How to Choose a Nice Watch

There are many different watches in the market. Find one that fits your style.
Steps
1Decide what kind of watch you want. Analog? Digital? Both?
2Choose the band. Do you want a metal band? Rubber? Polyurethane?
3Determine your price range. Under $100? Under $1000?
4Be sure that the watch can actually tell time. In other words, get one that has quartz, Swiss, or Japanese movement. Newer models have kinetic or automatic movements and store energy when the watch is worn. The movement of your wrist "winds" the watch. Be aware though that these watches should be worn daily to ensure that the "battery' is charged.
5Styling may be very important. For example if your want a sophisticated, sleek look you might want to find a sleek, thin, long silver watch. For more of the punk/rock star look, you could get one with a very wide webbing or leather band. For the classy, preppy look, a metal analog watch would be nice.
6Get a watch that is durable. You can't really tell by looking at one, but you can check its ratings by the manufacturer. Rolexes, Tag Heuers, Rado, and other well known brands are very well made. Check the manufacturer to make sure they have a reputation of good watches.
7Check for water resistance. Unless you see a marking for meters (ex. 30 meters, 100 meter, etc...) assume that it cannot be worn in water.
8If you are worried about battery life, go for digital watches, some CASIO models claim for 10 years of battery life.
Tips
-Stay within price range. Watches are easy to lose, and your investment might just go out the window.
-For the average person, a Seiko, G-Shock, Swatch, or Casio are all great values.
-If the watch which you are going purchase for everyday use and cheaper once ($20-$50), then go for such a watch for which you yourself can change batteries. This would save a lot of dollars for getting battery replaced.
-Purchase a watch with standard sized strap (10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 22 mm) as they are easily available everywhere. If the strap is too wide like 35 mm, then such straps are hard to get and are much expensive.
Warnings
-Never try to open a watch yourself. Always take it to a certified jeweler.
-Beware of counterfeit brand name watches. If it seems too cheap to be real, it probably is a fake.
-Don't buy an analog watch without markings unless you are able to read it.
-Many reputed Swiss Made watches should be bought from their offcial dealers. Buying Swiss watches online may be risky.

How to Pick Sunglasses

Everyone wants sunglasses that are fashionable and protect their eyes. Still, there are other considerations, and quality sunglasses can be a pretty big investment, so read these steps for some suggestions that may help you.
Steps
1Get some that offer good protection from the sun. There should be a sticker on the lens telling you if they do. Perhaps the first consideration will be that they block 100% of UV-A and UV-B (or ultraviolet A and B) light, since these wavelengths of light can damage your eyes.
2ecide whether you need polarized or non-polarized lenses. Polarized lenses decrease the amount of glare by filtering out defracted, or bent, light waves, which can be an advantage to drivers and fishermen.
3Check how much light they block. For extremely bright light situations, such as walking on snow or bright sandy beaches, darker glasses will relieve a lot of the strain on your eyes. Long term exposure to very bright light, particularly reflected off of snow, white sand, or water, can cause photokeratisis (snowblindness), a type of "sunburn" of the cornea, which is a painful, temporary form of blindness.
4Make sure the lenses offer protection for your entire retina from UV light. Narrow, small lenses may look good, but curved lenses which "wrap" slightly around your face give better protection.
5Choose sunglasses made with impact resistant glass or plastic lenses. This will decrease the chance of severe eye injuries in the event you are struck in the eye and the lens shatters.
6Pick a color which does not distort or otherwise effect your eye's ability to distinguish colors. The American volunteer eye saftey organisation, Prevent Blindness America recommends amber, grey, brown, or green lenses.
7Check the weight of your sunglasses. If you don't want to carry a heavy pair, choose some that are lightweight.
8Make sure the sunglasses fit properly. Try them on and make sure they don't pinch around your head. But make sure they are not too big. Leave them on for a few minutes and see if they start to hurt.
9Look in the mirror that should be provided. See if they suit you. You should be able to tell how they look on your face.
10Take a friend for a second opinion. Make sure it is someone who will be honest and tell you if they suit you or not.
11Think of your face shape. Not all sunglasses look great on all people. The right sunglasses will flatter your face shape:
-Aviator are good with any type, but best with an oval shape face;
-Rounded frames are great with a square face;
-Rectangular frames are great with a heart shaped face, and square frames are great with a round face.
12Try aviator shades. They are perfect for any look and give any outfit a cool retro vibe. They're timeless.
13Try oversize frames. They glam up any outfit, but be sure you look good with them on, and not cheap or like a bug.
14Find unique frames. Frames are a reflection of your personal style. Too many people wear the same frames each season, so get some different ones if you're looking for fashion. Vintage shades are awesome. Alternatively, go for a classic look and wear it year to year to save yourself some money.
15Be picky. There are loads of different sizes and styles, so keep trying them until you find the ones that are just right for you.
16Be aware that as in most purchases, price will have a bearing on quality, and because you should consider your vision priceless, it would be wise to consider investing in protection for them carefully.
17Use the same approach to buying sunglasses for children, especially since they often spend much of their time outdoors. Never buy cheap, toy sunglasses for kids, rather, purchase protective, properly fitting quality sunglasses.
Tips
1Always put your sunglasses in a hardcover case to protect them when traveling out and about; otherwise you might sit on them and mangle them.
2Think about how you will be using the sunglasses.
-If you are athletic, you may want sunglasses that will stay on when you play basketball, keep bugs out of your eyes when you ride your bike, or not steam up if you're sweating.
-Do you need them to wrap around and keep the sun out of the sides of your eyes, too?
-Some shooters and other sportsmen prefer amber or even yellow lenses for their sports, since these are purported to improve their vision, as well as protecting their eyes.
3Consider "clip on" type glasses if you wear a prescription lens eyeglass. If your prescription glasses are already 100% UV blocking material, all you will need is a lens which sufficiently blocks glare and bright light to reduce eyestrain.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses or sun glasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to prevent strong light from reaching the eyes. In the early Twentieth century they were also known as sun cheaters (or simply cheaters).
Many people find direct sunlight too bright to be comfortable. During outdoor activities, the human eye can receive more light than usual. Healthcare professionals recommend eye protection whenever outside to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation, which can lead to the development of a cataract. Sunglasses have long been associated with celebrities and film actors primarily from a desire to hide or mask their identity. Since the 1940s sunglasses have been popular as a fashion accessory, especially on the beach.

