces.

What would you recommend as an investment-worthy vintage Chanel piece?
If you’re looking for a real investment piece, I would say a bracelet or a brooch. A CC brooch never goes out of style, regardless of when it was made. And, for bracelets, a Chanel 7 Icon Charm Bracelet is my favorite. Throughout my experience, this is the one bracelet that consistently sells at the same price; there’s no variance on it. It’s just a classic Chanel staple piece that you’ll treasure forever. 

Which item do you wear every day?
I’m addicted to brooches and my favorite is the “Little Monsters” brooch (which is exactly what it looks like: a little monster). I like a lot of the things that most people don’t have because I see those popular pieces all the time. I also just bought myself my first J12 watch!

How do you style your vintage pieces so they feel contemporary and cool and not overly retro?
I know I can always pin a Chanel brooch on a blazer and it always looks cool. But, because I collect brooches, I’ll wear four or five at a time and that makes them feel super contemporary.

With bracelets, I really like the cuffs and, to make them edgier, I like to wear them higher on the arm, up towards your elbow. Or, with bracelets and necklaces, layering them together or with different brands is always interesting.

What life lessons have you gleaned from Coco Chanel?
The one thing that always sticks out to me about Coco is how she went against the grain, against what everyone said was “the norm” in the fashion industry, and just went for it. And eventually people started responding.

I feel like that’s how I run things with my business: I went against the norm in that I didn’t go get financing and, instead, followed my own intuition. And now, people are responding! So that is what has already resonated with me: how she followed her heart and always goes for what she feels is best.

When you’re not wearing your prized watches and pieces of jewelry, it’s imperative that you store them separately in a secure and organized way. After all, the last thing you want is for your pieces to end up damaged or lost. First, visit this guide to find out how exactly you should store fine jewelry, then read up on the following highly-recommended jewelry organizers that might suit your storage needs.

1. Jewelry Armoire

You have a wardrobe for your clothes, so why not your jewelry, too, right? This wardrobe has ample space for any kind of piece, from earrings, to rings, to necklaces, and everything beyond. It features an LED light, a lock-and-key to keep your valuables safe, and hooks attached to the back so it can easily be hung over a closet door and save floor space.

2. Jewelry Display

If you intend to use your pieces as subtle decorations in your space and have them on display, then this wall-mounted organizer is for you. It is a more permanent fixture since it needs to be mounted into the wall, but it’s a simple and elegant way to display your jewelry. It has ample hooks, bars, and holes to store your jewelry in, and the flat surface on top can house a small watch collection, or can be used for more décor.

3. Hanging Jewelry

This tabletop organizer is very highly recommended and is perfect for those who have smaller jewelry collections that are heavier on the dangling pieces like necklaces and bracelets than they are on earrings or watches. The simple, no-nonsense design won’t take up much tabletop space and gives each piece the space and attention it deserves.

4. Discreet Storage

If you are more apprehensive about having your jewelry out in the open, then this more affordable alternative to the jewelry armoire might be for you. An organizer that hangs in your closet amongst the rest of your clothes can discreetly house your valuables while keeping them separated and organized. This Misslo model has 32 clear pockets and 18 velcro loops to store small baubles like bracelets and earrings and also keep necklaces separate and free of tangles.

5. Travel Storage

Jetsetters who can’t bear to part with their collections will love this jewelry scroll by Donna Walsh. This organizer can hang on your closet door when you’re home and house up to 50 necklaces, around 25 bracelets, 42 pairs of earrings, and up to 32 rings. When you’re on the go, roll it up from the bottom, tie it up to secure your pieces, and stick it in your carry-on luggage for easy travel storage. (For more organizers and storage options for travelling, check out our post about safely packing jewelry here.)