Lean into the spirit of back-to-school shopping with one of these fall must-haves, guaranteed to be a cool and standout addition to your wardrobe.

1. Bulgari B.Zero1 Ring
Defined by strong lines, the versatile elegance makes the B.Zero1 ring a sleek everyday accessory that you’ll never tire of.

2. Panerai Luminor Marina Watch
Step out of the box and sport a Panerai Luminor as an unconventional and still impressive dress watch.

3. Cartier Amulette Collection
This delicate Cartier collection, made of semi-precious gemstones and capped by a bezel-set diamond, is a beautifully understated addition to your jewelry collection.

4. Longines Master Collection
Longines expertly pares down its watch designs to give it a strikingly simple look, perfectly suited for modern tastes.

5. Chanel C&C Logo Jewelry
Step out with a piece of CHANEL logo costume jewelry. From brooches to pendants on long chains, any piece with that iconic C&C always makes for a street style wow-moment.

6. Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra
The Aqua Terra‘s signature “teak concept” pattern exudes luxury appeal and makes it a distinguished part of any collection.

7. Tiffany & Co. Keys
Soften up your fall wardrobe with a romantic and sentimental Tiffany & Co. key pendant.

8. TAG Heuer Monaco
The unique square-shaped Monaco was popularized by style icon Steve McQueen and remains a daringly cool conversation piece.

9. Cartier Love Bracelet Small 
This slimmer version of the fan-favorite Cartier Love Bracelet has a youthful vibe and makes for a trend-right style to wear everyday.

10. IWC Portuguese
The IWC Portuguese is an essential part of proud watch collection– plus this classic model is offered in a variety of price points so you can find the one that suits your taste and budget.

Have you ever spotted a Rolex for sale that just doesn’t quite look like a Rolex? Maybe the dial is a unique color or the bezel has big diamonds or is a color combo you’ve never seen on a Rolex before…

Is this a fake Rolex? Or is it an after-market watch?

We break down the crucial difference between these two watch categories and what to look for to ensure you’re getting exactly what you expect.

What are After-Market Watches?
After-market (or custom) watches are, at their core genuine designer watches, but decorated with non-brand approved details. Using a real luxury watch as its base, after-market watches are outfitted with diamond bezels and colorful or printed dials or encrusted (also known as “iced out” or “blinged out”) with pavé diamonds. (Check out our post here to see more examples of after-market alterations.)

Although after-market watches are not illegal, these modifications are not sanctioned by the original brand and therefore nullify the warranty. Moreover, it is important to note that, while the cost of the diamonds used to modify the watch will bring up the overall cost of the after-market watch, after-market watches typically have a lower resale value because brands have not authorized the cosmetic changes.

What are Replica Watches?
While an after-market watch is still fundamentally a genuine designer watch, replica watches are counterfeit or fake watches.

Replica watches are very much illegal—even though some sites will publicize that they carry replica watches and convincing knock-offs of the biggest brand names, particularly Rolex, Breitling, and Audemars Piguet. Even worse, unscrupulous retailers will knowingly sell you a fake designer watch claiming it’s a great deal on an authentic timepiece.

Counterfeit or fake watches can be a tempting way to “get the look,” but there are very serious repercussions to shopping replica watches, from actually having the watch confiscated by the authorities to having your credit card information stolen. Learn more about why you should never buy a phony designer watch here.

How Can I Ensure I’m Not Getting Scammed?
Although after-market watches are legal and there is a large market for them, if you’re not aware that what you’re buying is, in fact, an after-market watch, you can feel duped. Therefore, always read the listing details carefully. All credible retailers will be quick to point out when a dial or bezel is not from the brand and will note that in the product details, connoting that the item you’re browsing is an after-market watch.

As for replica watches, particularly those sold claiming to be authentic, the two immediate red flags are too-good-to-be-true prices and retailers without a return policy. If you’re quoted a price that is significantly lower than its competitors’, it may be because the item is fake and made with cheap materials. In addition, counterfeiters don’t often take the time to make sure their replica is a perfect reproduction of the original. We have some brand- and product-specific guides here that you can use to spot fake designer watches.

