greek

Here is a cool watch for you Greek mythology fans out there from Dubey & Shaldenbrand. Probably the best touch in this Olympe watch collection is the Zeus lightning bolt minute hand, but other aspects of this watch fit the theme nicely as well. Dubey & Shaldenbrand timepieces are shaped like (more) avant garde Franck Muller watches, using a similar tonneau shaped case, which in this instance is 33mm wide and 44mm tall. The case is steel, and two versions are available with and without diamonds set in the bezel.

The high grade ETA 2892 automatic movement has been modified with a day/night display that operates the rotating disc in the middle of the dial. A date window is covertly placed at the 6 o'clock position. The dial layout is exceptionally well done as a easy to see round dial is placed within the oblong shaped face. Good use of the style with good functionality. Around the round dial are well designed numerals with an art deco character. Of course there are the zodiac characters displayed, but they are just placed for show (no zodiac calendar indicator). The watch is meant to represent the power and might of the Greek gods, and the corresponding mythology. A nice genre piece with the images on the enamel dial. The Dubey & Shaldenbrand Olympe watch collection will be offered as a limited edition of just 200 pieces. Price will be at least $10,000 - $15,000.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua: these are the countries you would normally associate with the cigar business. But, Greece? Believe it or not, a market for local cigars is growing in Greece, and it's defying the global economic downturn.

Domenico Cigars is a small, two-room factory in Greece that sources its seeds from Cuba. It only puts out 70,000 sticks last year (a record). Instead of positioning the cigars as rare or limited editions, the company offers them at a reasonable $5 each, which is about half the price of the imported hand-rolled Cubans.

The group received little help from Cuba. Though they were able to tour the factories and plantations, nobody offered tips. They weren't allowed to take notes. So, developing an operation in Greece led to plenty of trial and error, with the actual rolling being the hardest part.

Despite the fact that the seeds are Cuban, the cigars are distinctly Greek, thanks to the local soil and the effort that resulted in the current product. The locals, it seems, remain committed.

[AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis]