Good Vibrations

A sharp-looking—and buzz-worthy—new razor

October 1, 2007—Just in time for beard season comes a new razor that might make you think twice about growing out that peach fuzz. The Fusion Chrome Collection, a joint offering from The Art of Shaving and Gillette, combines the former's old-fashioned aesthetic sensibility with Gillette's latest high-tech wizardry. The result is a razor you'll feel okay about leaving out in the open (and actually using, but more on that in a second). Its polished chrome is manly without being flashy, and the handle is as satisfyingly tactile as a Tibaldi fountain pen, thanks to its texture grips and thermo-resin coating. "A lot of our inspiration came from the design of premium men's accessories like watches and luxury pens, as well as cars and technology items," explains The Art of Shaving cofounder Myriam Zaoui. So is the shave really the best a man can get?

With all due respect to our friend Shorty the barber, it may well be, particularly when you're using the $150 Power Razor, which vibrates as you shave (if your hands are just naturally shaky, you can get a nonvibrating version for $25 less). The Power model also comes with a built-in spotlight—the world's first. We gave the thing a few trial runs, and while the light was a tad underpowered, and those electric toothbrush–like vibrations were sort of off-putting at first, both helped achieve the desired goal: a much closer shave. In fact, the beard may have to wait till next fall.

The Fusion Chrome Collection, available today; manual razor, $125; power razor, $150; shaving brush, $75; two available stands, $100 each; available at The Art of Shaving stores nationwide, theartofshaving.com