Leisure - Ranch & Coast

Last month’s mandatory move to hands-free phone use while driving has opened up the floodgates for the latest in wireless earpiece designs. In fact, by summer’s end, expect enough tickets to have been written that everyone walks around like a crazy person, talking to the air and gesticulating wildly like Steve Martin in The Man with Two Brains. Personally, I’ve never thought any of the earpiece designs have been that good. First they had the wired sets with ear buds and that microphone bit that hung too low or too high, inevitably causing everyone to hold it up to their mouth just like, yes, a cell phone. Brilliant. Then there were the Bluetooth sets. Fitted around the ear with no wire, they were more practical, but as with any first gen product the dollar was put into function and not flare. Translation: they were big and bulky and everyone looked like they had giant scarab beetles trying to crawl out of their skulls. But, alas, the powers that be have come around to the idea that fashion is the cornerstone of today’s gadgetry. These latest headsets are smaller, sleeker, often adorned with jewels or precious metals, and able to match any outfit. Here are three that make our ears perk up.

A Head Full Of Rocks
You won’t be talking into this headset so much as you’ll be talking about it. Amosu Luxury Ltd, a U.K.-based company specializing in luxury cell phones, has created the most expensive Bluetooth headset in the world. The Motopure H12 Bluetooth Headset was designed by Motorola and mobile phone artist Alexander Amosu and is only available by custom order. It is made from 18-karat gold and features over 180 brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling 3.47 carats. You can choose between white or yellow gold, and customize your headset with either white, pink, or black diamonds. Talk time is a bit below standard at only 5.5 hours, but considering the investment, it probably doesn’t matter. Only 100 of these headsets are being offered through Selfridges in London and Manchester, and Harvey Nichols in London. The base model is $8,175 and the fully-loaded headset is $12,775. (www.selfridges.com, www.harveynichols.com)

Listen Up, Ladies
Women probably have more reason to worry about headset fashion than men — after all, a red headset would probably clash with a green polka dot dress whereas men’s choice of black pretty much goes with everything. Many Hollywood stars such as Eva Longoria Parker and Brooke Shields have discovered the new line of blingy earpieces by Plantronics. Dubbed the Discovery 925 line, the feminine earpieces are lightweight and more aesthetic than your average Bluetooth headset, coming in various colors including cerise, gold, and onyx — more colors are set for release later in the year. Each costs $149 and comes with a wireless charger. (www.plantronics.com)

Titanium Talk
Anyone who attended this year’s CES show in Vegas knows the name Jabra. This little headset, the Jabra JX20 Pura, was the talk of the town, mostly for its tiny specs and classy design. Produced by acclaimed design house Jacob Jensen, this titanium headset focuses on authentic materials, top technology, sleekness, and audio excellence. It comes with digital sound enhancement via DSP, adaptive sound, plus support for Bluetooth 2.0 and autopairing. Weighing in at less than 13 grams, the earpiece rotates to switch the device on and off (what they call an "intuitive" switch). The ear bud is actually a gel that shapes to the size and interior of your ear for better comfort and stability. It offers six hours of talk time and comes with its own charger. It’s available through various online retailers for $130. (www.jabra.com) — Ryan Thomas