If you have further questions about after-market watches, please call our concierge associates at 1-800-690-3736 for help!

It’s finally cooling down outside, and as we round the corner to September, everyone’s reaching for more autumnal pieces. Reds, oranges, and mustard yellows decorate the ensembles of those who can’t wait for the crisp days of fall. We’ve rounded up our favorite watches with red dials or red details on them to match these season-appropriate colors, but we also love how we can wear these statement timepieces all year round:

1. Omega Speedmaster Schumacher Legend

This special edition Speedmaster has a sexy, sporty vibe that would be perfect for the type of person whose ensemble is never complete without a leather jacket.

2. Rolex “Cherini” Cellini

Affectionately (and appropriately) nicknamed the Cherini, this vintage Rolex Cellini‘s large, square case and cherry red dial makes the perfect statement piece for a simple, monochromatic look.

3. Vintage Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II

A Speedmaster like this is one of a kind. Its champagne dial and burgundy bezel insert pair perfectly to represent a classic fall color combo: cream and red. This upgraded version would look snappy with more cream or champagne details, like a striped white top or a quartz cabochon piece of jewelry.

4. Breitling J-Class

A dressed up nautical watch like this Breitling J-Class timepiece would look impressive with a navy suit. The red and gold details in the bezel would make the blue stand out even more.

5. Girard-Perregaux “Pour Ferrari 330/P4″ Chronograph

This sleek Girard-Perregaux chronograph has muted features that really let its cherry red subdials pop. The red accent would make even a simple, all-black outfit pop.

6. Rolex GMT Master II

How could we highlight watches with red details without citing this classic? The Rolex GMT Master II “Coke” edition is the perfect addition to your watch collection because of its collector’s item appeal and its clean, functional design with a fun pop of color.

7. Panerai Ferrari Granturismo

Die-hard Ferrari fans will love this sporty timepiece. The large case size and cherry dial look as impressive on the wrist as an actual Ferrari does in your driveway, plus the design of the subdials and the tachymeter scale makes it look like the watch belongs on the dash of a race car.

8. Gucci Les Marche des Merveilles

Lion-hearted lovers of fashion, this watch is for you. This Gucci timepiece has a dial made of nylon web, giving it a woven, fabric-like look, and its colorful graphic design will certainly draw eyes to this chic timepiece.

While the auto industry is perhaps best known for its certified pre-owned cars, TrueFacet is leading the charge as the first ever certified pre-owned retail marketplace for fine jewelry and watches.

For the first time, brands have embraced the certified pre-owned category as a way to expand their visibility and reach a new and wider audience. In turn, some of the leading names in the industry (including Zenith, Roberto Coin, Raymond Weil, and more) have chosen to partner exclusively with TrueFacet to carry their brand-certified pre-owned merchandise. This designation ushers in a totally new and alternative way for you to shop pre-owned jewelry and watches online with confidence and peace of mind.

Here we explain what it means to shop brand-certified pre-owned merchandise and its benefit to you!

What does “certified pre-owned” mean?
Certified pre-owned means the brands have directly authorized TrueFacet to sell their merchandise. Moreover, the certified pre-owned pieces TrueFacet sells have been inspected by the brand to ensure they are wholly original.

Also, while TrueFacet always offers its Authenticity Promise and backs purchases with our own warranty, all of our brand-certified pre-owned merchandise includes a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Where does TrueFacet’s brand-certified pre-owned inventory come from?
TrueFacet partners directly with the brands to feature the items listed in our Brand-Certified Pre-Owned category. Participating brands are now an active part of the authentication process within the certified pre-owned market. Their team of in-house experts and watchmakers review any pre-owned merchandise to deem it authentic and genuine.

TrueFacet will continue to valuate every item we sell within our marketplace to ensure that the piece is genuine, the listing is accurate, and you receive the best value for your purchase. Separately, the items marked as Brand-Certified Pre-Owned have been specially vetted by the brand directly to verify its authenticity.

