Prison Break : Lincoln Burrows

Lincoln Burrows, played by Dominic Purcell, is a protagonist of the American television series, Prison Break. The plot of Prison Break revolves around Lincoln Burrows' setup for the murder of the vice president's brother and his brother's plan to help him escape his death sentence. Lincoln's brother, Michael Scofield is played by Wentworth Miller. In episode flashbacks, the teenage Lincoln is played by Max Kirsch, while a younger Lincoln is portrayed by Hunter Jablonski.

As one of the principal characters, Lincoln plays a prominent role in the series and has appeared in every episode so far. The brother's relationship is frequently explored in the series as their sacrifices for each other form a large part of the plot. In an interview, series creator Paul Scheuring commented that it was "extremely difficult" to cast the roles of Lincoln and Michael. Dominic Purcell was cast for the role just three days before the start of production of the series pilot.

Prison Break : Michael Scofield

Michael Scofield, is a protagonist in the American television series, Prison Break. He is portrayed by Wentworth Miller. The character first appeared in the series pilot as a man who stages a bank robbery in order to get sent into the prison where his older brother, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), is being held until his execution. The premise of Prison Break revolves around the two brothers and Michael's plan to help Lincoln escape his death sentence. As the principal character, Michael has been featured in every episode of the series. Although both Lincoln and Michael are the protagonists of the series, Michael has been featured more extensively than Lincoln, especially in the first season and the third .

Various flashbacks from subsequent episodes provide further insight into the relationship between Michael and his brother, and the reasons behind Michael's determination in helping Lincoln to escape his death sentence. In the episode flashbacks, the younger Michael is played by Dylan Minette.

Biography of Moon Bloodgood

Korinna Moon Bloodgood (born September 20, 1975) is an American actress and model. She has starred in the films Eight Below and Pathfinder. Bloodgood also appeared alongside Taye Diggs in ABC's Day Break. She portrayed Rita Shelton, the girlfriend of a detective who is framed for murder and arrested in the span of a day but continually finds himself reliving that same day.

Bloodgood was born in Anaheim, California, to an American father of Dutch and Irish descent and a South Korean mother; her father was stationed in Korea when he met her mother. Bloodgood is a former cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. She was engaged to actor and singer Eric Balfour (April 24, 2005). She was ranked #99 in Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2005 list, #53 in 2006 and #40 in 2007.

As of 2007, Bloodgood starred as Livia Beale in the American science-fiction television series Journeyman on NBC. The show suffered from low ratings, and following the WGA Writer's Strike, Journeyman was effectively cancelled by NBC in December of 2007, when the network chose not to order the second half of the first season.

She will have a role in the upcoming movie Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, to be released in 2009.

She will star in the fourth film in the Terminator series.

Journeyman Episode

1 Pilot - A Love of a Lifetime 9/24/2007
2 Friendly Skies 10/1/2007
3 Game Three 10/8/2007
4 The Year of the Rabbit 10/15/2007
5 The Legend of Dylan McCleen 10/22/2007
6 Keepers 10/29/2007
7 Double Down 11/5/2007
8 Winterland 11/12/2007
9 Emily 11/19/2007
10 Blowback 11/26/2007
11 Home by Another Way 12/10/2007
12 The Hanged Man 12/17/2007
13 Perfidia 12/19/2007

Prison Break

Prison Break is a Golden Globe and Emmy nominated American action/serial drama television series that premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company on August 29, 2005. The story revolves around a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit and his brother's elaborate plan to help him escape his death sentence. Created by Paul Scheuring, the show is produced by Adelstein-Parouse Productions in association with Original Television and 20th Century Fox Television. The current executive producers are Scheuring, Matt Olmstead, Kevin Hooks, Marty Adelstein, Dawn Parouse, Neal Moritz, and Brett Ratner. Its theme music is composed by Ramin Djawadi, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2006.

The show recently concluded its shorter third season, that only consisted of 13 episodes. A fourth season of 22 episodes has been confirmed by FOX as of March 25, 2008. It is expected to be back on television later in the year. The production for the fourth season will move from Dallas to Los Angeles.

The uniqueness of Prison Break is attributed to its serialized story structure, a similar format used by Lost and 24, and to its setting, as very few television series were primarily set and filmed in a prison.

The original concept of Prison Break—a man deliberately getting himself sent to prison in order to help someone else (his brother, in this case) escape—was suggested to Paul Scheuring by producer Dawn Parouse, who wanted to produce an action-oriented series. Although Scheuring thought it was a good idea, he was initially stumped as to why someone would embark on such a mission or how he could develop it into a viable television show. He came up with the story of the wrongfully accused brother, and began working on the plot outline and devising the characters. In 2003, he pitched the idea to the Fox Broadcasting Company but was turned down as Fox felt nervous about the long-term possibilities of such a series. He subsequently showed the concept to other channels but was also turned down as it was thought to be more suited for a film project than a television series. Prison Break was later considered as a possible 14-part miniseries, which drew the interest of Steven Spielberg before his departure due to his involvement with War of the Worlds. Thus, the miniseries never materialized. Following the huge popularity of serialized prime time television series such as Lost and 24, the Fox Network had a change of heart and backed the production in 2004. The pilot episode was filmed a year after Scheuring wrote the script and five months later, the show was picked up as a commercial.

