they're nice but for the same functionality i'd rather spend half the price. i mean the shell is nice but that piece of shell isn't worth more than $10-20 (i sell gemstones and know), the gold plating since it's 24kt is VERY soft (more gold=softer), and in your hands (where you produce a lot of sweat), that gold will eventually wear off and look just like the curve. to each his own though, I just know what I wanted, and man this thing fit the bill perfectly.