History
United States Secret Service agents wearing sunglasses
PrecursorsIt is said that the Roman emperor Nero liked to watch gladiator fights with emeralds. These, however, appear to have worked rather like mirrors.Flat panes of smoky quartz which offered no corrective powers but did protect the eyes from glare were used in China in the 12th century or possibly earlier. Contemporary documents describe the use of such crystals by judges in Chinese courts to conceal their facial expressions while questioning witnesses.
James Ayscough began experimenting with tinted lenses in spectacles in the mid-18th century. These were not "sunglasses" as such; Ayscough believed blue- or green-tinted glass could correct for specific vision impairments. Protection from the sun's rays was not a concern of his.
Yellow/Amber and brown-tinted spectacles were also a commonly-prescribed item for people with syphilis in the 19th and early 20th centuries because of the sensitivity to light that was one of the symptoms of the disease.
Modern developmentsIn the early 1900s, the use of sunglasses started to become more widespread, especially among the pioneering stars of silent movies. It is commonly believed that this was to avoid recognition by fans, but the real reason was they often had perennially red eyes from the powerful arc lamps that were needed due to the extremely slow speed film stocks used[citation needed]. The stereotype persisted long after improvements in film quality and the introduction of ultraviolet filters had eliminated this problem. Inexpensive mass-produced sunglasses were introduced to America by Sam Foster in 1929. Foster found a ready market on the beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he began selling sunglasses under the name Foster Grant from a Woolworth on the Boardwalk.
Sunglasses first became polarized in 1936, when Edwin H. Land began experimenting with making lenses with his patented Polaroid filter.
Uses Paul Newman wearing sunglassesHiding one's eyes has implications in face-to-face communication: It can hide weeping, being one of the signs of mourning, makes eye contact impossible which can be intimidating, or can show detachment, which is considered cool in some circles. Darkened sunglasses of particular shapes may be in vogue as a fashion accessory. Note that normal glasses are very rarely worn without a practical purpose — curiously, they can project an image of uncool nerdiness that sunglasses do not have. The impact on nonverbal communication and the cool image are among the reasons for wearing sunglasses by night or indoors. People may also wear sunglasses to hide dilated or contracted pupils or bloodshot eyes (which would reveal drug use), recent physical abuse (such as a black eye), or to compensate for increased photosensitivity. Fashion trends are another reason for wearing sunglasses, particularly designer sunglasses. Shutter Shades are a prime example of sunglasses worn for fashion rather than functionality due to trends in pop culture.
John Major at Newlands Cricket Ground wearing sunglasses, January 2000.People with severe visual impairment, such as the blind, often wear sunglasses in order to avoid making others uncomfortable — not seeing eyes may be better than seeing eyes which seem to look in the wrong direction. Those whose eyes have an abnormal appearance (for example due to cataract) or which jerk uncontrollably (nystagmus) may also do so.
Visual clarity and comfortSunglasses can improve visual comfort and visual clarity by protecting the eye from glare.Various types of disposable sunglasses are dispensed to patients after receiving mydriatic eye drops during eye examinations.
Protection Sunglasses should pass the ANSI Z87.1 requirements and offer UV protectionExcessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) can cause short-term and long-term ocular problems such as photokeratitis, snow blindness, cataracts, pterygium, and various forms of eye cancer.Medical experts often advise the public on the importance of wearing sunglasses to protect the eyes from UV. In the European Union, a CE mark identifies glasses fulfilling quality regulations. In the preparation for solar eclipses, health authorities often warn against looking at the sun through sunglasses alone.
There is no demonstrated correlation between high prices and increased UV protection. A 1995 study reported that "Expensive brands and polarizing sunglasses do not guarantee optimal UVA protection." The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has also reported that "[c]onsumers cannot rely on price as an indicator of quality". One survey cited below even found a $6.95 pair of generic glasses with slightly better protection than Salvatore Ferragamo shades.
More recently, high-energy visible light (HEV) has been implicated as a cause of age-related macular degeneration, and some manufacturers design to block it. Sunglasses may be especially important for children, as their ocular lenses are thought to transmit far more HEV light than adults (lenses "yellow" with age).
Some sunglasses also pass ANSI Z87.1 requirements for basic impact and high impact protection. These are voluntary standards, so not all sunglasses comply, nor are manufacturers required to comply. In the basic impact test, a 1 in (2.54 cm) steel ball is dropped on the lens from 50 in (127 cm). In the high velocity test, a 1/4 in (6.35mm) steel ball is shot at the lens at 150 ft/s (45.72 m/s). In both tests, no part of the lens can touch the eye.
StandardsThere are three sunglass standards.
The Australian Standard is AS 1067. The five sunglass ratings under this standard are based on the amount of light they absorb, 0 to 4, with “0” providing some protection from UV radiation and sunglare, and “4” a high level of protection.
The US standard is ANSI Z80.3-1972. According to the ANSI Z80.3-2001 standard, the compliable lens should have a UVB (280 to 315nm) transmittance of no more than one per cent and a UVA (315 to 380nm) transmittance of no more than 0.5 times of the visual light transmittance
The European standard is EN 1836:2005. The four ratings are 0 for insufficient UV protection, 1 for sufficient UV protection, 2 for good UV protection and 3 for full UV protection.
Water sunglassesWater sunglasses, also known as surfing sunglasses, surf goggles and water eyewear consist of eyewear specially adapted to be used in turbulent water, such as the surf. Features normally available includea) shatter proof & impact resistant lensesb) strap or other fixing to keep glasses in place during sporting activitiesc) buoyancy to stop them from sinking should they be displaced from the wearerd) nose cushione) vent or other method to eliminate fogging
Many sports utilize these sunglasses including surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, wakeboarding, kayaking, jet skiing, Bodyboarding, and water skiing.
Construction
LensThe colour of the lens can vary by style, fashion, and purpose, but for general use, green, grey, yellow, or brown is recommended to avoid or minimize color distortion which would be dangerous when, for instance, driving a car. Gray lenses are considered neutral because they do not enhance contrast or distort colors. Brown and green lenses cause some minimal color distortion, but have contrast-enhancing properties. Red lenses are good for medium and lower light conditions because they are good at enhancing contrast, but cause significant color distortion. Orange and yellow lenses have the best contrast enhancement at depth perception but cause color distortion. Yellow lenses are commonly used by golfers and shooters for its contrast enhancement and depth perception properties. Blue or purple lenses offer no real benefits and are mainly cosmetic. With the introduction of office computing, ergonomists can recommend mildly tinted glasses for display operators to increase contrast.[citation needed] Clear lenses are used typically to protect the eyes from impact, debris, dust, or chemicals. Some sunglasses with interchangeable lens have optional clear lenses to protect the eyes during low light or night time activities. Debates exist as to whether "blue blocking" or amber tinted lenses may have a protective effect. Blue blocking sunglasses typically also block some light of other colors to function well in full sunlight. Some low blue glasses are for use inside at night to avoid suppression of the sleep promoting hormone melatonin.[citation needed] They provide enough light so normal evening activities can continue.
Some models have polarized lenses, made of Polaroid polarized plastic sheet, to reduce glare caused by light reflected from polarizing surfaces such as water (see Brewster's angle for how this works) as well as by polarized diffuse sky radiation (skylight). This can be especially useful when fishing, as the ability to see beneath the surface of the water is crucial.
A mirrored coating can also be applied to the lens. This mirrored coating reflects some of the light when it hits the lens before it is transmitted through the lens making it useful in bright conditions. These mirrored coatings can be made any color by the manufacturer for styling and fashion purposes. The color of the mirrored surface is irrelevant to the color of the lens. For example, a gray lens can have a blue mirror coating, and a brown lens can have a silver coating. Sunglasses of this type are sometimes called mirrorshades. A mirror does not get hot in the sunlight and prevents scattering in the lens bulk.
Sunglass lenses are made from either glass or plastic. Plastic lenses are typically made from acrylic, polycarbonate, CR-39 or Polyurethane. Glass lenses have the best optical clarity and scratch resistance, but are heavier than plastic lenses. They can also shatter or break on impact. Plastic lenses are lighter but are more prone to scratching. Plastic offers more resistance to shattering than glass. Polycarbonate plastic lenses are the lightest, and are also almost shatterproof, making them good for impact protection. CR-39 is the most common plastic lens, due to their low weight, high scratch resistance, and low transparency for ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
Any of the above features: color, polarization, gradation, mirroring, and materials can be combined into the lens for a pair of sunglasses. Gradated glasses are darker at the top of the lens where the sky is viewed and transparent at the bottom. Corrective lenses or glasses can be manufactured with either tinting or darkened to serve as sunglasses. An alternative is to use the corrective glasses with a secondary lenses such as oversize sunglasses that fit over the regular glasses, clip-on lens that are placed in front of the glasses, and flip-up glasses which feature a dark lens that can be flipped up when not in use. Photochromic lens gradually darken in bright light.
Frames This sunglass-eyeshield uses a nylon half-frame and interchangeable lensesFrames are generally made from plastic, nylon, a metal or metal alloy. Nylon frames are usually used in sports because they are light weight and flexible. They are able to bend slightly and return to their original shape instead of breaking when pressure is applied to them. This flex can also help the glasses grip better on the wearer's face. Metal frames are usually more rigid than nylon frames thus they can be more easily damaged when participating in sporty activities, but this is not to say that they cannot be used for such activities. Because metal frames are more rigid, some models have spring loaded hinges to help them grip the wearer's face better. The end of the ear pieces and the bridge over the nose can be textured or have a rubber or plastic material to hold better. The end of the ear pieces are usually curved so that they wrap around the ear; however, some models have straight ear pieces. Oakley, for example, has straight ear pieces on all their glasses.
Frames can be made to hold the lenses in several different ways. There are three common styles: full frame, half frame, and frameless. Full frame glasses have the frame go all around the lenses. Half frames go around only half the lens, typically the frames attach to the top of the lenses and on the side near the top. Frameless glasses have no frame around the lenses and the ear stems are attached directly to the lenses. There are two styles of frameless glasses: those that have a piece of frame material connecting the two lenses together, and those that are a single lens with ear stems on each side.
Some sports-oriented sunglasses have interchangeable lens options. Lenses can be easily removed and swapped with a different lens, usually a different coloured lens. The purpose of this is to allow the wearer to easily change lenses when light conditions or activities change. The reason for this is because the cost of a set of lenses is less than the cost of a separate pair of glasses and carrying extra lenses is less bulky than carrying multiple pairs of glasses. It also allows easy replacement of a set of lenses if they are damaged. The most common type of sunglasses with interchangeable lenses have a single lens or shield that covers both eyes. Styles that use two lenses also exist, but are less common.
Nose BridgeNose bridges allow support between the lens and the face. Nose bridges also prevent pressure marks caused by the weight of the lens or frame on the cheeks. People with large noses may need a low nose bridge on their sunglasses. People with medium noses may need a low or medium nose bridge. People with small noses may need sunglasses with high nose bridges to allow clearance.
Fashion
Oversized sunglasses A girl wearing oversized sunglassesOversized sunglasses ,which were fashionable in the 1980s, are now often used for humorous purposes, and look like a pair of sunglasses that is extremely large for the face. They usually come in bright colors with colored lenses and can be purchased cheaply.
The singer Elton John would sometimes wear oversized sunglasses on stage in the mid 1970's as part of his Captain Fantastic stage act.
Over recent years however, moderately oversized sunglasses have become a fashion trend. There are many variations, such as the 'Onassis', discussed below, and Dior white sunglasses.
Onassis glassesOnassis glasses or "Jackie O's" are very large sunglasses worn by women. This style of sunglasses is said to mimic the kind most famously worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the 1960s. The glasses continue to be popular with women, and celebrities may use these to hide from paparazzi.
MirrorshadesMain article: Mirrorshades (fashion)Mirrorshades are sunglasses with a mirrored coating on the surface. Their popularity with police officers in the United States has earned them the nickname "cop shades". The two most popular styles for these are dual lenses set in metal frames (which are often confused with Aviators), and "Wraparound" (a single, smooth, semi-circular lens that covers both eyes and much of the same area of the face covered by protective goggles, combined with a minimal plastic frame and single piece of plastic serving as a nosepiece). Wraparound sunglasses are also quite popular in the world of extreme sports.
Aviators Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses(RB3025 004/58)Main article: Ray-Ban AviatorAviators are sunglasses with an oversized teardrop-shaped lens and thin metal frames. This design first appeared in 1936 by Ray-Ban for issue to U.S. military aviators. Their popularity with pilots, military and law enforcement personnel in the United States has never wavered. As a fashion statement, models of aviator sunglasses are often made in mirrored, colored, degregated, and wrap-around styles. In addition to pilots, Aviator-style sunglasses gained popularity with young people in the late 1960s and continued to be very popular with only a brief fall in demand during the 1990s.
WayfarersMain article: Ray-Ban WayfarerFirst introduced by Ray-Ban, the Wayfarer design popularized since the 1950s by Hollywood celebrities such as James Dean is thought to be the bestselling sunglasses design to date[citation needed].
Teashades Teashade sunglasses'Teashades' (sometimes also called "John Lennon glasses" or "Ozzy Glasses", after Ozzy Osbourne') were a type of Psychedelic art wire-rim sunglasses that were often worn, usually for purely aesthetic reasons, by members of the 1960s drug counterculture, as well as by opponents of segregation.[citation needed] Rock stars such as Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Jerry Garcia,and Ozzy Osbourne, all wore teashades. The original teashade design was made up of medium-sized, perfectly round lenses, supported by pads on the bridge of the nose and a thin wire frame. When teashades became popular in the late 1960s, they were often elaborated; lenses were elaborately colored, mirrored, and degregated, produced in excessively large sizes, and with the wire earpieces exaggerated. A uniquely-colored or darkened glass lens was usually preferred. Modern versions tend to have plastic lenses as do many other sunglasses. Teashades are rare to find in shops today however can be found at many costume websites and different countries.
The term has now fallen into disuse, although references can still be found in literature of the time. Teashades are briefly referenced during a police training seminar in Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. 'Teashades' also was used to describe glasses worn to hide the effects of marijuana (conjunctival injection) or 'bloodshot' eyes or the effects of opiates such as heroin (pupillary constriction).
The glasses worn by Seraph in the Matrix films are Teashades. Ban Mido (GetBackers) and Basara Nekki (Macross 7) are almost never seen without their purple-lensed teashades. Former professional wrestler Bret Hart is also known for wearing teashades at live and televised appearances during his wrestling career.
Tim Roth also favours teashade sunglasses.
Shutter ShadesMain article: Shutter Shades
Glacier GlassesSometimes called glacier goggles: sunglasses with leather blinders at the sides that protect the eyes by blocking the sun's rays around the edges of the lenses. Typically, these have very dark round lenses. Because they provide extra protection from bright sun and light reflected by snow and ice, they are often used when mountain climbing, or traveling across glaciers or snowfields.
Faded/ Graduated LensesThe Faded lenses refer to the fade in which sunlight is blocked from ones face. For example there will be more protection from sunlight the higher you look on the lens but the farther one looks down the less protection one gets. The fashion advantage is that one can wear them inside and not fear tripping over something and also allowing the user to see. Wearing sunglasses to nightclubs has become common in recent times, where the faded lens comes in handy. The Independent (London), has also referred to these style of sunglasses as the Murphy Lens.