SEIKO Spring Drive GMT

With its high accuracy and complete energy autonomy, Spring Drive is the perfect watch for the traveler. With the addition of the 24-hour hand, the SEIKO Spring Drive GMT becomes the ideal timepiece for the international set. Time zone adjustment could not be more simple. Just by turning the crown, a different time zone can be set without affecting the precision on the second hand. The power reserve indicator is set deep into the dial to allow the time-of-day and 24-hour hand to glide over the dial surface, thereby maintaining the integrity of the original design.

Specifications:

• GMT Caliber: 5R66
• Case: Stainless steel
• Band: Stainless steel with deployment clasp with push button release
• Glass: Sapphire crystal
• Water Resistance: 10 Bar
• Retail price: The approximate recommended retail price in Europe is Euro 3,700.
  

Caliber Details:

• GMT caliber: 5R66
• 3 hands + 24-hour hand + Calendar + Power reserve indicator
• Diameter 30mm
• Thickness 5.8mm
• 30 jewels
• 296 components

The SEIKO Spring Drive Moon Phase

SEIKO Spring Drive was twenty eight years in the making, but in just its first year on the market, it has created a remarkable impact, recognised by connoisseurs and consumers alike as one of the most important developments in watch technology for decades. The "quiet revolution" of Spring Drive is underway.

For 2006, the international Spring Drive collection has been expanded to include two new calibers, expressed in three new references, and bringing the size of the total collection to nine watches. These additions provide a new vision of the 'circle' design concept that characterises the whole collection and yet maintain their own individual appeal.


In another graceful expression of the natural and continuous motion of time, the silver color moon-shaped plate on the blue mother of pearl disc creates the serene and refined appeal of this elegant new timepiece, marking the continuous progress of the moon across the night sky.


Not only the dial conveys the magical imagery of the moon. The movement itself is engraved to complete the harmony of the complete design, with the bridge and rotor portraying the fan-shaped pattern of moonlight radiating out from the glide wheel. The true and universal nature of time is thus represented in every part of the watch.


It is offered as a limited edition of just 200, with the individual number engraved on the movement, visible through the sapphire case back.

Specifications:

• Moon Phase Caliber: 5R67
• On the movement fan pattern engraved
• Case: Stainless steel with see-through case back
• Band: Leather strap
• Glass: Sapphire crystal
• Water Resistance: 10 Bar
• Retail price: The approximate recommended retail price in Europe is Euro 4,800.
  

Caliber Details:

• Moon Phase caliber: 5R67
• 3 hands + Moon Phase indicator + Power reserve indicator
• Diameter 30mm
• Thickness 6.0mm
• 30 jewels
• 288 components
• Power reserve: 72 hours

Seiko Spectrum

Last year in April E Ink Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation, and Seiko Watch Corporation announced their new make of world�s first watch from Electronic Paper Display (EPD).
The watch was designed in a very stylish manner to attract anyone with its amazing size of 30-millimeter wide and 4-millimeter thick band on which time was displayed as you can see in the image. It was $450 when released and when it hit the stores, it named "Spectrum" which cost $1,747.
The watch features Ultra High Contras, Ultra Thin / Flexible and Low Power Consumption. Due to its high flexibility, you can bend the watch to fit your wrist size.
Seiko launched this watch for the first and now everyone is contributing in escalating this web of rat race.

Journeyman : Jack Vasser

Jack Vasser (played by Reed Diamond) is Dan's brother. Jack, a police detective, is dating Dr. Theresa Sanchez (Lisa Sheridan), but also has feelings for Katie (his ex). Jack forms a number of misconceptions about Dan's disappearances and apparent irresponsibility, refusing to believe his brother when Dan tries to explain the time traveling. Believing Dan has perhaps returned to his gambling vice, Jack uses his police resources to investigate Dan's life. Jack is finally convinced of Dan's time traveling when Livia meets with Jack to enlist his help in getting Dan out of a desperate situation.

Journeyman : Olivia "Livia" Beale

Olivia "Livia" Beale (played by Moon Bloodgood) is Dan's ex-fiancée who was presumed dead after a plane crash nearly ten years before the start of the series. It is revealed that she is actually a traveler from 1948 who jumps into the future. After not being able to jump home, she was stuck in Dan's present and adapted to life there, where she began a legal career and fell in love with Dan, only to finally jump back home while on the plane. In “Blowback” and in the final episode, “Perfidia”, she and Dan speculated that Dan was the target of her extended jump, and that her mission was to get Dan and Katie together (which was arguably a result of her supposed death). For unknown reasons, she now jumps to the same times that Dan visits, and offers him advice and assistance in his missions.

