It's On Amazon: Organize It All 1338-6 Tie Belt Valet Hanger

After purchasing a Woodlore 82720 Natural Cedar Tie Organizer and finding it too wide (due to the prongs on both sides) to fit comfortably in my closet, I was long for another storage option that would provide a slimmer profile.  This Organize It All tie hanger (sold in 2 packs on Amazon) seemed to fit the bill, and for less than $10, the price was right.

I had used a plastic tie hanger of a similar design to this one prior to switching to the Woodlore, so I more or less knew what to expect.  This version is actually superior in that it has wider spacing between the prongs, putting less stress on the portion of the tie that hangs on them.  The best way of storing ties on this type of hanger is to hang them so that they drape down on alternating sides of the hanger, thereby distributing the weight of the ties as evenly as possible.  When fully stocked it fits comfortably in a cramped closet.

While also billed as a belt hanger, I found it somewhat ill-suited to the task, as the orientation of the prongs means that the belt buckles you hang on it will hang roughly parallel to your rack, making it exceedingly difficult to remove one belt without sending others tumbling to the floor.  For belt storage, I found the Closet Accessories 12 Belt Hardwood Hanger a superior solution, also for less than $10 (though for just one, rather than a 2-pack). 

Goods En Route: Casio MTP1183E-7A Watch

My latest acquisition from Amazon:  a new contender for the title of "Best Watch Under $25."  This Casio MTP1183E-7A seems to have all of the design elements down, and from the higher resolution images I've found online, appears to offer a fit and finish far above its price point.  Will it overthrow the Timex Weekender as the best bang-for-buck analog on Amazon?  Stay tuned to find out.

Goods En Route: Accessories & Etsy

After my latest Timex Weekender acquisition (which has since expanded to the black and grey dialed versions, currently on their way from Amazon), I decided to turn my consumer's eye toward accessories like leather bracelets and rings.  Etsy proved to be a copious source for such things, and I have several items on their way.

The first thing I looked for was a leather bracelet that could complement the members of my watch box.  This purpose imposed certain criteria: no magnetic closures (lest the bracelet magnetize the watch) and a minimal amount of metallic hardware (to minimize the potential for nicking and scratching).  I'd spent somewhat ludicrous amounts of money on a couple of bespoke leather cuffs from Canadian leather workers Palmer & Sons, which were nice, but far too large now that my wrist has shrunk to a 6-inch circumference.  (A nice gentleman on eBay inherited my cuffs at a substantial discount.)  Etsy provided a number of vendors with attractive offerings, and I settled on Dstello, a Spain-based merchant who nevertheless offers free U.S. shipping.

I purchased a simple, thick brown leather bracelet with a hook closure, and a custom tweaked version of their blue leather bracelet with the antique-gold hardware swapped out for silver tone.  Despite the bracelets being tailored to my 16cm requirements, I received a shipment notification only a day later, and should receive them in 1-2 weeks.  A review will follow swiftly thereafter.

I then turned to titanium rings, and found several with a lacquered blue band that I thought was very attractive.  The problem, however, was that I remain unsure of my ring size, which has dwindled from the 7.5 I used to be when I purchased my college class ring.  I should be somewhere between a 7 and a 7.25, and decided the resolve the matter by availing myself of a clearance-priced size 7 from the titaniumknights boutique.  (It's similar to the one at the top of this post, but slightly thinner, at 6mm wide as opposed to the 8mm pictured.)  With free shipping, the ring should turn out to be an excellent bargain, presuming my size gambit pays off.  But if it doesn't, then at least I'll know what size to order when I go for the blue-banded one, from ClassicTitanium, that originally caught my eye.