I'm off skiing soon, anything worth taking with me to the slopes?

How about a Swatch Access Snow Pass Watch. While these may look like a regular watch, if perhaps a rather cheap plastic one, they have a hidden secret.

You and your secrets. What's special this time?

They contain a microchip in them that can be "charged up" at more than 450 ski resorts worldwide to ensure hassle-free access to ski lifts. Skiers and snowboarders buy a ski pass at a Swatch Access outlet in their resort, and this is loaded directly on to the watch.

How does that make life easier?

When the watch is held up to a Swatch Access Scanner at a turnstile, the wearer is granted instant access to the ski lift without any fuss. It can save you valuable seconds - time you could be hurtling down the slopes in pursuit of snow-capped pleasure.

Actually, I don't think I could cope with fumbling with my gloves to expose the watch in freezing weather conditions...

You shouldn't have to. The watch's antenna is said to work up to 5cm away from the scanner, pushing out a signal strong enough to pass through clothing, so there's no need to remove gloves or start fumbling with your zips.

How much?

The Snow Pass watch comes in seven styles, all selling for £32.50. For stockists, call 023-8064 6830).