Journeyman : Katie Vasser

Katie Vasser (played by Gretchen Egolf) is Dan's wife and mother of their son Zack. Until recently, she was the only one in the present who knew about her husband's time-traveling. Katie was the long-time girlfriend of Dan's brother Jack. Since their break-up nine years ago, the two have remained somewhat distant; partly because Katie ended up getting pregnant by Dan and they married soon after. Before marrying Dan, Katie was a television reporter. In response to cutbacks at the Register, and Dan's traveling, Katie returns to television to ensure a stable income for the family.

Journeyman : Dan Vasser

Dan Vasser (played by Kevin McKidd) is a reporter for the fictional newspaper the San Francisco Register. Dan is the main protagonist of the series, who finds himself jumping through time, unable to stop or control the jumps. He has a son, Zack, with his wife of 7 years, Katie — his brother's ex-girlfriend. Dan was previously engaged to Livia Beale before her disappearance and supposed death in a plane crash. Dan is a recovered gambling addict.

Journeyman

Journeyman is a 2007 U.S. science fiction television drama created by Kevin Falls for 20th Century Fox Television which aired on the NBC television network. It stars Kevin McKidd as Dan Vasser, a San Francisco reporter who involuntarily travels through time. Alex Graves, who directed the pilot, and Falls served as executive producers.

The show premiered on September 24, 2007, airing Mondays at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The initial order from the network was for 13 episodes, all of which were produced prior to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike by screenwriters. However, the series suffered from low ratings, and NBC allowed its option for a full season order to lapse by the Decembe 11, 2007 deadline for renewal. According to trade reports, such an action effectively means the series has been cancelled. As of April 2, 2008 the show has officially been canceled by NBC. The final episode of Journeyman aired on Wednesday, December 19, 2007.

Dan's "shifts" through time occur seemingly at random. The only indication he has to an oncoming jump is a feeling in his head which varies from right before he jumps to several seconds of warning. Dan appears to have no control over the shifts. The first jump is typically several decades into the past; through a series of jumps, he jumps nearer to the present, usually years at a time.

The jumps manifest themselves with a small blue flash and a ripple as Dan appears to vanish from the present, and appear instantly in the past. He is missing from the present for a period of time unrelated to the period he spends in the past. His disappearances and reappearances are rarely witnessed by anyone else; it is unclear if this is a factor in his jumps, or merely coincidence. Dan does not arrive in the same location he departed, but instead arrives near the person who he is supposed to help. His jumps are typically restricted to the area he leaves from, usually keeping him in the San Francisco area. Dan is also trying to figure out the mechanics of his travels. He has questioned a physicist who seems to have known his father in the past, and has discussed the possibility of tachyon particles being able to cause time jumps. It is now clear that the scientist is aware of Dan's travels, as well as those of others like him. It has also been discovered that those born around the time of a rare passing comet have this ability.

Dan's journeys appear to each have an innate purpose, which is not always apparent to him, but involves positively changing the destiny of a certain person. Likewise, fate seems to conspire against him if he tries to alter other events beyond his current charge. Alterations Dan makes to the timeline affect the present and the memories of everyone in it. His own memories, however, are unaltered, and he recalls events as they originally occurred before his interference.

Dan is not alone in his tendency to time-travel. His ex-fiancée Livia, thought to have been killed in a plane crash, actually traveled back to her "home time", currently living in 1948 from where she jumps forward in time. Dan meets Livia on his jumps into the past, as she jumps into her future to offer her experience and assistance with Dan's missions. As revealed in the episode “Perfidia”, there is at least one other person who also jumps through time.

Topaz

It is a fluorine aluminium silicate and comes in yellow, yellow-brown, honey-yellow, flax, brown, green, blue, light blue, red and pink ... and sometimes it has no colour at all. The topaz.

The topaz has been known for at least 2000 years and is one of the gemstones which form the foundations of the twelve gates to the Holy City of the New Jerusalem. These so-called apocalyptic stones are intended to serve in protection against enemies and as a symbol of beauty and splendour. It cannot be proved conclusively whether the name of the topaz comes from the Sanskrit or the Greek, though the Greek name 'topazos' means 'green gemstone'. The Romans dedicated the topaz to Jupiter.The colour in which the topaz is most commonly found is yellow, and that is the colour in which it occurs in one of the major German gemstone rocks, the Schneckenstein (a topaz-bearing rock said to resemble a snail) in Saxony. In the 18th century, it was mined there during a period of over 60 years. However, most of the crystals were hardly a centimetre in diameter. You had to go to Siberia or Brazil to find crystals as large as your fist. Having said that, anyone who is interested can convince himself of the beauty of cut specimens in the topaz set in Dresden's Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault). The enormous and magnificent topaz from the Portuguese crown, the Braganza, was for a long time thought to be a diamond. It weighs 1680 ct..

