Considering the health concerns surrounding formaldehyde-formulated Brazilian blowout treatments, many Philadelphians are in search of new ways to get straight, tame locks. Enter Bumble and bumble’s Concen-straight Pro Treatment ($300), an in-salon service created in conjunction with Bumble and bumble’s new Straight product line. The heated treatment, available at Center City’s Luna Salon, gently smoothes hair for a more manageable and frizz-free look that can last for up to 30 shampoos. Luna Salon, 1216 Walnut St., 215-546-5862

Trench coat, Plectrum by Ben Sherman ($449). Metro Mens Clothing, 1615 E. Passyunk Ave., 267-324-5172; metromensclothing.com

Ben Sherman impresses with the brand’s newly launched luxury line, Plectrum, inspired by English heritage tailoring and modeled after classic layers of old-fashioned wool sweaters and outerwear. We endorse the militaryinspired pieces, like this boiled wool coat. And we are not the only ones: Old City’s Lost + Found does a bustling business with the brand. “Ben Sherman embodies classic tailoring with a quirky British edge,” says co-owner Sandy Martin.

After years of designer jeans ruling the retail market, a more refined take on everyday wear is making a comeback. Chinos are creeping back into fashionable wardrobes—and in every color imaginable. “Everyone expects khakis to be khaki,” says Andy Dunn, cofounder and CEO of Bonobos, “so much so that the category got named for the color.” Dunn recommends his brand’s Grey Dogs hue “for a conservative look with a less expected gray,” or the Redrums with a white oxford and a navy blazer “to spice things up in a classy way.”

Singer Keri Hilson totes a Gucci Seventies Collection bag

While 1970s styles were all over fall runways, disco fever still is not as wearable as a classic leather handbag. Case in point: Gucci’s Seventies Collection, a line of vintage-inspired bags with a dose of customization and elegance courtesy of personalized gold-embossed initials. The pigskin bags are specially washed to appear lived-in and also come in a men’s style, featuring a darker, more masculine color palette. King of Prussia Mall, 610-337-4130

Cartier presents a brand new set of cuff links in its fall collection. From the Agrafe Collection (French for “clip” or “hook”), the links are made from sterling silver in a palladium finish and adorned with black lacquered clips on one side and sterling silver balls on the other. Slip these on as part of the perfect black-tie ensemble during gala season. King of Prussia Mall, 610-205-0450; cartier.com

Patek Philippe’s 3939HA Minute Repeater Tourbillon

Last week, in the Principality of Monaco, the world-famous charity watch auction Only Watch was held under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II. Forty unique timepieces donated by top brands were sold by Antiquorum, the entire proceeds of which are donated to support research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Top-Selling Watches
Patek Philippe’s 3939HA Minute Repeater Tourbillon in steel (Caliber R to 27 PS movement is 6.58 mm thick with 28 jewels, 336 parts and a 48-hour power reserve piece unique) went for an amazing 1.4 million Euro, or approximately $1,909,704, to be exact. The watch answers the demand of true collectors who recognize the significance of this combination of complexity and rarity built in a steel piece.

Richard Mille took second billing with the RM027 Tourbillon DeWittRafael Nadal, which was worn by Nadal when he won the 2011 Monte Carlo championships for the 7th consecutive year. The watch sold for 510 Euro, or approximately $688,630. It is a light, tonneau-shaped and curved prototype made of carbon, titanium and Lital with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator.

DeWitt was the third best-selling lot at 410 Euro, or $553,605, for its "Concept Watch No. 3 – X-Watch." It is a reversible watch made of titanium and steel, with double bi-retrograde hours and minutes, visible one-minute tourbillon Richard Mille and power reserve on the front side, chronograph on the reverse, registers, power-reserve indication and a DeWitt titanium and black PVD triple folding clasp.

Our Favorites
MB&F (lot 28) sold for 170 Euro, or about $229,500, and was among the top six best sellers of the show. Kudos to them.

The Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’ Art Doves (lot 37) went for 90,000 Euro, or approximately $121,621.

The Vulcain Cricket (lot 39), a favorite of ours thanks to its American Heritage, garnered a respectable 11,500 Euro, or approximately $15,500. Check out our post a few weeks ago to see the video of all 40 timepieces.

Here's a look at some of the watches in the auction:

Read more about watches from our timepiece editor Roberta Naas at atimelyperspective.com.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde: Violet leaf, jasmine and orris, also known as iris root, are the key notes of this warm, earthy floral. According to Robey, Philadelphia women are especially interested in fragrance brands that “people are not able to get everywhere. I think that is why we have such a strong following with Tom Ford,” he says. “Coupled with the launch of Tom Ford’s color line, it is going to be very impactful.” (From $65)

Chanel No. 19 Poudré: Reimagined by house master perfumer Jacques Polge, this iris-spiked scent is a more sensual version of the original No. 19. “You learn a lot by working on a formula that has been done by someone else, the same way a writer learns by reading someone else’s book,” Polge explains. “I have heard a lot of buzz about this scent,” says Robey. “In our store, Chanel is the number- one brand across the board.” (From $80)

