Men's Second Style

Serendipity makes me happy.

There I was, minding my own business the other night, and I can’t remember if I was bored or not but I was certainly open to adventure, or at least a diversion. So when I more or less idly asked Posy what she was doing, and she responded “Trying on some new glasses I bought, and there’s a beautiful pocket watch too!” I immediately said, “TP me? Please?” In short order I arrived at the small but handsomely appointed shop of Pavig Lok. Although Posy hadn’t gone into specifics, she knew that Pavig’s gorgeously detailed steampunk creations would be right up my forbidding Victorian alley. She’s a temptress that way. And she was right–Pavig’s vendors showcased some very intriguing glasses and a truly elegant pocket watch. I thought to myself, “I’ll have the lot!”

Little did I know that I would receive so much more than I expected, based on the unassuming advertising placards I saw in the shop.

The Oculus Vintage Examination Glasses (L$200) include not fewer than three variants of the glasses themselves, plus three additional accessories. (Not all are shown here; you deserve the fun of discovering at least some of Pavig’s creativity for yourself.) At right you see the standard examination glasses, which have classic metal frames and brass detailing. The set also includes a version with lovely tortoise shell detailing and inscribed “Oculus” logo as well as a pair designed for “beady eyed happy people” (not shown).

You may be thinking that the glasses seem to have quite a lot of lenses, and wondering if it might be possible to trim some of the excess. You are entirely correct, and this is by Pavig’s devious design. He wants you to fiddle with these and customize them to your own needs and wants. In his own words: “This is EXACTLY why they have so many lenses: I want people in SL to learn to edit their attatchments and create their own unique style. Too many lenses should help with that–it’s easier to unlink and delete a few prims [and] then relink than it is to make the fine detail in the first place.” The glasses are shown here in their original state, unmodified except for sizing.

In addition to a loupe and tweezers, for all the fine detailing work you’re certain to be doing in order to customize your glasses, you’ll find one last item that seems purely for fun: a flea observation apparatus. The device is deceptively simple, to all appearances nothing more than a rectangular wooden dais, felt-topped, with a magnifying lens mounted for easy inspection of the subject…a flea. If you look closely in the picture at left, you can barely make it out. Glance through the magnifier, however, and you can see the creature in all its hoary detail. Like all good illusions, this one is completely effective and quite cleverly accomplished, and although Pavig discusses it at some length in the included notecard, like all good illusionists he does not give away the secret. However, he does encourage you to inspect and work it out for yourself.

The Precision Vintage Pocket Watch (L$250) includes a similar embarrassment of riches. The standard silver fob watch, shown at right, has a clean, simple face with Roman numerals, knurled winding stem, and you will note that there is no second hand, in keeping with timepieces of this era (Pavig mentions that measurements were taken of a watch by Harrods of London, circa 1883). Also included are a watch in gold finish with Arabic numerals (Pavig humorously describes this as “garish,” but I respectfully disagree), a watch similar to the standard model but with a second hand and engravable backplate, and a watch with a touch-scripted engravable protective cover (not pictured). Instructions and a metal texture for engraving are provided, and Pavig is open to commissioned work of this nature if you prefer.

But wait, there’s more! Pavig has also included three of his “freebie” watches. At left you see his Hobo Wrist Watch, described as an old army surplus watch, based on a 1932 wrist compass design. You’ll also find a variation of this watch with a radium dial, handy for spelunking or other less savory activities that take place in the dark. Last but most certainly not least, Pavig has rather recklessly included a Doomsday Device Timer, about which the less said the better.

All the watches are scripted to keep SL time. All permissions are Modify / Copy / No Transfer, and as previousy mentioned you are encouraged to tweak to your heart’s content. It’s always a good idea to make a backup copy before making modifications…just in case.

Much more information on these designs is provided in extensively detailed and entertaining notecards that are included with your purchase. I have resisted the temptation to quote them extensively here, so you can have the enjoyment of reading them for yourself. Do be sure to read them thoroughly as Pavig offers helpful suggestions regarding how to get maximum enjoyment from your new accessories while causing minimal damage to self and others in the process.

Available for perusal and purchase at Pav’s Emporium(Cecropia 178, 213, 34). The arrival point is in the courtyard of a small collection of shops; Pav’s Emporium is upstairs. Be sure to take a free humbug!