In mysticism, the topaz is attributed with a cooling, styptic and appetising effect. It is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears, to warn its wearer of poisons and protect him or her from sudden death. It is reputed to make men handsome and intelligent and sterile women fertile and happy. However, it is probably better not to rely too much on its magical powers, since it was also claimed that you could immerse your hand in boiling water after a topaz had been thrown into it and retract it again unharmed! It is the stone of the month November.

In the Empire style, the topaz was still widespread, but then the more reasonably priced citrine took over from it and even usurped its name - gold topaz. Since then, the topaz has been a rather exotic figure in the jewellery trade, and has been given the additional predicate 'pure' to make it clear that the topaz, not the quartz topaz, is meant. And it is still waiting for its well deserved comeback to this day.

Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from the Latin aurum, meaning shining dawn) and atomic number 79. It is a highly sought-after precious metal which, for many centuries, has been used as money, a store of value and in jewelry. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, underground "veins" and in alluvial deposits. It is one of the coinage metals. Gold is dense, soft, shiny and the most malleable and ductile of the known metals. Pure gold has a bright yellow color traditionally considered attractive.

Gold formed the basis for the gold standard used before the collapse of the Bretton Woods system. It is specifically against IMF regulations to base any currency against gold for all IMF member states. The ISO currency code of gold bullion is XAU.
Modern industrial uses include dentistry and electronics, where gold has traditionally found use because of its good resistance to oxidative corrosion.

Chemically, gold is a trivalent and univalent transition metal. Gold does not react with most chemicals, but is attacked by chlorine, fluorine, aqua regia and cyanide. Gold dissolves in mercury, forming amalgam alloys, but does not react with it. Gold is insoluble in nitric acid, which will dissolve silver and base metals, and this is the basis of the gold refining technique known as "inquartation and parting". Nitric acid has long been used to confirm the presence of gold in items, and this is the origin of the colloquial term "acid test," referring to a gold standard test for genuine value.

Because of the softness of pure (24k) gold, it is usually alloyed with base metals for use in jewelry, altering its hardness and ductility, melting point, color and other properties. Alloys with lower caratage, typically 22k, 18k, 14k or 10k, contain higher percentages of copper, silver or other base metals in the alloy. Copper is the most commonly used base metal, yielding a redder metal. Eighteen carat gold containing 25% copper is found in antique and Russian jewellery and has a distinct, though not dominant, copper cast, creating rose gold. Fourteen carat gold-copper alloy is nearly identical in color to certain bronze alloys, and both may be used to produce police and other badges. Blue gold can be made by alloying with iron and purple gold can be made by alloying with aluminum, although rarely done except in specialized jewelry. Blue gold is more brittle and therefore more difficult to work with when making jewelry. Fourteen and eighteen carat gold alloys with silver alone appear greenish-yellow and are referred to as green gold. White gold alloys can be made with palladium or nickel. White 18 carat gold containing 17.3% nickel, 5.5% zinc and 2.2% copper is silver in appearance. Nickel is toxic, however, and its release from nickel white gold is controlled by legislation in Europe. Alternative white gold alloys are available based on palladium, silver and other white metals (World Gold Council), but the palladium alloys are more expensive than those using nickel. High-carat white gold alloys are far more resistant to corrosion than are either pure silver or sterling silver. The Japanese craft of Mokume-gane exploits the color contrasts between laminated colored gold alloys to produce decorative wood-grain effects.

Gary Sinise for Baume Mercier

Gary Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois. His family later moved to Highland Park, where he attended high school. He was something of a rebel, playing in bands but paying little attention to school. Gary and some friends tried out for "West Side Story" as a lark, but Gary was hooked on acting for life by closing night. Gary credits his love for theatre to his drama teacher, Barbara Patterson. In 1974, Gary, Terry Kinney, and Jeff Perry founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Initially performing in a church basement, the company grew and gained stature in the Chicago area. In addition to acting in many plays, Gary also directed some of Steppenwolf's most notable productions, including Sam Shepard's "True West". The company made its off-Broadway debut with that production, starring Gary and 'John Malkovich' and its Broadway debut with "The Grapes of Wrath" at the Cort Theatre in 1990.. Gary's Hollywood career also started in the director's chair with two episodes of the stylish TV series "Crime Story" (1986) followed in 1988 by the feature Miles from Home (1988) starring Richard Gere. Gary's first feature film as an actor was the World War II fable A Midnight Clear (1992) in 1992. That year also found Gary combining his acting and directing talents with the critically acclaimed Of Mice and Men (1992). His first real notice by the public came in 1994, however. He starred in the blockbuster miniseries "The Stand" (1994) (mini), rapidly followed by his bravura performance as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump (1994). His portrayal of the disabled, emotionally tortured veteran earned Gary numerous awards and an Oscar nomination. Busy 1994 was followed by busy 1995, first reuniting with Tom Hanks in Apollo 13 (1995) and then starring in the HBO film Truman (1995) (TV) which earned him the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Emmy nomination. Gary is married to Moira Harris, an actress and original member of the Steppenwolf company. They have three children, Sophie, McCanna, and Ella. Gary's father is the film editor Robert L. Sinise, A.C.E.

