SO many watches, and yet we are still afflicted with the infamous “Filipino Time” syndrome. You’d think that being fashionably late is the norm. Or that a timepiece is just a mere accessory that no longer serves its original function of keeping, well, time.

To be on time, to remember a date, to honor those appointments, there are timepieces ready for the taking. And these are fashion pieces that can pass the test of time.

Victorinox Swiss army watches

SOON to be as iconic as its pocketknife, the Victorinox Swiss Army watch is as also innovative and reliable. Made to embody the Swiss company’s positioning as a practical luxury brand, the watches are also as famously functional as they are attention-grabbing.

One impressive piece is the covetable Night Vision II. Its features include stainless-steel case, water resistant up to 50 meters, hardened mineral antireflection crystal, luminous hands and numbers, Double O-Ring Crown Date calendar, white LED flashlight (continuous light, signal and strobe functions),  blue LED for dial illumination, red LED for multifunction light pusher, and rubber/steel combination case with a genuine black rubber strap.

Victorinox Swiss Army watch is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by the Lucerne Group.  It is available in all Lucerne and L Timestudio boutiques.

S.T.A.M.P.S.

FROM Germany comes S.T.A.M.P.S., so named because they look as eye-catching as postage stamps. Timehouse Phils. Enterprises president Marie Llaguno Quisumbing is the woman responsible for bringing this quirky, trendy, funky brand to the local market. “This is an exciting time for us as we introduce a truly innovative concept to the Filipino market. We hope that this venture will help set the pace for the brand’s growth worldwide. The entry of S.T.A.M.P.S. in the country signals that it is now time to change,” she says in a statement.

These watches, interestingly, are equipped with a 3M-technology self-adhesive foil that can stick on anything and anywhere without losing its adhesiveness even if used repeatedly. Depending on your personality and whims of the moment, you can wear and attach the watches to necklaces, belt chains and hair clips.

S.T.A.M.P.S. presents its product line in Plains and Prints and Hobbes and Landes retail outlets.

ToyWatch

EVER wonder how the following people spend their downtime: Madonna, Michael Jordan, Charlize Theron, Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman, Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell? When not neck-deep in work, these famous names are spotted out and about wearing the object du jour in Hollywood, the ToyWatch.

Though seemingly made for celebrity royalties, the Italian brand fancies itself an affordable luxury. At its launch in Rustan’s Makati, where it is on splendid display at the store’s Silver Vault, the lightweight watches were admired for its “fun and chic” designs with acrylic or nylon straps. The watch is fast gaining a “Rolex meets Swatch” rep.

Christie Wo, president of Charmonde, the distributor for Asia of ToyWatch, showed off her beautiful wrists adorned with her limited-edition especially designed Christiemas watch. Iconique, which distributes ToyWatch locally, hopes to replicate the phenomenal international success of the watch in the country.

Mayflower Maidens

SENIOR designers were stunned when they learned too late that they were also in competition for top awards at the 29th annual Flores de Mayo, organized by the Congregacion del Santisimo Nombre del Niño Jesus and sponsored by Unilever Philippines’ Pond’s.

Gab Fab: Gretchen’s tirade against Maurice, Cojuangcos

I ACTUALLY don’t know how to start this piece. You see, the items here are different from one another but somehow related. One is about reconciliation, while the other one is about making new enemies.

Mark Harmon of ‘NCIS’ isn’t complaining

MARK HARMON stars on CBS’s NCIS, the two-hour Season 5 finale airs on Tuesday night in North America. He has appeared on The West Wing, Chicago Hope, Moonlighting, St. Elsewhere—and The Love Boat. He and his spouse, Pam Dawber, have two sons.

Wrist Takers

SO many watches, and yet we are still afflicted with the infamous “Filipino Time” syndrome. You’d think that being fashionably late is the norm. Or that a timepiece is just a mere accessory that no longer serves its original function of keeping, well, time.

William Moseley back for second ‘Narnia’ adventure

WILLIAM MOSELEY reprises his role as Narnia’s High King, Peter, who returns to the enchanted land with his three siblings to help Prince Caspian save Narnia from tyranny under the reign of the evil King Miraz, in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.