How is the brand-certified pre-owned merchandise different from TrueFacet Brand Boutique?
We have partnered with brands in two ways: through TrueFacet Brand Boutique and now as an authorized pre-owned retailer.

TrueFacet Brand Boutique offers all new and never worn items from the brands’ newest collections. TrueFacet’s Brand-Certified Pre-Owned section includes any pre-owned item that has been independently verified by the brand itself.

That said, you will see some brands repeated between TrueFacet Brand Boutique and in our certified pre-owned section (including Raymond Weil, and Frederique Constant).

To learn more about TrueFacet’s Brand-Certified Pre-Owned partners, call 1-800-690-3736 and a concierge associate can help!

“I feel like I am just getting started,” said Ernst Benz President and Creative Director Leonid Khankin to LeCity. “After eight years in the business, it feels like day one.”

This is how Khankin directs Ernst Benz—with a steadfast forward sprint and an unrivaled creative energy. He brings the watchmaking traditions he’s been learning all his life under the tutelage of his father, a highly respected watchmaker, and his passion for the brand together to create a refreshing palette of watch designs and an incredibly strong brand identity.

Khankin said that though he is now the leader and face of the company, he hasn’t stopped thinking of himself as a watchmaker. Still deeply entrenched in his humble roots at heart, he calls himself “an artist who wants to leave tomorrow better than it is today.”

Since he inherited the Ernst Benz brand, he has infused that philosophy into every new design and every new partnership that he makes. The result has been a shedding of the old skin for a brand that has been reinventing itself constantly—yet simultaneously staying true to its storied history—since Khankin stepped up to his position in 2005.

Leonid Khankin’s Early Years at Ernst Benz
Before taking the helm at Ernst Benz, Khankin worked as one of the brand’s skilled watchmakers. In the years leading up to his promotion, he developed some of the most iconic Ernst Benz watches, including the ChronoLunar, the first Ernst Benz model with a moon phase complication. This model was representative of Khankin’s revolutionary vision of the company: he wanted to make watches for the high-minded adventurer, one who placed in high regard the tradition of watchmaking as well as the color and vitality of a life well-lived.

Following the ChronoLunar’s success after its debut in 2002, Ernst Benz himself handed the reins over to Khankin and his family. Khankin had proved that he could marry the artisanship he learned from his father with his sophisticated understanding of the Ernst Benz watch wearer to create a better, brighter future for the brand.

Ernst Benz Under Leonid Khankin’s Direction
Ernst Benz timepieces are now living proof of Khankin’s dedication to the craft. Since 2005, the brand has released updates to old favorites like the Great Circle Chronoscope as well as entirely new models of diving watches, chronographs, and world time indicators. These timepieces are quite large, easy to read, and incredibly durable to accommodate the rugged life of the adventurer.

The brand has also partnered with several unique celebrities to create opportunities to donate to charity. For example, the limited edition Dan Marino collection’s profits went entirely to funding the Dan Marino Foundation, an organization built to provide college-level educational programs and virtual job-seeking workshops for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In 2009, the brand released a 47 mm ChronoDiver in conjunction with Stay-Focused, a non-profit dedicated to helping mobility-challenged young adults become certified scuba divers.

There is something to be said about people who do what they love and use that passion for their craft to make the world a better place. In committing to the art of watchmaking and diving in to the spirit of travel—and, by extension, the celebration of the human connection across borders and seas—Khankin has changed the lives of countless people and made the world a much better place.

The last thing you want after spending forever deciding on a piece of fine jewelry and shelling out a considerable sum for it is to find out that your new piece makes you break out in a terrible rash. To help you avoid such a predicament, we’ve put together this simple guide to choosing hypoallergenic jewelry.

The Lowdown on Jewelry Allergies and Reactions
Hypoallergenic jewelry is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction in most people. There are types of metals, cobalt and nickel, especially, that commonly cause contact dermatitis, which appears as an itchy or painful reaction isolated to wherever the skin was exposed to the metal. It can take two to four weeks to clear up, and reactions can be as mild as an itchy rash or as uncomfortable as blisters and peeling.