Baume Mercier Classima Executives

Category : Automatic Chronograph
Size : Gents
Band : Black Alligator Strap with deployant buckle
Description : Stainless steel case. White dial with stick hour markers. Displays date at 3 o'clock. Scratch Resistant Sapphire Crystal. Fixed Bezel. Water Resistant 30m. Case Diameter 42mm.

Zircon

Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate and its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4. Hafnium is almost always present in quantities ranging from 1 to 4%. The crystal structure of zircon is tetragonal crystal class. The natural color of zircon varies between colorless, yellow-golden, red, brown, and green. Colorless specimens that show gem quality are a popular substitute for diamond; these specimens are also known as "Matura diamond". It is not to be confused with cubic zirconia, a synthetic substance with a completely different chemical composition.

The name either derives from the Arabic word zarqun, meaning vermilion, or from the Persian zargun, meaning golden-colored. These words are corrupted into "jargoon", a term applied to light-colored zircons. Yellow zircon is called hyacinth, from a word of East Indian origin; in the Middle Ages all yellow stones of East Indian origin were called hyacinth, but today this term is restricted to the yellow zircons.

Zircon is regarded as the traditional birthstone for December.

Zircon can come in red, brown, yellow, green, black, or colorless. The color of zircons below gem quality can be changed by heat treatment. Depending on the amount of heat applied, colorless, blue, and golden-yellow zircons can be made.

Amber

Amber is the fossilized resin from ancient forests. Amber is not produced from tree sap, but rather from plant resin. This aromatic resin can drip from and ooze down trees, as well as fill internal fissures, trapping debris such as seeds, leaves, feathers and insects. The resin becomes buried and fossilized through a natural polymerization of the original organic compounds.

Amber is a fossilized resin, not tree sap. Sap is the fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, while resin is the semi-solid amorphous organic substance secreted in pockets and canals through epithelial cells of the plant. Land plant resins are complex mixtures of mono-, sesqui-, di-, and triterpenoids, which have structures based on linked isoprene C5H8 units (Langenheim, 1969, p. 1157). Volatile terpenoid fractions in resins evaporate and dissipate under natural forest conditions, leaving nonvolatile terpenoid fractions to become fossilized if they are stable enough to withstand degradation and depositional conditions. The fossil resin becomes incorporated into sediments and soils, which over millions of years change into rock such as shale and sandstone.

Therefore, amber is formed as a result of the fossilization of resin that that takes millions of years and involves a progressive oxidation and polymerization of the original organic compounds, oxygenated hydrocarbons. Although a specific time interval has not been established for this process, the majority of amber is found within Cretaceous and Tertiary sedimentary rocks(approximately 30-90 million years old).

Although there are contrasting views as to why resin is produced, it is a plant's protection mechanism. The resin may be produced to protect the tree from disease and injury inflicted by insects and fungi. Resin may be exuded to heal a wound such as a broken branch, and resins possess odors or tastes that both attract and repel insects (Langenheim, 1969, p. 1167). In mature trees, resin may simply exude from vertical fissures in the bark due to tension produced by rapid growth (Langenheim, 1969, p. 1166). Resin may also be produced as a plant's method for disposing of excess acetate.

There is no one tree responsible for the resin that fossilizes into amber. Botanical affinities have been suggested based on examination of the entombed debris and through chemical studies of the resin. The botanical affinity of jelinite, Kansas amber, appears to be from the Araucariaceae family, which is considered to be a primary Mesozoic amber tree. Although this tree does not exist today in the northern hemisphere, it would closely resemble Agathis australis, or the huge Kauri pine found today in New Zealand.

During most of the Mesozoic geologic time period, gymnosperms dominated land vegetation. Conifers are the most successful gymnosperm living today (Cleal & Thomas, 1999, p. 62). Some of the amber land plants were probably conifers from the order Pinales, in the families: Araucariaceae (e.g., Norfolk Pine, Monkey Puzzle, Kauri Pine), Taxodiaceae (e.g., sequoias and bald cypresses), Taxaceae (e.g., yews), Pinaceae (e.g., pine and larches), Cupressaceae (e.g., cedars, cypresses, junipers), and Podocarpaceae.