Rolex

The Rolex Watch Company improved Harwood's design in 1930 and used it as the basis for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, in which the centrally mounted semi-circular weight could rotate through a full 360° rather than the 300° of the 'bumper' winder. Rolex's version also increased the amount of energy stored in the mainspring, allowing it to run autonomously for up to 35 hours.

Automatic Watch

An automatic or self-winding watch is a mechanical watch, whose mainspring is wound automatically by the natural motion of the wearer's arm, to make it unnecessary to manually wind the watch. Most mechanical watches sold today are self-winding.

How it works
To accomplish this, the watch contains a semicircular 'rotor', an eccentric weight that turns on a pivot, within the watch case. The normal movements of the user's arm and wrist cause the rotor to pivot back-and-forth on its staff, which is attached to a ratcheted winding mechanism. The motion of the wearer's arm is thereby translated into the circular motion of the rotor that, through a series of reverser and reducing gears, eventually winds the mainspring. Modern self-winding mechanisms have two ratchets and wind the mainspring during both clockwise and counterclockwise rotor motions.
The fully-wound mainspring in a typical watch can store enough energy reserve for roughly two days, allowing automatics to keep running through the night while off the wrist. Usually automatic watches can also be wound manually by turning the crown, so the watch can be kept running when not worn, and in case the wearer's wrist motions are not sufficient to keep it wound automatically.
Preventing overwindingA problem that had to be solved with self-winding mechanisms is that they continued working even after the mainspring was fully wound up, putting excessive tension on the mainspring. This causes a problem called 'knocking' or 'banking'. The excessive drive force applied to the watch movement gear train made the balance wheel rotate with too much amplitude, that is too far in each direction, causing the impulse pin to hit the back of the pallet fork horns. This made the watch run fast, and could break the impulse pin. To prevent this, a slipping clutch device is used on the mainspring so it cannot be overwound.
The slipping spring or 'bridle'The 'slipping mainspring' device was patented by Adrien Philippe, founder of Patek Philippe on June 16, 1863, long before self-winding watches. It was originally invented to allow simultaneous winding of two mainspring barrels. In an ordinary watch mainspring barrel, the outer end of the spiral mainspring is attached to the inside of the barrel. In the slipping barrel, the mainspring is attached to a circular steel expansion spring, often called the 'bridle', which presses against the inside wall of the barrel, which has serrations or notches to hold it.
As long as the mainspring is less than fully wound, the bridle holds the mainspring by friction to the barrel wall, allowing the mainspring to be wound. When the mainspring reaches full wind, its force is stronger than the bridle spring, and further winding pulls the bridle loose from the notches and it simply slides along the wall, preventing the mainspring from being wound further. The bridle must grip the barrel wall with just the right force to allow the mainspring to wind fully but not overwind. If it grips too loosely, the mainspring will begin to slip before it is fully wound, a defect known as 'mainspring creep' which results in a shortened reserve power time.
A further advantage of this device is that the mainspring can't be broken by overzealous manual winding. It is often referred to misleadingly in watch company terminology as an 'unbreakable mainspring'.
Automatic quartz or kinetic movementMore recently, electronic quartz watches that are powered by arm movement have been developed. A weighted rotor turns a tiny electrical generator, charging a rechargeable battery or capacitor which powers the quartz movement. This automatic quartz arrangement provides the accuracy of quartz without the need to replace the battery or capacitor until it reaches the end of its life, which may be decades.
The watch winderFor people who do not wear their automatic watch every day, watch winders are available to store automatic watches and keep them wound. This is particularly advantageous if the watch has complex complications, like perpetual calendars or moon phases. A watch winder is a device that can hold one or more watches and moves them in circular patterns to approximate the human motion that otherwise keeps the self-winding mechanism working. A mechanical watch should be kept wound and running as much as possible to prevent its lubricants from congealing over time, which diminishes accuracy. A full service (which involves disassembly, cleaning and re-lubrication) should be performed at least every five years to keep the movement as accurate as possible.
History
Perrelet
Perrelet working on a watchThe Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Perrelet invented a self-winding mechanism in 1770 for pocket watches. It worked on the same principle as a modern pedometer, and was designed to wind as the owner walked, using an oscillating weight inside the large watch that moved up and down. The Geneva Society of Arts reported in 1776 that fifteen minutes walking was necessary to wind the watch sufficiently for eight days, and the following year reported that it was selling well.
Breguet
Perrelet sold some of his watches to a contemporary watch making luminary, Abraham-Louis Breguet around 1780 who improved upon the mechanism in his own version of the design, calling his watches "perpetuelles" the French word for perpetual. They did not work reliably and Breguet stopped producing them around 1800.
'Bumper' wristwatches: 1923
Self winding mechanisms were more successful in wristwatches because the rotor could operate every time that the owner moved his or her arm. The first version did not appear until after World War 1, when wristwatches became popular. It was invented by a watch repairer from the Isle of Man named John Harwood in 1923, who took out a UK patent with his financial backer, Harry Cutts, on 7 July 1923, and a corresponding Swiss patent on 16 October 1923. The Harwood system used a pivoting weight which swung as the wearer moved, and which in turn wound the mainspring. The ratchet mechanism only wound the mainspring when moving in one direction. The weight didn't rotate a full 360°; spring bumpers limited its swing to about 180°, to encourage a back and forth motion. This early type of self-winding mechanism is now referred to as a 'hammer' or 'bumper'.
When fully wound, the watch would run for 12 hours autonomously. It did not have a conventional stem winder, so the hands were moved manually by rotating a bezel around the face of the watch. The watches were first produced with the help of Swiss watch manufacturer Fortis and went on sale in 1928. 30,000 were made before the Harwood Self-Winding Watch Company collapsed in 1931 as a result of the Great Depression. 'Bumper' watches were the first commercially successful automatic watches; they were made by several high grade watch manufacturers during the 1930s and 1940s.
Rolex
The Rolex Watch Company improved Harwood's design in 1930 and used it as the basis for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, in which the centrally mounted semi-circular weight could rotate through a full 360° rather than the 300° of the 'bumper' winder. Rolex's version also increased the amount of energy stored in the mainspring, allowing it to run autonomously for up to 35 hours.
By the 1960s, automatic winding became standard in quality mechanical watches. Because the weighted rotor needed in an automatic watch takes up a lot of room in the case, increasing the thickness of the watch, some high end watch companies, such as Patek Philippe, continue to design manually wound watches, which can achieve a case thickness as low as 1.77 millimeters.

Pubikini

In 1985, designer Rudi Gernreich unveiled the pubikini, a bathing suit meant to expose pubic hair. The pubikini is a small piece of fabric that hugs the hips and buttocks but leaves the pubic region exposed, described as a tiny V-shaped fabric strip and a piece de resistance totally freeing the human body.

Trikini

The trikini appeared briefly in 1967, defined as "a handkerchief and two small saucers." It reappeared a few years ago as a bikini bottom with a stringed halter of two triangular pieces of cloth covering the breasts. The trikini top comes essentially in two separate parts. The name of this woman's bathing suit is formed from bikini, based on the amusing assumption that bits Greek for "two," to be replaced with tri- "three". Fashion writer William Safire wrote in The New York Times - "Stripping to essentials, if the trikini is three pieces, the bikini two and the monokini one, when will we see the zerokini?" Dolce & Gabbana designed trikinis for Summer 2005 as three pieces of scintillating sequined fabric, barely cover the essentials of a woman's body. A variation on the bikini in which three pieces are sold together, such as a bikini with a tank top or a bikini with a one-piece suit is also sometimes called a Trikini, including a conventional two-piece with a glitzy band of rhinestones round the waist. Israeli designer Gideon Oberson, knoen for his his artistically inspired bathing suits, calls a two-piece suit but looks like a tank top that can be worn with a skirt or a pair of shorts designed by him a trikini. Brazilian designer Amir Slama calls two sexy scraps of silk connected with string he designed for skinny women a trikini.