Other metals, like copper, do not cause such a painful reaction, but they do frequently oxidize after prolonged exposure to skin and leave behind an unsightly green residue.

Wedding Ring Rash

Many think that wedding ring rashes (otherwise known as wedding ring dermatitis, which also appears as an itchy red rash where the skin comes into contact with the metal) are caused exclusively by an allergy to the ring metal. However, this isn’t always the case, especially since people who have rings made of hypoallergenic metals can still get wedding ring rash.

Besides a metal allergy, one can also contract wedding ring dermatitis from bacteria buildup or irritation from soap or lotions getting caught under the ring. To prevent wedding ring rash in these cases, send your ring to the jeweler for cleanings regularly so that dirt and bacteria don’t build up on it and remove your ring when washing your hands or putting on lotions so that they don’t get under the ring and irritate your skin.

Hypoallergenic White Metal Alternatives
White gold is often alloyed with popular allergens like nickel and cobalt, and so is sterling silver, though the allergens tend to occur in smaller amounts for silver. Stainless steel is often coated or electroplated with chromium, which is another allergen. These metals are considered allergens because, as they erode, they react with the skin of the wearer to produce a salt-like substance that irritates the skin.

Since these popular white metals are likely to give you an allergic reaction, we’d like to recommend platinum or palladium for your jewelry. These brilliant white metals are hypoallergenic and incredibly durable. Though they are much more expensive than the others, it might be worth the investment to save yourself from contact dermatitis. For more information about platinum jewelry, click here!

However, you can also simply ask the jeweler what a metal is alloyed with. Not all white gold, sterling silver, or stainless steel is alloyed with or plated with an allergen, so inquire first before you end up with an itchy red patch on your arm.

Hypoallergenic Yellow Metal Alternatives
Yellow gold tends not to be alloyed with allergens. Rather, it might instead be alloyed with copper, which can leave a green residue on your skin. To avoid this, always purchase high karat gold. Lower karat gold is less pure and will, therefore, be alloyed with more base metals, many of which are allergens. 18K gold and above will be your best bet.

What to Do With Your Allergen-Alloyed Jewelry
If you do want to keep your allergen-alloyed jewelry, consider taking it to a jeweler to get it plated in rhodium. Rhodium is hypoallergenic and can act as a barrier between your skin and the allergen. The downside to this option is that you may have to take your piece back to get replated rather often so that the barrier is maintained. To learn more about rhodium plating on white gold jewelry, visit this blog post.

The primary birthstone for the month of August is the apple-green variety of the mineral olivine that goes by the name of peridot.

The Origins and Cultural Significance of Peridot

The origins of the word peridot are heavily disputed; some scholars suggest it evolved from the classical Latin paederot, signifying a kind of opal, others say it came from the Arabic faridat, meaning gem, and still more believe it came from the French peritot, meaning gold.
Mined by ancient Egyptians on the Red Sea island of Zabargad, the gem was known in ancient Egypt as the “gem of the sun.” It was so sought after by the Egyptians at that time, they kept the island’s location a secret in order to protect the mines and the treasures they put forth.
It is also said that a variety of peridot has been found in Pallasite meteorites. Pallasite meteorites are stony-iron meteorites derived from an extinct planet that likely was destroyed during the formation of our solar system roughly 4.5 billion years ago, with some of the rarer crystals being large enough to cut into faceted gemstones.
While peridot is no longer mined on the island of Zabargad, it currently is found in Myanmar, Pakistan, Brazil, Kenya, Australia, Sri Lanka, and in the United States. In fact, the principal source of peridot (80% to 90% of the world’s supply) is the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, though the gem is also mined in parts of Arkansas, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico.

Notable Peridot Jewelry

It has been said that Cleopatra’s emerald collection largely was made up of peridot, but with little archaeological evidence of Cleopatra’s jewels, it is difficult for anyone to comment on her actual collection. The Three Holy Kings Shrine in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral, which is decorated in 200 carats of gems, was mistakenly said to be covered in emeralds, but they actually turned out to be peridots once examined more closely.