Studies by G๖ppert (1836), based on botanical debris entombed in amber, concluded that members of the Pinaceae were the source of Baltic amber. Specifically, G๖ppert (1836) designated the amber tree as Pinites succinifer, although he clearly stated this wood anatomy was not the same as any living pine today. Disregarding botanical evidence and concentrating on chemical evidence, Beck (1999) and Larsson (1978) suggested sources other than Pinaceae for Baltic amber, including Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae, and Taxodiaceae; they believed that chemically G๖ppert's Pinites was a closer match to the Araucariaceae than to Pinaceae.

Kansas amber was found among Cretaceous age rock, which is in the Mesozoic Era. Fossil resin and copal occur on the North American continent among strata from Triassic to Recent. The oldest amber is found in the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, New Mexico (Grimaldi, Nascimbene, Luzzi, Case, 1998, p. 81). The next oldest deposits of amber are Cretaceous in age. The most abundant North American Cretaceous fossil resins are from the states of Alaska and New Jersey, USA and from the provinces of Alberta and Manitoba, Canada.

One depositional environment for amber is marginal marine. Amber's specific gravity is slightly over 1 and it floats in saltwater; therefore amber becomes concentrated in estuarine or marine deposits, moved some distance from the original site (Langenheim, 1969, p. 1159). Trees and resin may be transported and deposited in quiet water sediments that formed the bottom of a lagoon or delta at the margin of a sea. Wood and resin are buried under the sediment and while the resin becomes amber, the wood becomes lignite. Wet sediments of clay and sand preserve the resin well because they are devoid of oxygen.

Therefore, given copious resin producing trees and appropriate burial conditions, amber is preserved in sedimentary clay, shale, and sandstones associated with layers of lignite, a woody brown coal. A generalized interpretation of the depositional conditions present in Kansas amber-bearing strata is that a transgressing or advancing Cretaceous sea in north-central Kansas led to deposition and preservation of fluvial, estuarine, and lagoon or bay deposits behind a barrier island system (Franks, 1980, p. 56).

Jade

Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The rock called jadeitite consists almost entirely of jadeite, a sodium- and aluminium-rich pyroxene. The trade name Jadite is sometimes applied to translucent/opaque green glass.

The English word 'jade' is derived from the Spanish term piedra de ijada (first recorded in 1565) or 'loin stone', from its reputed efficacy in curing ailments of the loins and kidneys. 'Nephrite' is derived from lapis nephriticus, the Latin version of the Spanish piedra de ijada.

Nephrite and jadeite were used by people from the prehistoric for similar purposes. Both are about the same hardness as quartz, and they are exceptionally tough. They are beautifully coloured and can be delicately shaped. Thus it was not until the 19th century that a French mineralogist determined that "jade" was in fact two different materials.

Among the earliest known jade artifacts excavated from prehistoric sites are simple ornaments with bead, button, and tubular shapes. Additionally, jade was used for axe heads, knives, and other weapons. As metal-working technologies became available, the beauty of jade made it valuable for ornaments and decorative objects. Jade has a Mohs hardness of between 6.5 and 7.0, so it can be worked with quartz or garnet sand, and polished with bamboo or even ground jade.

Nephrite can be found in a creamy white form (known in China as "mutton fat" jade) as well as in a variety of green colours, whereas jadeitite shows more colour variations, including blue, lavender-mauve, pink, and emerald-green colours. Of the two, jadeite is rarer, documented in fewer than 12 places worldwide. Translucent emerald-green jadeitite is the most prized variety, both now and historically. As "quetzal" jade, bright green jadeitite from Guatemala was treasured by Mesoamerican cultures, and as "kingfisher" jade, vivid green rocks from Burma became the preferred stone of post-1800 Chinese imperial scholars and rulers. Burma (Myanmar) and Guatemala are the principal sources of modern gem jadeitite, and Canada of modern lapidary nephrite. Nephrite jade was used mostly in pre-1800 China as well as in New Zealand, the Pacific Coast and Atlantic Coasts of North America, Neolithic Europe, and south-east Asia. In addition to Mesoamerica, jadeitite was used by Neolithic Japanese and European cultures.

Jade is the official gemstone of British Columbia, where it is found in large deposits in the Lillooet and Cassiar regions. It is also the official gemstone of the state of Alaska, found particularly in the Kobuk area. A two ton block of jade sits outside the Anchorage Visitor’s Center in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, mined from near Kobuk and donated to the city as a showpiece. Jade is also the state gemstone of Wyoming, U.S.A.

Eva Green for Montblanc

Eva Green was born Eva Gaëlle Green on July 5, 1980, in Paris, France. She has a non-identical twin sister. Her father, named Walter Green, is a Swedish dentist who once appeared in the 1966 film Au hasard Balthazar (1966). Her mother, named Marlène Jobert, is an Algerian-born (during the time Algeria was part of France) French actress who retired from acting and became a writer of children's books. Young Eva Green left French school at 17. She switched to English in Ramsgate, Kent, and went to the American School in France for one year. She studied acting at Saint Paul Drama School in Paris for three years, then had a 10-week polishing course at the Weber Douglas Academy of dramatic Art in London. She also studied directing at the Tisch School of Arts at New York University.