Sling Bikini

The sling bikini is also known as a "suspender bikini", "suspender thong", "slingshot bikini" or just "slingshot". It is a one-piece suit which provides as little, or even less, coverage (or as much exposure) as a bikini. Usually, a slingshot resembles a bikini bottom, but rather than the straps going around the hips or waist, the side straps extend upwards to cover the breasts and go over the shoulders, leaving the entire sides of the torso uncovered, but the nipples and pubic area covered. Behind the neck, the straps join and reach down the back to become a thong. The variation of sling bikinis that has the straps simply encircle the neck and another set of straps pass around the midriff, instead of the straps passing over the neck and down the back, is called a pretzel bikini. Corresponding to the advent of Lycra, these bikinis first emerged in the early 1990s, and is more popular on the beaches of Europe including Saint Tropez, Marabella, Mykonos and Ibiza. Suspender-like straps that running between the breasts and around the neck held the suit up were introduced in the mainstream in 1994. News reports said that within a week of putting the suit on their racks, New York's major stores had sold 150. San Francisco women turned deaf ears to clergymen's warnings that "nakedness and paganism go hand in hand." By season's end, the tally sold was 3000 plus, at $24 a suit.

Tankini

The tankini is a swimsuit combining a tank top, mostly made of spandex-and-cotton or Lycra-and-nylon, and a bikini bottom introduced in the late 1990s. According to author William Safire, "The most recent evolution of the -kini family is the tankini, a cropped tank top supported by spaghetti-like strings." The tankini is distinguished from the classic bikini by the difference in tops, the top of the tankini essentially being a tank top. The tankini top extends downward to somewhere between just above the navel and the top of the hips. The word is a neologism combining the tank of tank top with the end of the word bikini. This go-between nature of tankini has rendered its name to things ranging from a lemonade-based martini (Tankini Martini) to server architecture (Tankini HipThread). This type of swimwear is considered by some to provide modesty closer to a one piece suit with the convenience of a two piece suit, like the entire suit need not be removed in order to use a lavatory. Tankinis come in a variety of styles, colors and shapes, some include features such as integrated push-up bras. It is particularly popular as children's beachwear, and athletic outfit good enough for a triathlon. According to Katherine Betts, Vogue's fashion-news director, this amphibious sportswear for sand or sea lets the user go rafting, playing volleyball and swimming without worrying about losing their top.
Tankinis are popular as children's beachwearDesigner Anne Cole, described as a godmother of swimwear in the USA, was originator of this style. She scored what would be her biggest hit in 1998 when her label introduced the tankini. A two-piece suit with a top half that covered more of a woman's torso than a standard bikini top, the suit was an instant hit with customers. Variations of the tankini, made of spandex-and-cotton or Lycra-and-nylon, have been named camkini, with spaghetti straps instead of tank-shaped straps over a bikini bottom, and even bandeaukini, with a bandeau worn as the top.
Tankinis are suggested as an option for women who had gone through mastectomy, i.e. removal of one or both breasts by surgery,modest bust sizes, and long-torsos. For women who don't have washboard abs, Betts commented, "If you don't feel comfortable wearing a bikini, the tankini's an option that's sort of in between." In Think & Date Like a Man, fashion writer April Masini suggests wearing a tankini for women with smaller breasts and less-than-toned abdomens as the most flattering choice of beachwear, with the right amount of coverage along with the feeling of a two-piece suit. A not-too-close-fitting tanking, ensembled with a sarong, has been suggested for gymnophobia or the fear of nudity. Tankinis, sometimes divided in front exposing the navel, exist for pregnant women. Gucci's crystal-studded tankini, on the May 1998 covers of both Harper's Bazaar and Cosmopolitan was as expensive as US$2,425, while bargain tankinis were available at less than US$10. Fashion experts also suggest tankini-style wedding dresses for brides of a certain body-types, i.e. athletic long legs.

Microkini

A microkini is an extremely skimpy bikini. The designs for both women and men typically use only enough fabric to cover the genitalia. Any additional straps are merely to keep the garment attached to the wearer's body. Some variations of the microkini use adhesive or wire to hold the fabric in place over the genitals. These designs do not require any additional side straps to keep the garment in place. The most radical variations of the microkini are simply thin straps which cover little or none of the wearer's body. The term "microkini" was coined in 1995 in an online community dedicated to enthusiasts of the extreme designs. Microkinis fill a niche between nudism and conservative swimwear. In addition to keeping the wearer just within legal limits of decency, they have also evolved to become the ultimate in provocative sun wear.[citation needed]
The modern microkini's origins can be traced back to the early-1970s in Venice Beach, California, US, where, after legislation was passed banning nudity, beach regulars began making their own tiny bathing suits to comply with the new laws. The homemade suits were often little more than tiny, remnant pieces of fabric, crudely sewn together with thin twine or fishing line. Around 1975, a local bikini shop picked up on the idea and began to make more practical styles using modern materials. Soon after, several adult film actresses began wearing the shop's suits in their films and the style began to catch on.[

Monokini

A monokini, sometimes referred to as a unikini, is a women's one-piece garment equivalent to the lower half of a bikini. The term monokini is also now used for any topless swimsuit,particularly a bikini bottom worn without a bikini top. In 1964, Rudi Gernreich, an Austrian fashion designer, designed the original monokini in the US. Gernreich also invented its name, and the word monokini is first recorded in English that year. Gernreich's monokini looked like a one-piece swimsuit suspended from two halter straps in the cleavage of bared breasts. It had only two small straps over the shoulders, leaving the breasts bare. Despite the reaction of fashion critics and church officials, shoppers purchased the monokini in record numbers that summer, though very few monokinis were ever worn in public. By the end of the season, Gernreich had sold 3000 swimsuits at $24 apiece, which meant a tidy profit for such a minuscule amount of fabric. It was not very successful in the USA, where although allowing the sexes equal exposure above the waist, have never accepted it for the beach. Many women who wanted to sunbathe topless simply wore the bottom part of a bikini. Manufacturers and retailers quickly adapted to selling tops and bottoms separately. Gernreich later created the lesser known pubikini.Peggy Moffitt, the original model for the infamous suit, said it was a logical evolution of Gernreich's avant-garde ideas in swimwear design as much as a scandalous symbol of the permissive society. In the 1960s, the monokini led the way into the sexual revolution by emphasizing a woman's personal freedom of dress, even when her attire was provocative and exposed more skin than had been the norm during the more conservative 1950s. Like all swimsuits, the monokini bottom portion of the swimsuit can vary in cut. Some have g-string style backs, while others provide full coverage of the rear. The bottom of the monokini may be high cut, reaching to the waist, with high cut legs, or may be a much lower cut, exposing the belly button. The modern monokini, which is less racy than than Gernreich's original design, takes its design from the bikini, and is also described as "more of a cut-out one-piece swimsuit," with designers using fabric, mesh, chain, or other materials to link the top and bottom sections together, though the appearance may not be functional, but rather only aesthetic. In recent years, the term has come into use for topless bathing by women: where the bikini has two parts, the monokini is the lower part. Where monokinis are in use, the word bikini may jokingly refer to a two-piece outfit consisting of a monokini and a sun hat.

String Bikini

A string bikini is scantier and more revealing than a traditional bikini. It gets its name from the string characteristics of its design. It consists of two triangular shaped pieces connected at the groin but not at the sides, where a thin "string" wraps around the waist connecting the two parts. String bikini tops are similar and are tied in place by the attached "string" pieces. String pieces can either be continuous or tied.
It is claimed that Brazilian fashion model Rose de Primallio created the first string bikini when she had to sew one with insufficient fabric available to her for a photoshoot. The first formal presentation of string bikini was done by Glen Tororich, a public relations agent, and his wife Brandi Perret-DuJon, a fashion model, for the opening of Le Petite Centre, a shopping area in the French Quarter of the New Orleans, Louisiana in 1974. Inspired by a picture of a Rio de Janeiro fashion model in an issue of Women's Wear Daily, they had local fashion designer Lapin create a string bikini for the event. Models recruited by talent agent Peter Dasigner presented it by removing fur coats by Alberto Lemon on stage. The presentation was covered by local television stations and the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper, and was sent out via the wire news services of the Associated Press and United Press International.
String bikinis are one of the most popular variations of bikini. A string bikini or thong is also a type of undergarment worn by both men and women. It is similar to but more revealing than a bikini. Women's string bikini underwear normally resembles the bottom of the string bikini bathing suit. Men's string bikini underwear consists of a front and rear section joined at the crotch but not at the sides. The tops of each piece join with either an elastic waistband similar to that found on briefs or to a thin piece of material or "string," leaving the sides exposed except for the string or waistband.

Bikini Variants

The bikini has spawned many stylistic variations. A regular bikini is defined as a two pieces of garments that cover the groin and buttocks at the lower end and the breasts in the upper end. Some bikinis can offer a large amount of coverage, while other bikinis provide only the barest minimum. Topless variants may still be considered bikinis, although technically no longer two-piece swimsuits. Along with a variation in designs term bikini was followed by an often hilarious lexicon including the numokini (top part missing), seekini (transparent bikini), tankini (tank top, bikini bottom), camikini (camisole top and bikini bottom) and hikini. Since fashions of different centuries exist beside one another in early 21st century, though it is possible to imagine a woman combining a bikini and a 1910 bathing costume.
Bikini tops come in several different styles and cuts, including a halter-style neck that offers more coverage and support, a strapless bandeau, a rectangular strip of fabric covering the breasts that minimizes large breasts, a top with cups similar to a push-up bra, and the more traditional triangle cups that lift and shape the breasts. Bikini bottoms vary in style and cut and in the amount of coverage they offer, coverage ranging anywhere from complete underwear-style coverage, as in the case of more modest bottom pieces like briefs, shorts, or briefs with a small skirt-panel attached, to almost full exposure, as in the case of the thong bikini. Skimpier styles have narrow sides, including V-cut (in front), French cut (with high-cut sides) and low-cut string (with string sides). In just one major fashion show in 1985 were two-piece suits with cropped tank tops instead of the usual skimpy bandeaux, suits that are bikinis in front and one-piece in back, suspender straps, ruffles, and daring, navel-baring cutouts. Subsequent variations on the theme include the monokini, tankini, string bikini, thong, slingshot, minimini, teardrop, and micro.
To meet the fast changing tastes, some of the manufacturers have made a business out of making made-to-order bikinis in around seven minutes. Popular Brazilian beach markets have been identified as the source for the most diverse range of bikini merchandises. Types of underwear worn by both men and women are identified as bikini underwear, similar in size and revealing nature to the bottom half of a bikini bathing suit. For women, bikini underwear can refer to virtually any tight, skimpy, or revealing undergarment that provides less coverage to the midsection than traditional underwear, panties or knickers. For men, a bikini is a type of undergarment that is smaller and more revealing than men's briefs.

Sports Bikini

There is evidence of ancient roman women playing Expulsim Ludere, an early version of handball. Female athletes who play beach volleyball professionally usually wear two-pieces. These bikinis are designed with functionality rather than fashion in mind.
In 1994, the bikini became the official uniform of women's Olympic beach volleyball, marking a female sexuality that was also athletic. It also sold tickets. Dancers, sex appeal and bikinis worn by women players as much as athletic ability made beach volleyball the fifth largest television audience of all the sports at the Games at Bondi Beach in Australia in 2000 Olympics. The popularity of Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball, a video game for Xbox, was attributed to the skimpily clad women.
Often the women in athletics also wear bikinis, not much larger than in beach volleyball. Amy Acuff, an US high-jumper, worn a black leather bikini instead of a track suit, at Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics. Towns like Porto Seguro in Brazil has become an attraction for beach athletics in bikini for the tourists.
ControversySkimpy bikinis have been a major component of marketing woman's sports, raising some objections. In 2007, fans voted for contestants in the WWE Diva contest after watching them playing beach volleyball in skimpy bikinis. In the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, inclusion of bikini-clad athletes raised eyebrows, while a controversy broke out around bikini-clad cheerleaders performing at a beach volleyball match. Bikinis stirred up a controversy at the 2006 Asian Games at Doha, Qatar, and the Iraqi teams refused to wear such clothing. In the 2007 South Pacific Games, players were made to wear shorts and cropped sports tops instead of bikinis. In the West Asian Games 2006, bikini-bottoms were banned for female athletes, who were asked to wear long shorts. String bikinis and other skimpy clothes are also common in surfing paving ways for some hooliganism in the past.

History Bikini

A bikini or two-piece is a women's swimsuit with two parts, one covering the breasts (optionally in the case of the monokini), the other the groin (and optionally the buttocks), leaving an uncovered area between the two (optionally in the case of the Tankini). It is often worn in hot weather or while swimming. The shapes of both parts of a bikini resemble women's underwear, and the lower part can range from revealing thong or g-string to briefs and modest square-cut shorts. Merriam–Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition) describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit", "a man's brief swimsuit" and "a man's or woman's low-cut briefs".
The bikini, which shocked when it appeared on French beaches in 1947, was a Greco-Roman invention. The modern bikini was invented by French engineer Louis Réard in 1946. He named it after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific, the site of the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapon test on July 1, 1946. The reasoning was that the burst of excitement created by it would be like a nuclear device. The monokini, a bikini variant, is a back formation from bikini, interpreting the first syllable as the Latin prefix bi- meaning "two" or "doubled", and substituting for it mono- meaning "one". Jacques Heim called his bikini precursor the Atome, named for its size, and Louis Réard claimed to have "split the Atome" to make it smaller.
The bikini is the most popular beachwear around the globe, according to French fashion historian Olivier Saillard due to "the power of women, and not the power of fashion". As he explains, "The emancipation of swimwear has always been linked to the emancipation of women." By the mid 2000s bikinis had become a US$811 million business annually, according to the NPD Group, a consumer and retail information company. The bikini has boosted spin-off services like bikini waxing and the sun tanning industries.
The bikini was an ancient invention, forgotten since the end of ancient Roman culture. During the mid-20th century it roared back into favor and spread as a global phenomenon.

Ancient age: Earliest bikinis One of the earliest visual documentations of a bikini, from the Ancient Roman Villa Romana del Casale Leather thong bottom from the time of Roman BritainThe earliest evidence of a bikini-like costume dates back to the Chalcolithic era, as the mother-goddess of Çatalhöyük, a large ancient settlement in southern Anatolia, is depicted astride two leopards wearing garb akin to a modern bikini. Two-piece garments worn by women for athletic purposes are on Greek urns and paintings dating back to 1400 BC. Active women of ancient Greece wore a breastband called a mastodeton or an apodesmos, which continued to be used as an undergarment in the Middle Ages. While men in ancient Greece abandoned the perizoma, partly high-cut briefs and partly loincloth, women performers and acrobats continued to wear it.
Artwork dating back to the Diocletian period (286-305 AD) in Villa Romana del Casale, Sicily, excavated by Gino Vinicio Gentile in 1950-60, depicts women in garments resembling bikinis in mosaics on the floor. The images of ten women, dubbed the "Bikini Girls", exercising in clothing that would pass as bikinis today, are the most replicated mosaic among the 37 million colored tiles at the site. In the artwork "Coronation of the Winner" done in floor mosaic in the Chamber of the Ten Maidens (Sala delle Dieci Ragazze in Italian) the bikini girls are depicted weight-lifting, discus throwing , and running. Some activities depicted have been described as dancing, as their bodies resemble more dancers than athletes. Coronation in the title of the mosaic comes from a woman in a toga with a crown in her hand and one of the Maidens holding a palm frond. There are academic opinions that the depiction of the girls near an image of Eros, the primordial god of lust, love, and intercourse, was added later, a statement of the owner's predilections, strengthening the association of the bikini with the erotic. Similar mosaics has been discovered in Tellaro in northern Italy and Patti another part of Sicily. Prostitution, skimpy clothes and athletic bodies were related in ancient Rome, as images were found of female sex workers exercising with dumbbells/clappers and other equipment wearing costumes similar to the Bikini Girls.
Academic comparison between ancient and the modern womenCharles Seltman, a fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge, curator of the Archaeology Museum there and an editor of The Cambridge Ancient History, illustrated a chapter titled "The new woman" in his book Women in Antiquity with a 1950s model wearing an identical bikini against the 4th-century mosaics from Piazza Armerina as part of a sisterhood between the bikini-clad female athletes of ancient Greco-Romans and modern woman. A photograph of the mosaic was used by Sarah Pomeroy, Professor of Classics at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, in the 1994 British edition of her book Goddesses, Whores, Wives and Slaves to emphasize a similar identification. Desmond Morris, the zoologist and ethologist, drew his comparison in the interpretation of the bikini line.
Venus in bikini from the house of Julia Felix, PompeiiIn ancient Rome, the bikini-style bottom, a wrapped loincloth of cloth or leather, was called a subligar or subligaculum ("little binding underneath"), while a band of cloth or leather to support the breasts was called strophium or mamillare. The exercising bikini girls from Piazza Armenia wear subligaria, scanty briefs made as a dainty version of a man's perizoma, and a strophium band about the breasts, often referred to in literature as just fascia, which can mean any kind of bandage. Observation of artifacts and experiments shows bands had to be wrapped several times around the breasts, largely to flatten them in a style popular with flappers in the 1920s. These Greco-Roman breastbands may have flattened big breasts and padded small breasts to look bigger. Evidence suggests a regular use.The "bikini girls" from Piazza Armenia, some of who sport the braless look of the late 20th century, depict any propensity such popularity in style. One bottom, made of leather, from Roman Britain was displayed Museum of London in 1998. There has been no evidence that these bikinis were for swimming of sun-bathing.
Finds especially in Pompeii show the Roman goddess Venus wearing a bikini. Some were found in the front hall. A statue of Venus in a bikini was found in cupboard in the southwest corner in Casa della Venere, a statue of Venus from the tablinum of the house of Julia Felix, and on an atrium at the garden at Via Dell'Abbondanza. Naples National Archaeological Museum has opened its limited viewing gallery of more explicit exhibits in 2000, which also contains a "Venus in Bikini". Some exhibits of the museum have female statues wearing see-through gold lamé brassiere, basque and knickers. The Kings of Naples discovered these Pompeii artifacts, including the one meter tall almost unclothed statue of Venus painted in gold leaf with something like a modern bikini, they found them so shocking that for long periods the secret chamber was opened only to "mature persons of secure morals". Even after the doors are opened, only 20 visitors will be admitted at a time, and children under 12 will not be allowed into the new part of the museum without their parents' or a teacher's permission.
There are references of bikinis in ancient literature as well. Ovid, the writer ranked alongside Virgil and Horace as one of the three canonical poets of Latin literature, suggests the breastbands, long strip of cloth wrapped around the breasts and tucked in the ends, as a good place to hide love-letters. Martial, a Latin poet from Hispania who published between AD 86 and 103, satirized a female athlete he named Philaenis, who played ball in a bikini-like garb quite bluntly, making her drink, gorge and vomit in abundance and hinting at her lesbianism. In an epigram on Chione, Martial strangely mentions a sex worker who went to the bathhouse in bikini, while it was more natural to go unclothed.
See also: Clothing in ancient Rome

