Are you looking for a Tag Heuer Indy 500? Well, I was fortunate enough to receive this beauty on my 31st birthday. I’ve spent years accumulating nice watches (although I refuse to buy a Rolex unless I hit the lottery) but never have I seen one as cool as this one. Something about it just screams TAG to me.

First Impressions: To be quite honest, I had no idea I was a TAG guy until I fell in love with the CAC111B.BA0850. I would describe it as the perfect combination of style and substance. It has the right amount of bling to make an impression without going over the line of good taste.

TAG Heuer Indy 500 Features: This beauty packs all the goodies you can expect from Tag Heuer. It features quartz movement, water resistance up to 200 m, scratch resistant sapphire crystal, stainless steel case, and a carefully arranged dial with luminescent hour-markers and hands. I love the attention to detail on the applied indexes and numerals.

TAG Style: My wife bought this for me because it’s classy yet rugged. Although it has that “wow” factor to it I would still call it a practical watch.

Reliability and Usage: The Tag Heuer Indy 500 has a very sturdy feel. I’ve been wearing mine everyday and have not encountered any problems. I’ve worn it rollerblading, hiking, swimming, and while mowing the lawn without a hitch. My one gripe (not a biggie) is that the battery lasts about 2 years and costs $100 to replace. Since you get a 2-year warranty this won’t be a concern for 4 years – but I guess $100 is a drop in the bucket when you consider how prestigious they really are. Owning a Tag has been one of the most rewarding actions of my life. I’ve had strangers approach me (some very attractive females) gasping as to how nice this watch is.

Before you pull the trigger on a Tag Heuer Indy 500, make sure you’re purchasing from an authorized dealer. There is nothing more disappointing than being ripped off.

Wedding rings and engagement rings will be one of the most enduring pieces of your wedding day. It binds a man and woman to each other and symbolizes unity and eternity. Your ring is not only an important element of becoming married, but it’s also a long lasting symbol of your love and commitment.

Gold and White gold has been the traditional wedding rings, but many people are now taking advantage of the platinum wedding ring. Platinum is a very stylish metal and also the hardest metal, making it, for many, a symbol of enduring love. It is a very valuable metal worth almost twice as much as gold, and is resistant to corrosion and discoloration. Since marriage is a lifelong commitment, it makes sense to purchase a ring that has the strength to last through the marriage.

Platinum wedding ring is a neutral metal that doesn’t cause any allergic reactions. Platinum gives that modernized look to your ring; best platinum ring styles are simple, but elegant. It has a brilliant look and sparkles as much as gold when well polished. Because of its durability, it can even withstand household routine, and will still look stunning even after 30 years as when you first bought it! Those who want to just wear their rings without worrying much about maintenance should definitely go for platinum.

There is a great selection of platinum wedding band styles. From simple plain bands, to elaborate wedding ring sets. Platinum can be combined with any precious stone, but for wedding rings diamond is usually the choice. A diamond ring is perhaps the most romantic gift that one can possibly give to a woman. Diamond, being the hardest element on earth, for most people is a symbol of eternal and everlasting love, a love that will endure the test of time. Diamond wedding rings are the most expensive of all wedding rings so you should consider your budget.

Wedding rings are easy to find items, there’s always something to find in jewellery shops. Platinum wedding rings are trendy, stylish and practical. The only real disadvantage of platinum rings is their cost. Most stores got a wide range of styles to offer, catalogues are also available for you to order rings. Be prepared to go shopping for your rings ahead of time, so you have time to order the wedding ring that you like, rather than buying what is available in the store.

Pearls are elegant jewelry. You can buy them shaped as necklaces, bracelets, earrings or even as an accent to a ring. There are hundreds, if not thousands of pearl jewelry designs to choose from in the market today. Before you buy one for yourself, you should learn how to identify if what you are getting is genuine or fake.

First, you have to know the kind of pearl that is available in the market. They are categorized in two:

1. Saltwater pearls – these are formed inside oysters that are living in the heart of the ocean. It has three types – Tahitian, Akoya, and South Sea Pearls – depending on the kind of oyster that produced it.
2. Freshwater pearls – these are formed inside mussels that are living in lakes, rivers, ponds, or any other body of fresh water.

Either saltwater pearls or freshwater pearls can be natural or cultured. Natural means that there is no human intervention and the pearl is formed naturally by the oyster or mussel. The pearl oyster secretes nacre an iridescent material made of calcium carbonate. The nacre will coat a microscopic irritant entering its shell until a pearl is formed. On the other hand, cultured means that a pearl grower will carefully open the shell and introduce a small object as an irritant (commonly a bead or metal), then get them back into the water and wait for the pearl to form. This usually takes 2-5 years.

There are a lot of fake pearls out there, but it is more pleasant to own a genuine pearl jewelry at least once in your lifetime. A genuine pearl does not only mean “natural”. Even “cultured” pearls are genuine pearls too, having an advantage of being more affordable than natural pearls.