She returned to Paris as an accomplished young actress, and played on stage in several theater productions: "La Jalousie en Trois Fax" and "Turcaret". There she caught the eye of director Bernardo Bertolucci. Green followed a recommendation to work on her English. She studied for two months with an English coach before doing The Dreamers (2003) with Bernardo Bertolucci. During their work Bertolucci described Green as being "so beautiful it's indecent." Green won critical acclaim for her role in The Dreamers (2003). She also attracted a great deal of attention from male audiences for her full frontal nudity in several scenes of the film. Besides her work as an actress Green also composed original music and recorded several sound tracks for the film score.

After The Dreamers Green's career ascended to the level where she revealed more of her multifaceted acting talent. She played the love interest of cult French gentleman stealer Arsène Lupin (2004) opposite Romain Duris. In 2005 she co-starred opposite Orlando Bloom and Liam Neeson in Kingdom of Heaven (2005) produced and directed by Ridley Scott. The film became a blockbuster in the US and worldwide and brought her a wider international exposure. She turned down the femme fatale role in The Black Dahlia that went to Hilary Swank because she didn't want to end up always typecast as a femme fatale after her role in The Dreamers. Instead, Eva Green accepted the prestigious role of Vesper Lynd, one of three Bond girls, opposite Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006) and became the 5th French actress to play a James Bond girl after Claudine Auger in Thunderball (1965), Corinne Clery in Moonraker (1979), Carole Bouquet in For Your Eyes Only (1981) and Sophie Marceau in The World is not enough (1999).

Since her school years Green has been a cosmopolitan multilingual and multicultural person. Yet, since her father always lived in France with them and her mother, she and her twin sister can't speak Swedish. She developed a wide scope of interests beyond her acting profession and became an aspiring art connoisseur and an avid museum visitor. Her other activities outside of acting include playing and composing music, cooking at home, walking her terrier, and collecting art. She currently shares time between her two residencies, one is in Paris, France, and one in London, England.

C1 Chronograph

Technical Characterisitics

• Movement : Mechanical self-winding, Calibre A07.211 (Valgranges), 16½ lignes, chronometer-certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute)
• Frequency : 28,800 vibrations/hour, 4 Hz
• Power reserve: 48 hours
• Parts: à confirmer
• Jewels: 25
• Thickness: 7.90 mm; 2.39 mm of hand-fitting
• Diameter: 37.20 mm, of which 36.6 mm casing dimensions

Functions : Hour, minute, small seconds on permanent turning disc (1/10 mm thick)Central sweep seconds hand, 30-minute and 12-hour countersDate

Case

• Round, stainless steel
• Diameter: 44 mm
• Thickness: 16.70 mm
• Protective ring in rubber-coated steel, screwed in laterally, enhanced by eight decorative elements on the bezelSapphire crystal 3.30 mm thick
• Crown in steel, rubber and composite
• Rotor engraved with Concord logo, case signed with the words: Audacity - Know-How - Avant-garde, stamped in relief
• Transparent sapphire crystal case-back
• Water-resistance: 200 meters
• Also available in 18-karat pink gold

Dial

• Carbon fiber. Also available in polished metal (polished steel? Should state type of metal)
• Hour-markers with SuperLuminova luminescent material SLNC1
• Hour and minute hands in steel, asymmetrically hollowed out, filled with SuperLuminova luminescent material SLNC1
• Steel counter hands
• Concord blue sweep seconds hand

Bracelet

In vulcanized rubber with Concord folding clasp. Also available in stainless steel with Concord folding clasp.

Carat Weight

The size of a diamond is measured in carats (abbreviated as "ct"). A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams (about 0.007 ounces). Another weight measurement sometimes used for small for diamonds is the point measurement (abbreviated as "pt"). Each point is one/one hundredth of a carat. For example, a stone weighing 34 pt weighs .34 ct.Larger diamonds are worth more than proportionally smaller ones, meaning a 3 ct. diamond surpasses the value of three 1ct. diamonds.

Sapphire

In the gem trade, sapphire refers to the blue variety of corundum. However, excluding red ruby, it scientifically encompasses all other gem varieties of corundum. (In essence, ruby is really a red sapphire, since ruby and sapphire are identical in all properties except color.) Sapphire is the most precious of blue gemstones. It is a most desirable gem due to its color, hardness, durability, and luster. The most valuable color of sapphire is cornflower blue, known as Kashmir sapphire or Cornflower blue sapphire.