19th century to 1930s: Bikini precursors Woman wearing early two-piece swimwear in Hietaniemi beach near Helsinki, Finland in 1929The modern bikini had a checkered history. The first domestic swimsuit for "decency" appeared in 1830. Featuring red and white horizontal stripes from ankle to wrist, it was named the "prison suit". In 1907, Australian swimmer and performer Annette Kellerman was arrested on a Boston beach for wearing a form-fitting one-piece which became accepted swimsuit for women by 1910. Pictures of her were produced as evidence in the Esquire magazine versus United States Postmaster General legal battle over indecency in 1943. In 1913, inspired by the introduction of females into Olympic swimming, the designer Carl Jantzen made the first functional two-piece swimwear, a close-fitting one-piece with shorts on the bottom and short sleeves on top. Silent films such as The Water Nymph (1912) saw Mabel Normand in revealing attire, and the first annual bathing-suit day at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1916 was a landmark. The swimsuit apron, a design for early swimwear, disappeared by 1918, leaving a tunic covering the shorts.
Annette Kellerman in the form-fitting one-piece tank suit that troubled the lawBy the 1930s, necklines plunged at the back, sleeves disappeared and sides were cut away. Hollywood endorsed the new glamour with films such as Neptune's Daughter in which Esther Williams wore provocatively named costumes such as "Double Entendre" and "Honey Child". Though matching stockings were still worn, bare legs were exposed from the bottom of the trunks to the top of the shorts. Williams also portrayed Kellerman in the 1952 film Million Dollar Mermaid (titled as The One Piece Bathing Suit in UK). American designer Adele Simpson, a Coty American Fashion Critics' Awards winner (1947) and a notable alumni of the New York art school Pratt Institute, who believed clothes must be comfortable and practical designed a large chunk of her wardrobe which included mostly one- piece suits that were considered fashionable even in early 1980s This was when Cole of California started marketing revealing prohibition suits and Catalina Swimwear introduced almost bare-back designs.
Pin-up photo of Yvonne DeCarlo wearing a two-piece bathing suit in the June 9, 1944 issue of Yank, the Army WeeklyWith new materials like lastex and nylon, by 1934 the swimsuit started hugging the body and had shoulder straps to lower for tanning. Burlesque and vaudeville performers wore two-piece outfits in the 1920s, and in 1932 French designer Madeleine Vionnet offered an exposed midriff in an evening gown. In 1935 American designer Claire McCardell cut out the side panels of a maillot-style bathing suit, the bikini's forerunner. A woman's cotton sun-top of 1939, printed with palm trees, provides a good example of the bikini's forerunner. Swimwear of the 1940s, 50s and early 60s followed the silhouette mostly from early 1930s. Keeping in line with the ultra-feminine look dominated by Dior, it evolved into a dress with cinched waists and constructed bustlines, accessorized with earrings, bracelets, hats, scarves, sunglasses, hand bags and cover-ups. Many of these pre-bikinis had fancy names like Double Entendre, Honey Child (to maximize small bosoms), Shipshape (to minimize large bosoms), Diamond Lil (trimmed with rhinestones and lace), Swimming In Mink (trimmed with fur across the bodice) and Spearfisherman (heavy poplin with a rope belt for carrying a knife), Beau Catcher, Leading Lady, Pretty Foxy, Side Issue, Forecast, and Fabulous Fit. According to Vogue the swimwear had become more of "state of dress, not undress" by mid 1950s.
Pin-up photo of Esther Williams wearing a conservative two-piece in the October 12, 1945 issue of Yank, the Army WeeklyTwo-piece swimsuits without the usual skirt panel and other superfluous material started appearing in the US when the government ordered a 10% reduction in fabric used in woman's swimwear in 1943 as wartime rationing. Films of holidaymakers in Germany in the 1930s show women wearing two-piece suits. They were seen a year later in Gold Diggers of 1933. The Busby Berkeley film Footlight Parade of 1932 showcases aquachoreography that featured bikinis. Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties series (1914-1919) and Dorothy Lamour's The Hurricane (1937) also showed two-piece bathing suits. The most provocative swimsuit was the 1946 Moonlight Buoy, a bottom and a top of material that weighed only eight ounces. What made the Moonlight Buoy distinctive was a large cork buckle attached to the bottoms, which made it possible to tie the top to the cork buckle and splash around au naturel while keeping both parts of the suit afloat. LIFE had a photo essay on the Moonlight Buoy and wrote, "The name of the suit, of course, suggests the nocturnal conditions under which nude swimming is most agreeable."
By the early 1940s two-piece swimsuits were frequent on American beaches. The July 9, 1945 Life shows women in Paris wearing similar items. Hollywood stars like Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth and Lana Turner tried similar swimwear or beachwear. Pin ups of Hayworth and Esther Williams in the costume were widely distributed. But, to a bikini, size makes all the difference, and Williams, Amateur Athletic Union champion in the 100 meter freestyle (1939), an Olympics swimming finalist (1940) and a Hollywood star, commented, "A bikini is a thoughtless act." Popularity of the charms of Williams were to vanish along with pre-bikinis with fancy name over the next few decades.

1940s and 50s: Introduction and popular resistance Micheline Bernardini modeling one of the first modern bikinisThe modern bikini was introduced by French engineer Louis Réard and fashion designer Jacques Heim in Paris in 1946. Réard was a car engineer but by 1946 he was running his mother's lingerie boutique near Les Folies Bergères in Paris. Heim was working on a new kind of beach costume. It comprised two pieces, the bottom large enough to cover its wearer's navel. In May 1946, he advertised it as the world's "smallest bathing suit". He sliced the top off the bottoms and advertised it as "smaller than the smallest swimsuit". The idea struck him when he saw women rolling up their beachwear to get a better tan.
Réard could not find a model to wear his design. He ended up hiring Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer from the Casino de Paris. That bikini, a string bikini with a g-string back of 30 square inches (194 cm²) of clothes with newspaper type printed across, was introduced on July 5 at Piscine Molitor, a public pool in Paris. The bikini was a hit, especially among men, and Bernardini received 50,000 letters. Heim's design was the first worn on the beach, but clothing was given its name by Réard. Reard's business soared, and in advertisements he kept the bikini alive by declaring that a two-piece wasn't a genuine bikini "unless it could be pulled through a wedding ring." French newspaper Le Figaro wrote, "People were craving the simple pleasures of the sea and the sun. For women, wearing a bikini signaled a kind of second liberation. There was really nothing sexual about this. It was instead a celebration of freedom and a return to the joys in life."
A first socialist camp student wearing a bikini in Leipzig, Germany, 1959But sales did not pick up around the world, and women stuck with traditional two-piece swimsuits. Réard went back to designing orthodox knickers to sell in his mother’s shop. Actresses in movies like My Favorite Brunette (1947) and the model on a 1948 cover of LIFE were shown in traditional two-piece swimwear, not the bikini. In 1950, TIME interviewed American swimsuit mogul Fred Cole, owner of Cole of California, and reported that he had "little but scorn for France’s famed Bikinis," because they were designed for "diminutive Gallic women". "French girls have short legs," he explained, "Swimsuits have to be hiked up at the sides to make their legs look longer." Modern Girl wrote in 1957, "It is hardly necessary to waste words over the so-called bikini since it is inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency would ever wear such a thing." One writer described it as a "two piece bathing suit which reveals everything about a girl except for her mother's maiden name." According to Kevin Jones, curator and fashion historian at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, "Réard was ahead of his time by about 15 to 20 years. Only women in the vanguard, mostly upper-class European women embraced it, just like the upper-class European women who first cast off their corsets after World War I." Australian designer Paula Straford introduced the bikini to Gold Coast in 1952.
Brigitte Bardot wore a bikini Cannes Film Festival in 1953, and started the trend of bikini-clad stars for the festivalDespite the controversy some in France admired "naughty girls who decorate our sun-drenched beaches". Brigitte Bardot, photographed wearing similar garments on beaches during the Film Festival (1953) and who wore a bikini in And God Created Woman (1956), helped popularize the bikini in Europe in the 1950s and created a market in the US.Photographs of Bardot in a bikini, according to the The Guardian, turned Saint-Tropez into the bikini capital of the world. The Cannes Film Festival, held on the French Riviera each May, remains as a reminder of the days when a starlet was as big as her swimsuit was brief. Esther Williams, Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot all used the swimsuit as a career prop to their sex appeal, with Bardot identified as the original Cannes bathing beauty. Cannes played a crucial role in the career of Brigitte Bardot, who in turn played a crucial role in promoting the Festival, largely by starting the the trend of getting photographed in a bikini at her first appearance at the festival. As late as in 1959, Anne Cole, a US swimsuit designer and daughter of Fred Cole, said about a Bardot bikini, "It's nothing more than a G-string. It's at the razor's edge of decency."
The bikini became more accepted in parts of Europe when worn by fifties "love goddess" actresses such as Bardot, Anita Ekberg and Sophia Loren. But, Spain, Portugal and Italy, three countries neighboring France, banned the bikini, and it remained prohibited in many US states. In July 1959, the New York Post searched for bikinis around New York City and found only a couple. Writer Meredith Hall wrote in her memoir that till 1965 one could get a citation for wearing a bikini in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.By the end of the decade a vogue for strapless styles developed, wired or bound for firmness and fit, and a taste for bare-shouldered two-pieces called Little Sinners. But, it was the halterneck bikini that caused the most moral controversy because of its degree of exposure. So much so as bikini designs called "Huba Huba" and "Revealation" were withdrawn from fashion parades in Sydney as immodest.
Kiki Håkansson, the first and last Miss World to crowned in a bikiniIn 1951, the first Miss World contest, originally the Festival Bikini Contest, organized by Eric Morley as a mid-century advertisement for swimwear at the Festival of Britain. The press welcomed the spectacle and referred to it as Miss World, and Morley registered the name as a trademark. When, the winner Kiki Håkansson from Sweden, was crowned in a bikini, countries with religious traditions threatened to withdraw delegates. The bikinis were outlawed and evening gowns introduced instead.She remains the only Miss World crowned in a bikini, a crowning that was condemned by the Pope. The National Legion of Decency pressured Hollywood to keep bikinis from being featured in Hollywood movies. The Hays production code, which was introduced in 1930 but was not strictly enforced till 1934, for US movies allowed two-piece gowns but prohibited navels on screen. But, the between the introduction and enforcement of the code were released two Tarzan movies—Tarzan, the Ape Man (1932) and Tarzan and His Mate (1934)—in which actress Maureen O'Sullivan had worn skimpy bikini-like leather outfits. Film historian Bruce Goldstein described her clothes in the first film as "It's a loincloth open up the side. You can see loin." In reaction to the introduction of the bikini in Paris, American swimwear manufacturers compromised cautiously by producing their own similar design that included a halter and a midriff-bottom variation. The early bikinis often covered the navel, and when the navel showed in pictures, magazines like Seventeen airbrushed it out. This navel-less ideal women assured an early dominance of European bikini makers over their American counterparts.