When you hear of fake pearls, it means that they are man-made pearls made of glass, ceramics, plastics or any other similar materials. They are also called “faux” pearls and are sold as costume jewelry. In the face of modern technology, man can create pearls that look like the original one. Mind you, fakes can have the exact original look, but they do not have the same weight or texture. And their luster is dimmer, which is enough to show that they are imitations of the original. They do not contain any gem value.

To help you with identifying genuine freshwater pearls, here is a three way test:

1. Tooth test – get the pearl and run it against your front teeth, just right below the biting edge. If you sense a gritty feeling, it is most probably real. Fake pearls are smooth, like plastic or glass. However, be very careful of the pearls that are made from ground shells as they can also be gritty.
2. Luster test – test the pearls against all kinds of light. Fake pearls will have a shine only on the surface, while genuine pearls always shine from within.
3. Rub test – get two pearls and rub it together. It should be gritty and do not slide off each other.

With so much choice in cheap costume jewellery available on the high street today it is easy to get caught up in all the trends. It is true that fashion has become increasingly throw away over the past decade and many of us have fallen into the trap of not only applying this attitude to our clothes but also to our jewellery. The problem with trying to keep up with the latest Top Shop jewellery fad is that over time you have spent a considerable amount of money with little more to show but a shoe box full of dated tangled metal chains and random earrings.

It may have served its purpose for a few weeks but surely that money could have been better spent? If you like to keep abreast of the latest fashion trends but feel that you can only buy cheap jewellery in order to do so, think again. It might be wise to consider buying a few good quality timeless pieces of jewellery that you will have for years. This doesn’t mean spending an absolute fortune and neither does it mean sacrificing style. However, the amount that you spend will probably equate to what you would spend over an entire season on so called ‘costume jewellery’ from the high street or possibly less!

Take for example this season’s safari holiday trend. Think linen and lots of it, trousers, skirts and shorts in khaki, cream and brown. Combine it with leopard and ethnic prints. When you are clothes shopping, be careful not to just reach for anything that ‘matches’ on the rather too conveniently placed costume jewellery stand. All you need is a simple pair of jade earrings. They are perfectly on trend and will last longer than a season. From a cost saving perspective, you will be bringing them out for years to come.

If safari isn’t your thing then what about this season’s alternative trend ‘the girl next door’? This is all about floral prints, ruffles, bows, pastels and sorbet brights. There’s a strong 50’s element which is very Sex and the City’s Charlotte York. Enter any high street store and pearls will be literally strewn on every display, but think twice before you pile on the overpriced imitations and consider investing just a little bit extra on a freshwater pearls necklace that you will keep forever until you are finally old enough to don them with your twin set!

So, when you are out clothes shopping, try not to get caught up in the moment. Instead of piling on every costume jewellery trend at once and consequently spending lots of money on objects with a short life span, consider a couple of investment pieces in keeping with the current trends that you will ultimately continue to enjoy.

Are you ready to pull the trigger on a Tag Heuer Formula 1 Indy 500? I was in the same boat 4 months ago before my wife bought me one on my 31st birthday. I’ve been a watch fanatic for years collecting a variety of luxury timekeepers, but this one is a real treat.

First Impressions: In actuality, I had no idea I was a TAG guy until I wore my Indy 500 model # CAC111B.BA0850. The best way I can describe it is “sporty” and “sophisticated”. It definitely draws attention (I’ve had a few beautiful ladies comment on it so don’t tell my wife), yet not in an over-the-top way. It’s the perfect watch to project an aura of confidence and success with a youthful, sporty vibe.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Indy 500 Features: This beautiful work of art comes with all the attention to detail and features that make it a TAG. Features include quartz movement, water resistant to 200 m, scratch resistance sapphire crystal, steel case, and a precision dial with luminescent hour-markers and hands.

The TAG Look: The thing I really like about it is the rugged look and feel. Not only does it have a look of authority and sportiness, it features some of the best craftsmanship I’ve ever seen in a watch.

Built To Last: Cheap does not apply here. The TAG Indy 500 is sturdy, reliable, and durable for the most adverse conditions. So far, I’ve worn mine skiing, hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, and lawn moving. You can probably tell I’m an active guy! I have not had any problems.

FYI, one comment I’ve heard from a few other owners is that the battery replacement is a bit expensive at $100. With a battery life of 20 months and warranty period of 2 years, it shouldn’t cost you anything for 4 years. Regardless, $100 is a minimal expense to pay when you consider how reliable and superior this luxury watch is.

The Verdict: Owning a TAG has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life.

I love going to business meetings, out for dinner, and playing golf with the company of my Indy 500. It gives me a complete feeling of confidence and success that makes me feel great!

Before you pull the trigger on a Tag Heuer Indy 500, make sure you’re purchasing from an authorized dealer. There is nothing more disappointing than being ripped off.