Cross-posting from prior Wix blog, 09.04.22

The X-Wing. Aside from sharing its name with the famous Jedi-led spaceship, the X-Wing watch by #Invicta has gained some fame of its own.

Part of the #CoalitionForces subcollection, the X-Wing offers a gorgeous timepiece in a durable exterior. But forget for a second that I’m a huge Star Wars nerd (Grogu will be making an appearance on this blog within the next month or two). I love my Invicta X-Wing for other reasons. The unique shape of the watch itself and the contrast of the black and the red on this watch are both phenomenal. And then comes a surprise on the dial which serves as the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae that is watch. Before we name it, let me take you on a journey to understand its origination. #SuspenseTime.

Rewind 75 years. Aside from gold, pearls were one of the most popular components in feminine jewelry. The strand of pearls around one’s neck became a quintessential symbol of the American housewife — made popular by some of the earliest sitcoms produced. Men had virtually no interaction with pearls, aside from buying them for their wives, but the men of the 40’s and 50’s had no qualms with that.

Snap back to today. Pearls are still a symbol of femininity but are a lesser part of American culture. A major factor in that was the push for more colorful jewelry. Femininity in the late 20th century and into the 21st century became fiercely unique and women needed more than the simple off-white pearl could offer. Alternate colors of pearls were developed but the pearl itself has still taken a back seat to other forms of jewelry. However, while pearls have slowly faded from the forefront of culture, they have been eclipsed by a close relative. You could say that the pearl has been upstaged by its parent. We are, of course, talking about mother of pearl (hereafter referred to as “MOP”).

Bear with me for a few seconds here, lest you fall prey to the idea that MOP is but a shimmery paint that is applied to a watch dial. MOP is actually an organic substance made from nacre, which is a composite material secreted by oysters and pearl-producing mollusks. To put it plainly, nacre is the canvas on which a pearl itself is painted. The oyster or mollusk creates a layer of nacre that spans the entire interior of the creature. From that point, pearl-producing oysters or mollusks proceed to create the relatively small pearl. As the nacre is what allows the creature to produce a pearl, it literally is the parent (the mother) of the pearl. There’s your fun fact of the day to use at your next cocktail party…

MOP is more plentiful than pearls themselves, allowing for a lower cost and larger “canvas” than its pearl descendant. Not only are MOP jewelry pieces typically larger in size than a pearl, but they also have more color variation. The result is a piece of jewelry that is both dramatic in size and stunning in appearance. And not only that, MOP has become a large part of men’s jewelry creation. This is where we come full circle back to our discussion of the watch.

Now on to the star of the show, the Invicta Coalition Forces X-Wing, model #31685. This dial on this X-Wing is covered end-to-end with dark-tinted MOP and red accents. Depending on the lighting, the overall dial color has a charcoal or green hue to it and is very reflective. While pictures can’t fully do the dial justice, you can see hints of the iridescent reflection on the above. While MOP is front-and-center on the dial, there are nearly a half-dozen other winning elements on this X-Wing. The “points” in the top and bottom of the dial give the watch its unique “X” design. The chronograph subdials are controlled by bumper/pusher switches that take the badass level of this watch up a few notches. The dial and glass are moderately smaller than the bezel, which further serves to make the dial the focal point of the eye. With an attractive crown and a soft silicone band, this watch isn’t here to play.

Strap one on and you’ll be ready to head to a galaxy far, far away…