1960s to 1990s: Popularity and social acceptanceSee also: Bikini in popular culture Ursula Andress in the iconic scene from Dr. NoIn 1962, Bond Girl Ursula Andress emerged from the sea wearing a white bikini in Dr. No. The scene has been named one of the most memorable from the series. Channel 4 declared it the top bikini moment in film history, Virgin Media puts it ninth in its top ten, and top in the Bond girls. The Herald (Glasgow) put the scene as best ever on the basis of a poll. It also helped shape the career of Ursula Andress, the look of the quintessential Bond movie. According to Andress, "This bikini made me into a success." That white bikini has been described as a "defining moment in the sixties liberalization of screen eroticism". According to British Broadcasting Corporation, "So iconic was the look that it was repeated 40 years later by Halle Berry in the Bond movie Die Another Day." In 2001, the Dr. No bikini sold at an auction for US$61,500.
The appearance of bikinis kept increasing both on screen and off. The sex appeal prompted film and television productions, including Dr. Strangelove. They include the surf movies of the early 1960s. In 1960, Brian Hyland's song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" inspired a bikini-buying spree. By 1963, the movie Beach Party, starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, led a wave of films that made the bikini pop-culture symbol. In the sexual revolution in 1960s America, bikinis became popular fast. In 1965, a woman told Time it was "almost square" not to wear one. In 1967 the magazine wrote that "65% of the young set had already gone over." Playboy first featured a bikini on its cover in 1962. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue debuted two years later. This popularity was reinforced by its appearance in movies like How to Stuff a Wild Bikini featuring Annette Funicello and One Million Years B.C featuring Raquel Welch.[47] Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Gina Lollobrigida and Jane Russell helped the growing popularity further. Pin-up posters of Monroe and Mansfield and of Hayworth, Bardot and Raquel Welch contributed significantly .
Jayne Mansfield in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?When Mansfield and her husband Miklós Hargitay toured for stage shows, newspapers wrote that Mansfield convinced the rural population that she owned more bikinis than anyone. She showed a fair amount of her 40-inch bust, as well as her midriff and legs, in the leopard-spot bikini she wore for her stage shows. Kathryn Wexler of The Miami Herald wrote, "In the beginning as we know it, there was Jayne Mansfield. Here she preens in leopard-print or striped bikinis, sucking in air to showcase her well noted physical assets." Her leopard-skin bikini has been one of the earlier specimens of the fashion. Other memorable bikini moments include Raquel Welch as the prehistoric cavegirl in the 1966 film One Million Years B.C., and Phoebe Cates in the 1982 teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. These two bikini moments were ranked 86 and 84 in Channel 4 (UK)'s list of 100 Greatest Sexy Moments in Film. Raquel Welch appeared in five interjected repetitions of "Raquel Welch in a fur bikini" making it the one special thing that increased the value of the film and makes people want to see it again and again.
Sharmila Tagore was the first Indian actress to wear a bikiniBollywood actress Sharmila Tagore made memorable moment in 1967 when she appeared in a bikini in An Evening in Paris, a film mostly remembered for the first bikini appearance of an Indian actress. She also posed in a bikini for the glossy Filmfare magazine. The costume shocked the conservative native audience, but it also set a trend of bikini-clad actresses carried forward by Parveen Babi (in Yeh Nazdeekiyan, 1982), Zeenat Aman (in Heera Panna 1973; Qurbani, 1980) and Dimple Kapadia (in Bobby, 1973) in the early 1970s. Wearing a bikini put her name in the Indian press as one of Bollywood's ten hottest actresses of all time, and was a transgression of female identity through a reversal of the state of modesty, which functions as a signifier of femininity in Bombay films. But, when Tagore was the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification, she expressed concerns about the rise of the bikini in Indian films. By that time it became usual for actors to change outfits a dozen times in a single song — starting with a chiffon sari and ending up wearing a bikini. In Nissim Ezekiel's one act Indian English moral play The Song of Deprivation, the protagonist becomes a "different woman altogether" as she takes off her bikini and gets into a sari. Cultural and literary evidence, especially in the form of calypsos ("Whole day she jumping shamelessly/In a tiny little bikini"), show that Indo-Caribbeans, people with roots in the Indian subcontinent who reside in the Caribbean, were more receptive of the bikini than people of their original homeland.
The 1970s saw the rise of the lean ideal of female body and figures like Cheryl Tiegs possessed the figure that remains in vogue today. The fitness boom of the 1980s led to one of the biggest leaps in the evolution of the bikini. According to Mills, "The leg line became superhigh, the front was superlow, and the straps were superthin." Women's magazines used terms like "Bikini Belly", workout programs were launched to develop a "bikini-worthy body", while tiny the "fitness-bikinis" made of lycra was launched to cater to the hardbodied ideal. This body ideal was carried further by models like Elle Macpherson, who has featured six times on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Since 1990s: Mixed fortunesDuring the 1980s and early 1990s, the one-piece made a big comeback. In France, Réard's company folded in 1988, four years after the death of Réard in 1984 at the age of 87. By that year the bikini made up nearly 20% of swimsuit sales, more than any other model in the US. As skin cancer awareness grew and a simpler aesthetic defined fashion in the 1990s, the skimpy bikini took a nosedive. This new body ideal was epitomized by surf star Malia Jones, who appeared on the June 1997 cover of Shape Magazine wearing a halter top two-piece for rough water. After the 90s, however, it came back again. US market research company NPD Group reported that sales of two-piece swimsuits nationwide jumped 80% in two years. In the 1970s and 80s bikinis became briefer with the string bikini. According to Beth Dincuff Charleston, research associate at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "The bikini represents a social leap involving body consciousness, moral concerns, and sexual attitudes." Actresses kicking butt in action films like Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Blue Crush have made the two-piece, according to Gina Bellafonte of The New York Times, "the millennial equivalent of the power suit."
Pamela Anderson wearing a vegetable-made bikini for a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals advertisementControversies around the bikini, ranging from woman's body ideals to sense of decency in traditional societies to commercialization of the female form, still keep appearing around the globe. In the 1960s Emily Post decreed, "(A bikini) is for perfect figures only, and for the very young." In The Bikini Book by Kelly Killoren Bensimon, responding to a question on who should not wear a bikini, swimwear designer Norma Kamali says, "Anyone with a tummy." Since then, a number of bikini designers including Malia Mills have encouraged women of all ages and body types to take up the style. In one section of the Bikini Book, professional beach volleyballer Gabrielle Reece, who competes in a bikini, says that "confidence" alone can make a bikini sexy.
This protester, against a NYC visit by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, uses a bikini as a message boardIn 1996, when the Miss World contest was held in Bangalore, India, dozens of Indian groups opposed the event claiming that the contest degraded women by featuring them in bikinis. Social activist Subhashini Ali commented, "It's not an IQ test. Neither is it a charity show. It's a beauty contest in which these things have been added on as sops." The protests were so intense that the organizers were finally compelled to shift the venue of the "Swimsuit Round" to Seychelles. Afghan Miss Earth 2003 contestant Vida Samadzai was severely condemned by the Afghan Supreme Court, which said, "such a display of the female body goes against Islamic law and Afghan culture." Bikini related wardrobe malfunctions including wedgies, whale tails or bikini top falling off have also stirred controversies.Faced with the sexpot supermodels and the cult of body consciousness, women staged a silent revolt, offering passive resistance to the concept that "if you've got it, you have to flaunt it". Some of the youngest and prettiest women, who were once the only ones who dared to bare, seem to have decided that exposure is over Significantly, on the beaches as on the streets, some of the youngest and prettiest women, who were once the only ones who dared to bare, seem to have decided that exposure is over. In beauty magazines, safe sun, as well as safe sex, is the latest fashion. Instead of extolling the glamor of a tan, the glossies promote products with high sun-protection factors.Fears about the ozone layer have undermined the romantic vision of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Riviera in Tender Is the Night, where Nicole Diver, the female protagonist, lay on the beach and "her back, a ruddy orange brown, set off by a string of creamy pearls, shone in the sun." In southern England, health workers patrol beaches toting sunscreen sprays.In April 2004, a bikini line with images of Buddha printed on it was withdrawn by Victoria's Secret, the manufacturer, in the face of protest by followers of Buddhism. Buddhists were upset again when organizers of Miss Universe 2005 shot photographs of contestants in bikini in front of Buddhist religious sites.

How to Choose a Platinum Ring

Platinum is often called the "King of Metals", as it has a special allure because it is rare, enduring, and pure. However, not all platinum is equal. This article provides some useful tips on how to choose a platinum ring of superior quality.

1Know the purity content of your platinum ring. As with all precious metals, platinum must be alloyed with other metals in order to achieve the hardness required for jewelry. A ring that is alloyed with 80% Platinum and 20% other metals is worth a lot less than a ring that is 95% pure platinum.
2Check the hallmark on the inside of the ring. Federal regulations require all platinum bands to bear a stamp or "hallmark" on the inside of the band. If it says "IridPlat", or ".90Plat/Ir" then the ring is only 90% pure platinum, and you should pay less for it than a ring that is 95% pure platinum. If the hallmark says "Plat" or ".95 Plat", then the ring is considered pure platinum and commands a premium price.
3Ask your jeweler about the alloy used in your platinum ring. If you are buying a pure platinum ring (95% platinum), then it should be alloyed with either Cobalt or Ruthenium. These alloys produce a harder platinum that can hold a mirror bright polish and resist years of daily wear. Many .95 pure platinum rings are alloyed with the less expensive metal Iridium, but these rings are softer and will become scratched and dull within a year of daily wear.

