TGIF Shopping: Ride the Rails with Mondaine

By Anthony DeWitt December 26, 2014

tgif shopping ride rails mondaine timepiece

The Swiss are known for producing seamless banking, fine jewelry, iconic fonts and one-of-kind timepieces. But fine craftsmanship usually comes at a price. It is no surprise that a well-made timepiece may run upwards of $10k. But hip Mondaine sent us brotherly love with their Swiss craftsmanship for a more attainable price point. Try around $400 for a quality well-crafted Swiss watch (Wahoo!)

“Mondaine watches, with their combination of Swiss design and ties to iconic Swiss imagery…represent a combination of precision and aesthetics,” Mondaine’s CEO Andre Bernheim said. “We have spent six decades combining form and function, without exceeding the $1,000 price point.”

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Mondaine is not a new kid on the block either. The brand has been around since the 1980s when they bought the licensing for the symbolic Swiss Federal Railways clocks. Hans Hilfiger designed the original clocks that quickly became a national icon. You may also recognize similar design from your Apple’s iPhone clock, which Apple purchased design licensing for the phone. Helvetica has also become a source inspiration for the brand with their newest line of watches.

The No. 1 Helvetica Collection: A tribute to the iconic Swiss font Helvetica this line represents the understated but classic Swiss style. The No. 1 collection comes in three weights (or types): Light (26 and 38 mm), Regular (33 and 40 mm) and Bold (43 mm) with 15 models. The steel cases are brushed, polished, or plated with PVD gold or black. Three strap variations are available including leather, nylon and Milanese mesh.

The Evolution Collection (EVO): This series is perhaps our favorite with it updated take on the classic watch. It features large date displays and it’s easy to read with its convex mineral glass. The EVO Big and the EVO Giant, which feature larger faces then the rest, are standouts.

Classic: The classic collection shows off the simplicity of the Swiss Railways Clock. It features the recognizable simple face and famous red second hand. The Classic was the first Mondaine Official Swiss Railways Watch and has been featured in the collection since 1986.

See Mondaine’s full selection at their website and find a retailer here.

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Best cheap backpack deals for October 2022

classic backpack

If you're looking for the best cheap backpack deals, you be happy to find there are many choices. The backpack universe includes packs for hiking, biking, commuting, and more. For this overview of the current best cheap backpack deals, we focused primarily on backpacks tech backpacks for commuters or people who work from home, and backpacks for travel.
Today's Best Cheap Backpack Deals

How To Choose A Backpack
Size
Backpack capacity is best determined by the size of the person who will be wearing it, but there are variation based on personal preference and habits. A middle school student who likes to carry their all books to and from school every day will need a larger backpack than a student who rarely brings books home. Student athletes may want a gigantic bag to carry sports clothing and gear, though in that case a second bag is often an option. One factor regarding size is specific to electronics, considered separately just below. Commuters will want to consider how much weight and bulk they want to carry on a daily basis.
Laptop And Electronics Readiness
Computers, Chromebooks, tablets, and other electronics are expensive. Even though most devices can take moderately rough handling, the best solution when choosing a backpack is to pick one with a padded protected area that fits the device. Most laptops will fit in a sleeve designed for the most common 15.6-inch display size, but a few are larger, so be sure to account for screen size (measured diagonally). Because many tech-focused people and some students carry more than one device, there are also backpacks with multiple protected sections. Two additional handy electronics-focused features to look for are an opening for a USB charging port and an easily-accessed zippered compartment for adapters, cables, mice, and other small accessories.
Material
Backpacks are constructed of a variety of materials, including nylon, polyester, canvas, cotton fabric, leather, and more. If you're choosing a backpack for a student, keep in mind the material will need to withstand rough treatment and often be put or stored in areas where they will pick up dirt.
Comfort
Backpacks often have a variety of handles and extra straps, but padded shoulder straps that don't dig in when the backpack is loaded with books can add a lot to its comfort.
Water Resistance
None of the cheap backpacks below are waterproof, but some are constructed of water-resistant material. If anyone will be wearing or carrying the pack in the rain, at least minimal water resistance is a good thing.
Style
Style is another personal preference consideration, but try not to sacrifice function and comfort just for looks.

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How retailers can include the virtual and personal

A retail employee helps a customer out with an iPhone.

Amazon first opened Amazon Style Glendale (California, outside of L.A.) earlier this year. While the tech-forward brick-and-mortar store sports upgrades to old-school big box stores, some customers have reported being disappointed in the experience, according to The Guardian.

While Amazon Style does have front-of-house employees who can assist shoppers in their search (much the same way traditional retailers do), shoppers can also experience the store via their smartphone by scanning QR codes to send clothes to the fitting room or straight to pick up. Once in the fitting room, shoppers can select looks without having to leave. The store delivers on-the-spot algorithmic service that traditional brick-and-mortar models often can't meet, but retailers in the future will have to incorporate that sort of technology with an even greater human touch — more like a personal shopper experience — to offer that personal touch critical to the sensory experience of seeing, touching, and feeling products.

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Futuremood pioneered using colored sunglasses to stimulate moods by regulating lights and color with halochrome lens technology. Austin Soldner and Michael Schaecher met at a newly formed San Francisco research and development lab created by the high-end audio tech maker Bose. The pair collaborated with world-leading lens manufacturer Zeiss to ideate and realize Futuremood’s mood-altering sunglasses that, according to company studies, have shown to alter your state of mind. Alongside DJ and production duo Alexander "Alex" Pall and Andrew "Drew" Taggart, there’s no stopping achieving your particular shade of Zen with Futuremood shades.