Until the last century, all sapphires (excluding blue) were called the same name as a popular gemstone of that color with the prefix "oriental" added to it. For example, green sapphire was known as "oriental emerald". The practice of applying the name of a different gemstone to identify the sapphire was misleading, so these names were virtually abolished. What was once called "oriental emerald" is now called "green sapphire". The same holds true for all other color varieties of sapphire. However, the word "sapphire" in its plain context refers only to blue sapphire, unless a prefix color is specified. Sapphire with a color other than blue is often called a "fancy" in the gem trade.

Inclusions of tiny, slender, parallel Rutile needles cause polished sapphire gems to exhibit asterism. Sapphire gems displaying asterism are known as "star sapphires", and if transparent are especially prized. Star sapphires are usually in six ray stars, but twelve ray stars are also known. Very rarely, sapphire also exhibits cat's eye effect. Color zoning, which forms from growth layers that build up during the formation of the stone, is present in certain sapphires. However, uniformity of color is an important factor in a sapphire's value.

Colorless and pale blue sapphires from certain localities may be heat-treated to give them an intense blue color. Heat-treatment may also improve the clarity of some sapphires by removing tiny inner inclusions. Sapphire is pleochroic, displaying a lighter and more intense color when viewed at different angles. Some pleochroic sapphire is blue when viewed at one angle, and purple at a different angle.

A rare variety of sapphire, known as color changing sapphire, exhibits different colors in different light. In natural light, color changing sapphire is blue, but in artificial light, it is violet. This effect is the same phenomenon seen in alexandrite.

Sapphire was first synthesized in 1902. The process of creating synthetic sapphire is known as the Verneuil process. Only experts can distinguish between natural and synthetic sapphire.

Sapphire is a tough and durable gem, but it is still subject to chipping and fracture if handled roughly.

USES

Sapphire is one of the most popular jewelry stones. The blue variety is most often used in jewelry, but the yellow, pink, and orange stones are also popular. A rare orange-pink variety, known as padparadschah, is even more valued than blue sapphire. Stones displaying asterism are polished as cabochons, and, if clear, are extremely valuable. Blue sapphire is sometimes carved into cameos or small figures. Synthetic sapphire is often used as a substitute for the natural material. Sapphire is the birthstone of September.

VARIETIES

• Kashmir Sapphire - Sapphire with a distinct velvety-blue color
• Cornflower Sapphire - Synonym of Kashmir sapphire (above)
• Cornflower Blue Sapphire - Synonym of Kashmir sapphire (above)
• Star Sapphire - Sapphire displaying asterism
• Padparadschah - Orange-pink variety of sapphire
• Color Changing Sapphire - Sapphire exhibiting a different color in natural and artificial light
• Bi-colored Sapphire - Sapphire with more than one color
• Cat's Eye Sapphire - Sapphire exhibiting cat's eye effect
• Fancy Sapphire - Any sapphire with a color other than blue
• Verneuil Sapphire - Synthetic, laboratory-grown sapphire

Nowadays, sapphire is classified by its color in the gem trade (i.e. green color sapphire is "Green Sapphire"). Colorless sapphire is usually called "White Sapphire".

The "oriental" prefixes are not used anymore, but they are still occasionally seen. Below is a list of all the "oriental" sapphires:

• Oriental Topaz - Straw yellow, gem quality sapphire
• Oriental Emerald - Light to dark green, gem quality sapphire
• Oriental Amethyst - Violet to pink, gem quality sapphire
• Oriental Peridot - Yellow-green, gem quality sapphire
• Oriental White Sapphire - Colorless, gem quality sapphire
  

Some other (rarely used) variety names:

• Australian Sapphire - Dark blue to nearly black sapphire
• Bengal Amethyst - Purple sapphire
• Blue Alexandrite - Synonym of color changing sapphire
• Burma Sapphire - Synthetic, laboratory-grown blue sapphire
• Burmese Sapphire - Synonym of Burma sapphire (above)
• Ceylon Sapphire - Light blue sapphire
• Indian Topaz - Yellow to yellow-brown sapphire
• King Topaz - Yellow to yellow-brown sapphire
• Rose Kunzite - Synthetic pink sapphire
• Star Topaz - Yellow star sapphire
• Ultralite - Blue sapphire
  

FALSE NAMES

• Brazilian Sapphire - blue tourmaline or blue topaz
• Gold Sapphire - lapis lazuli with shiny pyrite sprinkles
• Hope Sapphire - synthetic blue spinel
• Lux Sapphire - iolite
• Lynx Sapphire - iolite
• Sapphire Quartz - massive blue quartz or chalcedony
• Sapphire Spinel - blue spinel
• Water Sapphire - iolite
• Uralian Sapphire - blue tourmaline
  

SIMILAR GEMSTONES
Iolite, indicolite tourmaline, and blue zircon may resemble blue sapphire, but are softer. The other color varieties of sapphire are commonly confused with many gemstones, but their great hardness distinguishes them.