The year is already coming to a close, and it’s been an interesting one, without a doubt. We’ve seen jaw-dropping auction highlights, discussed the topic of custom jewelry and footwear, and kept tabs on the best new watch releases unveiled in 2016. While we’d love to give you a full digest of all the great things to roll across our desks, that’d burn a few too many pages in a hurry. Instead, we present three favorite items we covered this past year.

Bvlgari Parentesi Cocktail Necklace
Big and loud statement jewelry remains a hot ticket item this year, making that tried-and-true “less is more” mantra a thing of the past. When a particular situation calls for a statement piece, Bvlgari is more than happy to oblige. The Parentesi cocktail necklace is by no means over-the-top; however, the pairing of 18k pink gold with amethyst, citrine, quartz and diamonds makes it an absolute standout piece of hardware on any occasion. $43,600.
bulgari.com

© MODERN VICE

Modern Vice
To find proper bespoke footwear entirely “made in the U.S.A.” was a real treat this past spring. Modern Vice keeps its headquarters and flagship store in Manhattan’s Garment District and offers a full line of both off-the-rack and bespoke footwear options for men and women. Pricing for bespoke starts at an exceptionally moderate $500, but depending on how wild you get with customization, obviously the sky’s the limit. The brand doesn’t like to name-drop too often, but it can boast Cyndi Lauper and Questlove as clients, among many others. Depending on how long you stay in the city, you can be as heavily or lightly involved in the process as you see fit, but one way or another the end product is yours and yours alone.
modernvice.com

© SEIKO

Seiko Presage Chronograph
This still may surprise some of the watch collectors in the room, but the new Seiko Presage ranks as one of the best buys in watchmaking this year. Seiko continues to make exceptional headway into the realm of haute horlogerie with the majority of its Grand Seiko offerings, and this Presage chronograph is nearly impossible to beat in terms of a value-per-dollar proposition. Available in either a traditional white enamel dial or a remarkably deep black, handworked urushi lacquer, this sleek 42mm chronograph wears brilliantly on the wrist. With the market saturated with plain mass-produced chronographs in the $4,000–5,000 range, this thing truly is a breath of fresh air. White enamel, $2,300; black lacquer, $2,600.
seikowatches.com