Official Peterman's Eye Monocle.

“Good grief, Peterman, do you want me to look like Erich von Stroheim?”

Relax, I'm not suggesting that at all.

It's just that a monocle is more convenient and less ostentatious, really, than carrying around a magnifying glass for tasks eyeglasses aren't up to, like examining your NASDAQ listings or the wings of a Vanessa atalanta.

Later, for amusement, you might practice the standard monocle gestures developed on the early 19th-century English stage to signify emotion with no facial expressions required, e.g., slowly removing monocle indicates anger; letting monocle drop from eye and bounce on waistcoat indicates surprise; inserting monocle indicates one is about to launch a shaft of wit.

There you have it. Perfectly sensible, plus an option for hours, days, a lifetime of drollery.

Peterman's Eye Monocle (No. 2407), the official monocle of my website (PetermansEye.com) devoted to taking a close look at interesting stuff. With handsome mock-tortoiseshell frame, 42" silk monocle cord (goes around one's neck), and velour-lined carrying case.

Magnifying strengths: +1.0, +1.5. +2.0.

Made in England. (Where else?)

Pull Up a Chair at PetermansEye.com

I'd like to invite you to stop by my website, PetermansEye.com — a community of curious minds where members and I trade new stuff every day on all sorts of interesting subjects. Real, unsponsored facts and opinions are free to collide there without apology; I don't know where it will all lead, but there's certainly a feeling of openness to it.

NB: When you visit, check out the Archives, they cover everything from Geo. Washington's barbecues to pole dancing as an Olympic sport.