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County claims golden Ben Franklin

Franklin County commissioners are laying claim to Ben Franklin.

The county and the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce have come to an understanding about the 8-foot-tall golden statue of the founding father in the Heritage Center: Ben is owned by the county and is on loan to the chamber for display.

"If and when the county wants Ben back, it clears up who owns Ben," county Administrator John Hart said.

The county has insured the county's namesake for $200,000.

In 1865 Frederick Mayer of Pittsburgh carved the statue from long-leaf pine. The county repaired it in 1964, then again in 1991. The latest repairs, plus a fiberglass replica to grace the courthouse dome, cost the county $10,000.

The original Ben went on display in 1993 at the main entrance to the courthouse, but few people saw him because the main entrance was not used. In 2004, the original Ben was moved across the street to a second-story window at the newly created Heritage Center. The 250-pound statue rotates. On weekdays he watches over museum visitors from the balcony, and in the off-hours he turns his gaze to the traffic outside.

But the Founding Father, inventor, printer and ambassador sometimes has a mind of his own.

"If there's a short in his wiring, and a big truck goes by, he'll dance on his own," said a spokeswoman for the chamber of commerce. "We'll say he's dancing on his own. We get that fixed quick."

Replica Rolex Daytona or Submariner? – Choose Your Own Designer Watch

Authentic designer and luxury watches may be stylish but their prices are also hefty. People who have a tight budget therefore find it hard to buy such type of watch and this is the main reason why replica watches are increasingly becoming popular. So whether you are thinking of buying a replica rolex submariner, a replica rolex daytona or even both, it is now possible because of the great quality replica watches being offered in the market these days.

True, there are many fake watches being sold nowadays and a lot of them are of poor quality. The materials are of low quality, the designs are different from the genuine ones and the functioning is not right plus there are even spelling mistakes on the name label. This is why if you want to buy your own designer replica watch such as Rolex, you have to shop wisely.

When buying a replica Rolex watch, you need to remember that replica designer watches are only affordable alternatives and they are not made to equal the genuine ones. However, they are created and manufactured with high quality materials, accurate movements and stylish designs that show excellent quality and great performance, making people wearing them enjoy the luxury of sporting the designer brands they love cost-effectively.

So for those who find it hard to afford authentic Rolex timepieces, treat yourself now with a Swiss made Rolex replica of your own choice. A wide array of options is available online…

Store Revenue at Bal Harbour Shops Jumps 25% in February

Average sales at Bal Harbour Shops climbed to $2,465 in February, another record for the luxury fashion center.

The figure was up 25% on a 12-month, rolling-average basis. Revenue increased nearly $100 per square foot from $2,369 per square foot for all of 2011.

"Bal Harbour Shops continues to break its own records month after month," said operating partner Matthew Whitman Lazenby and third-generation Whitman family member to be involved in the business. "We are up double-digits so far this year against the 2011 record-breaking numbers. We've got five categories that are up 20 percent or more, three that are up 30 percent or more, and one -- service and personal care -- that is up over 50 percent!"

Bal Harbour Shops has been a leader in the retail industry since it opened in 1965. Sales per square foot have increased every year since inception except for 2001 after the 9-11 attacks and the severe economic downturn in 2009.

"We were likely the first in the country to break the $1,000 per square foot barrier back in the '90s and we are again the first shopping center to break the $2,000 per square foot ceiling in 2008."

Bal Harbour Shops continues to offer an unmatched outdoor environment for the world's most-respected brands, including Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Gucci, Graff Jewelers, Lanvin, Prada, Valentino, Van Cleef & Arpels and Yves Saint Laurent.

The shopping center recently added Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, CH Carolina Herrera, Breguet and Panerai to the mix of world-class retailers.

In addition, Bottega Venetta, Ralph Lauren, Jimmy Choo, Cesare Paciotti, Oxygene, and Thomas Pink have opened newly redesigned stores. Alexander McQueen, Canali, Etro, IWC Watches and Moncler are scheduled to open prior to the fall season.

"The credit belongs entirely to our world-class line-up on tenants who, if they keep this up, will be approaching $3,000 per square foot in average sales, almost unfathomable in an industry where the average center does less than $400 per square foot," Lazenby said.

China Overtakes U.S. In Luxury Watch Demand

China has surpassed the U.S. as the country exhibiting the highest demand for luxury watches based on Internet searches, according to a survey released Wednesday.

China represents 23 percent of all watch-related searches, according to the WorldWatchReport, published by Digital Luxury Group. Gaining the most attention in China is Omega (20.2 percent of searches there), followed by Longines (18.9 percent) and Rolex (10.5 percent).

It is the first time since the survey began in 2004 that the U.S. wasn't the number one based on these digital criteria.

In addition to the growth witnessed in China (up 7.8 percent), countries such as Japan (3.5 percent), India (0.6 percent), and Russia (0.5 percent) saw significant increases over last year, according to the survey. Most western markets remained stable or even saw market share drops, such as in the U.S. (down 9.2 percent), Germany (-1.7 percent), and Italy (-1 percent).

I don't understand how exactly this virtual demand translates into real demand, much less actual sales, but it no doubts shows that Asian consumers have an extremely strong interest in luxury watches and that luxury watch executives moving their brands into China are must feel good about their decision.

Rolex and Omega are the top two brands in demand, but this the lead that Rolex held over Omega in prior years is quickly narrowing. The difference in demand between the two brands is 2.3 percentage points, against 8.4 in 2009―mainly explained by Omega gaining market share in China while Rolex reinforced its positioning in the stagnant West, according to the study.

Among the more than 1,300 individual watch models tracked by the WorldWatchReport, the top three models are Omega's Seamaster, Rolex's Submariner and Rolex's Daytona, according to the survey.

Global searches related to counterfeits and replicas experienced a decrease, representing 1.85 percent of total luxury watch searches compared to 4.5 percent last year. Among the 40 brands analyzed, the demand for replica sport watches is the highest, with Rolex representing 51 percent of the total demand for counterfeits worldwide, followed by Breitling (9 percent) and TAG Heuer (5.3 percent).

The WorldWatchReport measures and benchmarks more than 50 digital indicators to analyze the performance of 40 luxury watch brands across 20 international markets.

Haute Time Presents: Eric Loth of Graham Watches At Basel World 2012

At Basel World 2012, I had the chance to meet with Eric Loth, CEO of Graham watches and got an inside look at the four timepieces the brand was debuting this year.

Eric Loth founded Graham watches 15 years ago and describes the company as a “product brand” not a “marketing brand,” specializing in unique movements and designs. The new line includes the Chronograph Chronofighter, inspired by World War II and made from carbon. The timepiece also includes a cool start/stop lever on the side and is priced at $6,500 Swiss Francs.

The next timepiece Eric Loth shared with me was the first ever Diver that is usable as a Chronograph down to 2,000 feet. The price point of this strong, limited edition piece (only 200 made) is $15,750 Swiss Francs.

The new Graham Tourbillon piece was created with the goal of making a tourbillon chronograph automatic that is also shock proof. Fine, complicated tourbillons are very difficult to make so strong, but Graham has figured it out and all vibrations are absorbed within this timepieces. It retails in the mid $70,000 Swiss Franc.

The last piece we discussed was the 1695, which appeared to be the simplest watch but it took Eric Loth four years to develop. The solid back has a special engraving design and a small space where you can see the rotor and balance. The 1695 is priced at $6,500 Swiss Francs.