Quality Time

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Bvlgari, the super elegant Italian jewelry and design company known for its contemporary lines and its popularity among celebrities is a good example of the fine jewelers which have entered the market for premium watches. Though they have sold fine watches since the 1920s, they began manufacturing their own line in 1977. By combining the bold, elegant design of Bvlgari with movements made by Girard-Perregaux, they offer the elegant contemporary design their customers want with the quality and accuracy of one of the finest Swiss manufacturers.

One of Traditional's best sellers now is Panerai. A firm founded in Florence in 1860, Panerai specialized in making high precision instruments. During the two world wars, Panerai made, among other things, watches for navy frogmen. Considered a military secret, they were only available to members of the Italian navy until the late 1980s. Civilian versions became available in 1993 and they have become "hot".

Swiss born Jean-Jacques Mamie has worked in the watch industry all his life. He is a GIA graduate gemologist and a Swiss Graduate Watchmaker. He Originally came to America to instruct other jewelers how to repair Piaget, Corum, Movado, Cartier and Concord watches.

Fine Swiss watches that are carried at his boutique in the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and at Swiss Connection, his Laguna Niguel location, include Baume & Mercier, IWC, Corum, Rado and Charriol.
Most fine jewelers carry one or more lines of premium watches, so for many people the first place to look for a fine watch is the jeweler with whom they are already dealing.

MacTavish Jewelers in Irvine and Laguna Niguel features Omega watches. This century old Swiss manufacturer has traditionally made watches that were so accurate they were appointed time keeper for 21 olympics. Omega was also adopted by American astronauts and was the first watch worn on the moon. Their broad range of beautiful designs in both quartz and mechanical has made Omega the quintessential Swiss watch for many people.

Others who should check with their present jeweler first include those who work with Mission Jewelers in San Juan Capistrano where owner Michael Guddy has been repairing watches for over 45 years. He not only has some excellent watches in the four figure range, he has spare parts collected from four decades of watch repair. If you can't find the part you need there, it probably no longer exists.
So if this Christmas finds you or your spouse eyeing a beautiful mechanical marvel that costs more than than what your parents paid for a car, indulge yourself. After all, as the Patek Philippe ads tell us, you never really own a fine watch, you're merely keeping it for the next generation.

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