Karl Elsener created the Victorinox, Original Swiss Army Knife in 1897. He never could have guessed how it would become a worldwide icon for function and durability. The inspiration for the products comes from a dedication to listening, hearing and evolving their designs to reflect the lives and values of the consumers. They are perfect gifts for college students to corporate executives, and are often the first choice for corporate gifts. Victorninox believes it is not enough to provide raw function and utility. They believe that it is the beautiful design that brings their products to life and continues to inspire the extraordinary brand loyalty of consumers for the product. Master Cutler Karl Elsener started his cutlery factory in 1884, in the village of Ibach, Switzerland. He obtained the first contract to supply the Swiss Army with a "Soldier's Knife in 1891. In 1897 he invented the "Swiss Officer's" knife which was officially registered on June 12, 1897. This is the world-famous pocket knife, widely known as the "Swiss Army Knife." The Elsener family has continued to craft tools in the Victorinox tradition of ingenious design, durability, and quality. The Victorinox Swiss Army Officer's knife is one of the symbols the Swiss consider most synonymous with Swiss quality. The Skylab program used the Victorinox multi-tools extensively and were part of the very limited list of personal equipment carried by space shuttle astronauts since the first flight. They are also part of a soldier's personal survival kit and the Soldier multi-tool is their official standard issue to each soldier in the Swiss Army. The designs have also been included in the Design Collection at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Classic SC was dubbed "The Most Popular Knife in America" in 2003 by Knives Illustrated Magazine. This little red "toolbox" with the essential Swiss Army features has grown into a fashion statement, appealing to men and women of all ages. It comes in an assortment of color ranging from the tradional red, to yellow, pink, and can even be purchased with the Canadian flag or a Shamrock! Besides the blade, it has a nail file with screwdriver, a scissors, a key ring and of course the tweezers and toothpick. Last year, it became available in the "Edelweiss" floral pattern. Many new features have appeared in the knives through the years. The addition of a retractable stylus for PDA, a whistle, a LED mini light, and a retractable ball point pen are some of the new innovations. In 2006 Phaidon Design Classics named the Victorinox Original Swiss Army Knife one of the top 999 design classics of all time. The rating is based upon its high aesthetic value as well as its timeless quality. Considered to be "perfect in design", this mult-tool has remained unchanged since its creation. For those who require a dressier look, or popular for wedding party usher's gifts, the Classic SD silver alox, the Broker, or the Classic SD Sterling knives are ideal. They are engraveable, and have most of features the Swiss Army knives are known for. There's also a one gram gold ingot issued by the Union Bank of Switzerland available on the Classic Gold Ingot model. For the cigar aficionados, they have designed a new Cigar Knife with a cigar punch tool. And for those who like to carry their money in a clip, Swiss Army has a knife available with a money clip on the back Swiss Army has knives specifically designed for Anglers, Fishermen, Huntsmen, Climbers, Handymen, Mountaineers, and Travelers to name a few of the specialized knives available. The Swissmemory S.Beat MP3 Digital Media Player is the first original Swiss Army Knife with an integrated MP3 player and a USB stick. It incorporated a high capacity USB stick, audio player, voice recorder, FM radio and tools in one small durable knife body. The s.beat delivers outstanding sound quality, full directory navigation and tag information, and a minimum play time of 8 hours per charge. It also has a belt clip and an adjustable arm strap for jogging. Because of the popularity of the knives used by business travelers in carry-on luggage, there are new models without a blade. These include the Swissmemory Flight model with a removable USB flash drive, and LED mini light and a retractable ball point pen. This knife will easily become one of your favorite travel accessories and can be carried in your luggage or carryon bag.

The Golf tool has been popular for years adding a tee punch with groove cleaner, bottle opener, ball marker, and one-hand locking divot repair tool to the traditional blade, tweezers, toothpick and scissors. The newer Swisstools are quickly becoming the "must have" item. They weight only 5 3/4 ounces and include needle nose pliers, screwdrivers, wire cutter, strong crate openers, combi-edge blade, metal file, metal and wood saw, reamer, chisel/scraper, isolation length cutter, wire bender and stripper, and a hard wire cutter. They include a nylon or leather belt pouch for ease in carrying. All of the Swisstools feature one-step access, no clumping and lock and release to lock tools into place. The Swisscard which is the credit card sized version of the Swiss Army knife received the reddot design award in 2004. This Swisscard Lite was the winner for highest design quality, expressing innovation in form and function. It is so flat it can be carried easily in your wallet, and is popular with both men and women. Although attempts have been made worldwide to copy Victorinox and their symbol of superior craftsmanship, you can always check the base of the large blade for the Victorinox name. New to the Swiss Army line is the precision machined aircraft aluminum LED flashlight. It operates on two AA batteries, and has 4.8 watts, 225"effective range, approximately 3.5+ hours of burn time and a 2-mile signal visibility. The century-old Victorinox heritage is extended to all products which reflect the ingenious design and outstanding durability we've come to expect from products that carry the "Cross and Shield" emblem. We know it symbolizes the legend of Victorinox and the Swiss Army brand. Maxine Greco has worked in the luggage and travel industry for over 35 years. She is currently employed at Village Luggage & Gifts.