The tie that binds

A Rugged Masonic Watch

It has been 3 years since I first put on my precious FraternalTies 357 Acacia watch. I have worn in almost every day since. It has served as my faithful timekeeper with all sorts of activities from lodge night to anything that I enjoy with my family from kayaking, to skateboarding, to hiking, to gardening, and even boxing! 

Powered by my heart

The FraternalTies automatic is equipped with a 21-Jewel Japanese precision movement. It cannot do anything on its own but once charged with my own kinetic energy, I know I can count on its sharp timekeeping. The movement can keep accurate time between 24-48 hours. If I wear it once everyday, it will keep on running forever no batteries required. 

Italian Leather Straps

I can't lie. I have a love-hate relationship with the straps. I love it because after 3 years of rugged use, it has developed a beautiful patina. I hate it because it tends to stain my white dress shirt especially during humid nights at lodge. I researched how to prevent leather from staining my clothes and I find that in my case, it is completely unavoidable- basically you have to keep it dry all the time. To avoid dye transfer to clothes is to stay dry and keep your leather surface from getting rained on, wet, or sweaty.

Marine-grade stainless steel case and genuine sapphire crystal

I probably won't wear it while scuba diving but it survived rainy seasons and swimming in the lake with me. The leather straps now looks seasoned (very handsome) because of the water abuse but the watch itself is impeccable and shows no signs of moisture buildup on the inside.  

Conclusion

Designer bias aside, I am very happy and very satisfied with this watch. I continue to receive many compliments about it. People love the way the natural acacia face looks and how its color seems to shift depending on how the light is hitting the grain. We made only a hundred of these and they're long sold-out but one day we will make another acacia watch with the same automatic mechanism that we trust but with a different dial design. 

What is a 33rd degree Master Mason?

When outsiders talk about 33rd degree Freemasons they are oftentimes unknowingly referring to one of the two main branches of mainstream Freemasonry. This branch is called the Scottish Rite. Some consider it more esoteric compared to the other branch which is the York Rite.

Is the 33rd Degree the Highest Degree in Masonry

The highest degree in Masonry, the so-called Sublime Degree is the 3rd Degree or Master Mason degree. The 33rd Degree is simply an honorary degree within the Scottish Rite. 

What is the Scottish Rite?

The Scottish Rite was originally an obscure Masonic Rite in the mid-19th century to an international fraternity that it is now today. A controversial and influential figure, Albert Pike, is often credited as the man responsible for making the Scottish Rite well known within Masonic circles. Employing staged plays, they expand and continue the teachings derived from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Degrees of Freemasonry which is known as Blue Lodge or Craft Lodge. (Photo credit: Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction)

How to join the Scottish Rite?

One has to be a Master Mason (3rd Degree) in order to join the Scottish Rite. The Lodge Master or the Secretary would usually know where to refer a Mason seeking admission to the Scottish Rite.

33rd Degree Scottish Rite Necktie

As of this writing, the Silver on Black Scottish Rite Necktie is available but in very limited quantities. It's made of high-quality natural silk that we personally select. Since it's Jacquard-woven, the fabric has a nice texture and produces a shiny ombré effect that shifts according to how the light hits it. 

I think most business owners will agree that 2022 had been a hell of a  year—I mean, it's been a nightmare in terms of merchandise production. But instead of crying at the corner, we decided to control only the things we can control and put out more of that other thing that we're quite good at —I'm talking about our Masonic Memes.

Without further adieu, here are our Top 10 Masonic Memes: 

1. The Freemason Starter Pack Meme. Too many Freemasons online found this meme so relatable that it stayed as a top post in Reddit r/freemasonry for a good time. Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit (70+ comments), Facebook (200+ comments), Instagram (50+ comments).  

 2. The Undertaker meme became one of our most shared Masonic Memes of 2022! WMs and Secretaries alike love it! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.

3. The self aware doge spewing painful truth! Too many can relate! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.

4. The Masonic Entanglement meme is a painful reminder of what can become of a brother sometimes when moderation is non-existent.  Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.

5. The Slap Meme slaps hard! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.

6. The angry lady and the cool cat meme is definitely a top fave! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.

7. Oh hi there, Spongebob! Click the corresponding link to read the conversation it generated on Facebook, Instagram.

8. If she only knew. 

9. If she only knew part 2. 

 10. Oh the cold sweats!

 More FraternalTies Masonic Memes below! enjoy the New Year!

I know it's just January but May the Fourth be with you all!

Here's the thing about labor—it's hard. If executed without proper mentality, the laborer will quickly find it to be backbreaking, heartbreaking, and soul-crushing. He will quickly get burned out and will end up questioning why he does the things he previously professed he loves to do. He will then drop his working tools and walk away.

All of us, even the best of us, sometimes fall into this dark mental space where tired bodies and minds conspire to convince us that our effort is leading to nowhere. If you find yourself to be in this depressive bubble, I encourage you to read and absorb these three quotes from our Masonic Brothers who came before us.

1.  “Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.” - George Washington

   
   
   
   We evolved to be social creatures and have the tendency to absorb and reflect the energy of those around us. If we have the misfortune of being surrounded by those miserable types, sooner or later we will find ourselves mirroring their miserable ways. If the noble pursuit of trying to influence them proves to be futile, it's better to save your energy for yourself and keep on doing the good work that you do and hope that one day they will wake up and 'see'.
   
   

2.  "Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection" -Mark Twain

   At some points in our lives, we find ourselves postponing many important and great things due to a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are truly valid such as in cases of emergencies but a lot of times we delay because we want it to be "perfect". There's something to be learned from software developers who release their programs even if it's not perfect. The way programmers do it is like this- write a program and release it as Version 1.0, let the people give it a go, identify the bugs, gather feedback, go back to the drawing board, and release Version 1.1. This process gets repeated ad infinitum with the program getting better and better with each release. The focus is on progress, not perfection.

3. "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
   
   
   
   Sometimes that feeling of being trapped in tiresome and monotonous labor is because we are blindly following whoever is in front of us. Like the proverbial sheep blindly following another sheep headed to someplace unsavory. One way to break out of that feeling of being contained is by doing something new keeping in mind that if we love the work that we do, work becomes play. When those around us see that we enjoy doing our labor, it will rub off on them and the natural tendency is they will follow suit.
   

See you all at the quarry.

// This article was first posted on our Instagram page on July 6, 2022.

This is big news! Today marks the beginning of our partnership with The Oldest Masonic regalia manufacturer in Canada— Dominion Regalia Limited, established in 1881.

The goal of this partnership is to provide the best shopping experience for Freemasons looking to buy Masonic Regalia and other original Masonic merchandise.

This partnership between FraternalTies and Dominion Regalia was spearheaded by a couple of visionary senior Masons in Ontario who saw a tremendous potential in the joint venture. It's been in the making for a few months and finally it's official!

We are very excited to be working with a historic business that is Dominion Regalia! Stay tuned for more updates!