Elie Saab: The woody floral is the first fragrance for Saab, known for his exquisite red-carpet gowns. “We do not want to be a flowery, boring perfume,” says Saab. Its cedar heart represents the designer’s Lebanese heritage and is a great complement to the orange and jasmine undertones. For those who need a little pizzazz with their parfum, the bottle appears to be lit from within. “There is going to be huge momentum for this scent,” says Robey. (From $60)

Fan di Fendi: “Blackcurrant and pear, blended together with patchouli and leather—the cornerstone of the house of Fendi—is modern, sparkling, unexpected and addictive,” says Robey. “I think it will be universally appealing.” Silvia Venturini Fendi agrees: “This is a fragrance that we want to stay among our iconic pieces. It is for women who have strong personalities—Fendi women are sure of themselves.” (From $76)

Saks Fifth Avenue, 2 Bala Plaza, Bala Cynwyd

Nature has long been an inspiration to artists, musicians and designers. This fall, watchmakers have joined the fold with a bevy of bejeweled designs featuring animals. By incorporating bold color palettes and rich accents like gemstones, enamels, mother-of-pearl and precious metals, the finest artisans and timepiece brands have deftly captured the call of the wild. For some, creating watches inspired by nature is about interpreting scenes on a surface barely two inches in diameter; for others it is embodying an element so that it defines the entire watch. The ideas are limited only by the imaginations of the creators.

Cartier’s Le Cirque Animalier collection features this alluring 40mm Turtle watch made of 18k white gold and created in an extremely limited edition of 80 numbered pieces. The turtle is sculpted of white gold and set entirely with diamonds save for two emerald eyes. The dial features champlevé enamel and miniature enamel painting to achieve the elaborate background. The watch is further set with round diamonds and accented with a light toile strap. King of Prussia Mall; cartier.com


This Hermès Arceau Petits Cheveaux  takes its equine design inspiration from a vintage tie pattern by Philippe Mouquet. The watch is a limited edition creation and features a 41mm case and a mechanical self-winding movement. King of Prussia Mall; hermes.com
 

From the “Into The Wild” Collection by Le Vian, this Swissmade Peacock watch  features a raised diamond dial with a peacock made of blue and green sapphire. It is further embellished with a diamond bezel weighing five carats, a genuine stingray strap and an additional 843 diamonds and gems. Each watch, which takes Le Vian six months to create, is crafted in stainless steel as part of a numbered edition of 500 pieces. Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry, 10 Park Ave., Willow Grove; levian.com

Steven Lagos is preparing to give a presentation on his store’s new design concept. He sits down at a square conference table inside the fourth-floor showroom of his longtime company headquarters, tucked inside a nondescript building on the outskirts of Old City, and places a thin pile of papers in front of him. He neatly flips over the cover page, pauses for a moment, and then begins to shuffle around the contents of the packet.

“We are not going to go through this in order because, for me, I looked at the concept very differently,” he says. Dressed in a black shirt and Levi jeans, his thick mop of hair just long enough to tease traces of curls, Lagos moves to the opposite side of the conference table, where there are stacks of tiles made from wood, stone and granite. He grabs a handful, returns to his seat and begins matching the cubes to their complementary renderings. One tile he holds up to the light. “This is really cool,” he says, peering over the top of his neon-pink glasses. “We came up with a way to take fabric and put it between glass and mirror.”

It is easy to imagine a similar scene—this careful marriage of design and materials—when Lagos is creating his latest jewelry collection. There have been dozens over the past three decades (Lagos estimates he has created roughly 10,000 pieces), but perhaps none as recognizable as the Signature Caviar Collection. The collection debuted in 1984, seven years after the Broomall native founded his eponymous line, and has been a staple of the brand ever since, perfectly capturing the spirit of Lagos’s vision with its beaded detailing, thick construction and twists of gold and sterling silver. Today Lagos is sold at more than 250 stores across the US, including the designer’s only freestanding location, situated on Walnut Street in the heart of Rittenhouse Square.

To showcase these pieces and others, Lagos will unveil his redesigned boutique in late September. The Art Deco aesthetic is reflected in the light-colored woods, stark black accents and clean lines that define the boutique’s interior, with a dash of 21st-century sensibility in the video panels that line the rear wall. Outside, an all-glass façade will replace the dual display windows, making the store “more open and much more accessible,” says Lagos.

A new shop-in-shop at Bloomingdale’s will debut around the same time as the grand reopening. The King of Prussia Mall miniboutique will mirror the flagship store’s new interior and rival its square footage. Even the Steven Lagos website is getting a face-lift. The changes are centered on the company’s 35th anniversary, coming up next year, but Lagos insists it is all a part of the brand’s natural evolution. “Over the past five years, we started on a path to just re-examine the brand, to re-energize where we were,” says Lagos. “The store is a big part of this. It’s where we control 100 percent of what is happening. So the idea of redoing the store now, after being in Philadelphia for 20 years, is really the idea of getting ready for the next 35 years.”

The collection merchandising for the company has undergone a series of changes as well, including a concentrated effort to increase the breadth of the collection with different classifications and prices as well as “different silhouettes,” as Lagos says, to appeal to a wider audience, and the introduction of new pieces to stores nearly every month. “It’s about being current, being relevant,” says Lagos, “but, at the same time, staying true to the brand DNA. It’s about jewelry that people can wear.”