The largest peridot in the world is 100.15 carats and was mined in Pakistan. This stone is currently on display at the Smithsonian.

The Properties and Hardness of Peridots

In terms of color, most peridot is green with a yellow undertone, however, the deeper green versions of the gem are usually more sought-after thus making them more valuable. The gem can cut in a variety of faceted forms but is also popular as a cabochon in contemporary jewelry pieces.
Unlike sapphire or spinel, peridot’s intense green color is the only color in which the gem exists, though its shades can certainly vary from yellowish=green to olive color to grass green. With a chemical makeup that includes magnesium and iron (its makeup is technically (MgFe)2SiO4), the stronger the iron present in the mineral, the deeper the greenish color.
The Mohs scale for gemstone hardness lists peridot as a 6.5 to 7, and peridot can also be lab grown—just as many other gemstones are—by using an identical chemical makeup.
Peridot still remains a popular and recognizable birthstone to this day, and with colored gemstones becoming more popular among millennials who are looking to get engaged with a non-traditional ring, it doesn’t seem that peridot will be disappearing from the limelight anytime soon.
The gemstone is often seen set into yellow gold which brings out the stone’s golden undertones and has been used in a wide variety of styles and settings including bezel-set (for larger stones) or pavé-style (for smaller stones).

Buying a designer or luxury watch is no small feat, especially for new collectors or watch lovers who are saving up to buy their first heavyweight piece. These watches cost thousands of dollars and are made of the highest quality metals by artisans who use inimitable techniques that have been honed over hundreds of years, so they’re definitely worth treasuring. Before you take the leap and purchase that designer watch you’ve been eyeing, take a second to consider these four things first so that you can make the best purchase for yourself.

1. Budget

The first thing to keep in mind while contemplating the purchase of a designer watch is your budget. Luxury watches come in at a variety of price points based on the materials they’re made of, the complications they include, their rarity, and the prestige of the brand. You can expect to pay between $500 to $2,000 on the low end and $8,000 to $10,000 on the high end of the price point scale. The pieces that are deeply-coveted in the collecting community or are quite rare tend to go for upwards of $20,000. You can upgrade your collection by purchasing more elite pieces down the road, but we’d suggest sticking with something simple and low-budget for your first watch. However, if you really have your heart set on a more impressive watch, going the pre-owned route might be the best option for you. Check out this article about why buying Rolexes pre-owned is a smart investment.

2. Lifestyle

It’s very important to think about how you’ll be wearing the watch, as some designer watches are better suited to certain lifestyles than others are. For example, if you work in a particularly formal or buttoned-up office environment, consider purchasing an impressive dress watch made of high-karat gold. However, if you work with your hands and want a watch that can withstand anything, we’d recommend going for something sturdy and made out of stainless steel or even platinum. The type of watch you purchase heavily depends on the kind of life you lead while wearing it.

3. Purpose

Luxury watches often come equipped with various complications, or mechanisms that allow the watch to do other things besides tell time. Some common complications include a date display, a triple calendar, an alarm, and a chronograph. Complications that are popular in the collecting community and drive up the cost of a watch include the perpetual calendar, the moon phase, and second timezone. More than that, some watches come with helium release valves, tourbillons, and anti-magnetic features so that they can withstand the planet’s forces from in the clouds, on land, and underseas. All this means that you should keep in mind what you want to use your designer watch for. Whether you’re looking for a diving watch with a chronograph to time your underwater excursions or a moon phase watch to bring with you while stargazing, there’s a complication for everyone and everything.

4. Aesthetic

This consideration is perhaps the most personal of all. If a designer watch has checked all the other boxes—fits your budget, is made of the right materials to fit your lifestyle, has the complications you need—then the last thing to do is make sure it checks the box for your personal style. If you’re the dressy type, you might prefer something sleek and leather-strapped. If you’re the rugged type, you might want something with a significant presence on the wrist and maybe a steel bracelet to withstand your adventures. Either way, the styles that appeal to you should definitely be factored into your purchase decision.

Feeling inspired? Check out this selection of the best entry-level luxury watches to get your collection started.