Tips

When it comes to .95 pure platinum, the secret to a brighter platinum ring is the alloy. You can learn more about the alloys and view the difference in actual photos of rings after one year of wear on this page about platinum wedding rings.

Warnings

If you are interested in buying an antique platinum ring, it will probably bear the hallmark "IridPlat" or ".90Plat/Ir" on the inside of the band. It is only in the past 15 years that .95 pure platinum has been popular in North America.

How to Select and Buy Jewish Wedding Rings

1Search the Internet for information about Jewish wedding rings. Don't be afraid to take your time and decide carefully. Examine your married friends' hands when you're with them. If you start paying attention to people's Jewish wedding ring designs, you will probably get a clearer idea of what you want. You might even ask them where they got their rings.
2Solid gold (click to enlarge)Follow tradition. According to Jewish tradition, a Jewish wedding ring should be solid all around, with no gems, and nothing cut out of it. Anything may be engraved on it, as long as the band is solid. This symbolizes the wholeness and eternity of one's commitment to one's spouse.
3Decide if you would like a ring with a Hebrew phrase engraved around it. Some popular verses from the Song of Songs that are in vogue right now are "Ani L'Dodi v'Dodi Li," which means, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." This is a very beautiful statement of your love for your partner. Other phrases are things such as "Ze Dodi Veze Re'ei" (This is my beloved and this is my friend). Another is "Matzati Et She'ahava Nafshi" (I found, him (her) whom my soul loves). Also, from the Book of Ruth, "Ba'asher Telchi Elech" (Where you will go, I shall go).
4Visit a local jewelry store that carries Jewish wedding bands. Look at various wedding band designs to determine which ones you would like to purchase. Try it on, to see if the band or the inscriptions look good on your hand.
5Think about purchasing matching bands, with identical phrases and designs.

Tips

Search the internet for Jewish wedding rings. You may get a lower price if you buy them online. Try on similar rings before you order through the internet, because you won't be able to try it on. Make sure they will allow you to return it, if it does not look or fit as you had ordered.

Some people wear a plain gold wedding band and an engagement ring with a jewel.

Warnings

Make sure that you size the ring correctly, so that you will be able to slide it on the finger at the wedding ceremony.

Choose an inscription for the rings. It may take longer to get the ring that needs to be inscribed, so make sure you have plenty of time until the wedding itself.

Orthodox weddings require the ring to be solid all the way round - a full circle. It is not necessary to be 'solid gold' or any other specific material

The ring should be the property of the Groom. An orthodox rabbi may even ask under the chuppah as he examines it to be a full circle: "Do you own this ring?" Replying "I will once I have completed the loan payments" may cause a problem. The ring is used as an item of value given to the bride in order to complete the marriage contract; a borrowed ring will not suffice.

How to Choose an Engagement Ring

You've found the girl of your dreams, and you are going to pop the question...just as soon as you do what every man dreads: pick out the ring. That quest can cause a lot of stress. So here are a few steps to help you out.
1Next time you're in the mall, take her by some jewelry stores and just browse the engagement ring section. Tell her to feel free to try a few on, and see which ones she really likes. If you feel uncomfortable or want the ring to be more of a surprise, then have a close friend of hers go with her just for fun.
2Pay close attention to the jewelry she wears everyday. Try to familiarize yourself with the metals and styles she likes and maybe even those she doesn't.
3Once you've figured all that out, go shopping on your own. Figure out what the best diamond (or precious gem) is for your budget and pick out a few rings. Tell the jeweler to hold them for you. Most places will hold them for up to a week. Or explain to the jeweler what you plan to do, which will come in the next few steps. Many of them will be willing to help play along, not only is it fun, but its part of their job when it comes to "The Ring".
4Schedule an appointment with that jeweler to clean or repair a watch or something of yours. Walk-ins are welcome in a lot of cases. Make sure she comes along. Casually browse over the selection of engagement rings, and get her to randomly try on the ones you picked out for her and judge her reaction. If she shows a strong preference for one ring, then you know which one to get.
5Don't let her talk you down in price. If she is really the one, then she'll appreciate the fact you worked so hard to get the ring.

Tips

Don't buy a ring without knowing what she thinks of it.

Have her shop online and send you a wish list of items she would like to have, this will help you get a clear idea of what type of cut for a diamond she prefers.

If your potential fiancee has a close sister or friend, take the sister/friend along for advice.

If she's close to her mom, her mom is likely to know what she'll like.

Warnings

Most places will offer financing, and please don't buy a ring from a pawn shop! Make sure your ring comes with a warrantee and insurance in case anything happens to it.

Don't hold the ring against her...i.e. don't use it as leverage in any future fight you may have.

How to Love

1Say it. When you say the words "I Love You", they should carry with them the desire to show someone that you love them, not what you simply want to feel. When you say it make sure you really mean it and are willing to do anything for that special person.
2Empathize. Put yourself in someone else's shoes. Rather than impose your own expectations or attempt to control them, try to understand how they feel, where they come from, and who they are. Realize how they could also love you back just as well.
3Love unconditionally. If you cannot love another person without attaching stipulations, then it is not love at all, but deep-seated opportunism (one who makes the most of an advantage, often unmindful of others). If your interest is not in the other person as such, but rather in how that person can enhance your experience of life, then it is not unconditional. If you have no intention of improving that person’s life, or allowing that person to be themselves and accepting them as they are, and not who you want them to be, then you are not striving to love them unconditionally.
4Expect nothing in return. That doesn't mean you should allow someone to mistreat or undervalue you. It means that giving love does not guarantee receiving love. Try loving just for the sake of love. Realize that someone may have a different way of showing his or her love for you, do not expect to be loved back in exactly the same way.
5Realize it can be lost. If you realize that you can lose the one you love, then you have a greater appreciation of what you have. Think how lucky you are to have someone to love.

Love is a strange thing. It can be the most amazing feeling in the world, or it can really hurt, but in the end love is something most, if not all of us, will face. While there are many different ways to define love and there are many different ways to love someone

Tips

It does not make you a bad person to desire someone else's love, even if they do not love you. However, to truly love someone, you must let them be free. It is selfish to blame them for your feelings.

There are many types of love, for example: a mother-son love is different from a best friend's love, which is different from a romantic love. Don't be ashamed to tell anyone that you love your friends as much as you love anyone else in your life.

You have to find someone that will suit you, someone you feel comfortable with - not just someone to make love to.

As a word, love can be found worldwide and is often used to describe compassion and/or emotional attachment. Accepting those you love for who they are is part of love. You also need to learn to accept yourself before you can accept another. If you cannot love your self, how are you to love another?

Love genuinely. Do not compare your feelings now to what your feelings were when you were with another mate. At times, we can experience rejection.

Realize that love is a feeling that wikiHow can describe and attempt to assist, but ultimately, you are the one who must take action in order to discover love.

Do things that make the other person feel good, but do not smother them with gifts and attention.

Consider some tips about what people in love do.

People in love are sensitive to each other's needs, and endeavour to meet them even when they do not feel like doing it.

Men and women may be equal in value but different by nature. People who truly are in love give their mates "space" to develop their potential and find their fulfilment in life.

Sometimes love is all we needLove does not brag. People who are truly in love refrain from rehearsing their good traits just to show off. Bragging in a relationship often is really defensiveness.

People who are truly in love do not insist that their way is best and demand that their mates give in to them.

People who are truly in love are considerate of each others feelings and courteous in their actions toward one another. Sadly sarcasm is a way of life for some couples. They ridicule each other, belittle each other and trade jibes with a fury. They may say it is all in fun, but it leaves wounds that will someday become festering sores.

People who are truly in love look out for their mates' best interests as much as their own. Those in love should be concerned not only about their own individual interests, but about the interests of the other as well.

People who are truly in love control their anger when the other displeases them. We are all human, and all humans feel anger periodically, but we only express our anger in destructive ways when we counting on someone else to meet our needs.

People who truly love each other do not take pleasure in their mates' disappointments or failures.

People who truly love each other treat their mates with absolute trust. Some husbands and wives torment themselves with groundless suspicions. If you look for trouble you will find it every time.

People who truly love look forward to their relationship growing more meaningful and precious.

They have hope. Which is an attitude that happily anticipates the good. It isn't being blind and denies there are problems, but it does look beyond the problems. People who truly love each other do not allow their problems to rob them of their happiness.

Remember there is no failure in love, because once you tell somebody who you love, that you love him/her, then you have already succeeded in love.

Warnings

You must love yourself before you can love another.

There is always the risk of getting hurt, but that's part of letting yourself fully love and trust some one. Being hurt could be long-lasting and could hurt more than anything in the world.

Realize what you have while you have it, and care for the person you trust.

If something comes to an end, try to let go rather than holding on; it's for the best.

The idea of love is fueled by childhood fantasies. The love shown in movies, as obtainable as it may be, is rare to say the least.

You just may find your soul-mate sooner than you want to.
f you feel any doubt of love your partner has for you, make sure that your suspicions are grounded in reality. If you hurt your partner as a result of undeserved mistrust, he/she may
end up doubting both your love for them and theirs for you.

Don't ask for love - you should receive love because your partner wants to give you love - not because you want it from your partner.

Do not force love - it will come in good time, it will come.

Platinum

Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold. Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum necklet will feel heavier than an 18kt gold necklet.Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum necklet will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold necklet (excluding gemstone costs).

White Gold

White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium. White gold can be 18kt, 14kt, 9kt or any karat. For example, 18kt yellow gold is made by mixing 75% gold (750 parts per thousand) with 25% (250 parts per thousand) other metals such as copper and zinc. 18kt white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium. So the amount of gold is the same but the alloy is different.

White gold the same as platinum?

White gold and platinum have their own properties which make them unique. The following white gold information and platinum information show you the difference between the two metals. So,The answer to this question is no