ladies, choosing pocket diary ?

This year I have several. Some were gifts.
How do you choose yours?

I have been using one design from the same design team for most of the years.

When you choose computers, camera, mobile phone/cell phone, etc,
would you use some professional websites'
interactive side-by-side comparision of product features/specifications
to narrow down your choices?

I had used Fancl's HanaNoTeChou Flower Diary in 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012.

In some years, I have also used MassMutual Insurance Company Hong Kong pocket diary,
Sun Life Financial (Hong Kong) pocket diary. They are more for business persons. Lots of pages & informations. A bit on the heavy side. 


!!     To designers & publishers,
please notice the hand sizes of females
if you want to steer your products towards female consumer market..
Ergonomics. Body measurement.
Please also note the size difference in
Oriental females &  Western white females.
 say... the  UK size 10 vs UK size 16 ?!


After much comparison...
here I share a big wide table ...

TYPE of Diary	Pocket Diary / Briefcase	Pocket Diary	Pocket Diary	Pocket Diary	Pocket Diary	Pocket Diary	Pocket Diary	Pocket Diary / Briefcase	Home Use	Student / academic	Student / academic
Country	UK	Japan	Japan	Japan	Japan	UK	Japan	Japan	UK	UK	UK
Organisations	Gilt Edged Promotion Ltd, UK	FANCL Japan	Daiso Japan	Daiso Japan	FANCL Japan	Paper Rose /  Robert Frederick Ltd.	Daiso Japan	Midori Japan / DesignPhil Japan	National Trust	The Works	? Distributed by H&O in Birmingham, UK
Diary	Gilt Edged Promotion  2017 diary	Fancl -Hana No TeChou (Flower Diary )	Daiso Schedule Diary .	Daiso A6 Diary	Fancl -Hana No TeChou (Flower Diary)	Paper Rose Diary	Daiso Monthly Schedule Book	Midori Diary - Professional	National Trust Engagements Diary	Academic Calendar	Academic Diary  Mid- Year
Series	Senator 15 months	Monday version. There is also Sunday version.	No.15. Japanese style pattern; floral.	A6 Diary girl -no.21, Menina		Spirit -Fine Art Collection - Francesca	Floral	Business/ professional	/	/	/
version	2017	2017	2017	2017	2016	2016	2015	2014	2017	2016 -2017	2015 -2016
Period	13 months	14 months	16 months	15 months	14  months	12 months	18 months	14 months	12 months	12 months	12 months
Start	2016.10.03	2016.11.28	2016.10	2016.10	2015.11.29	2015.12.28	2014.10	2013.12	2016.12.26	2016.08.01	2015.07.27
End	2017.12.31	2017.02.04	2018.01	2017.12	2017.02.04	2017.01.01	2016.03	2014.12	2017.12.31	2017.07.31	2016.07.31
Dimension Type		Slim	Slim	A6	Slim	Slim	Slim			A5
Width, w sleeve	10.3 cm	8.3 cm	10 cm	10.7 cm	8.3 cm	8.5 cm	9.7 cm	12.5 cm	13.5 cm	16.2 cm	15.2 cm
Length, w sleeve	17.3 cm	15.3 cm	18.5 cm	14.9 cm	14.3 cm	16 cm	14.8 cm	21.3 cm	17.5 cm	21.5 cm	20.9 cm
Thickness total	1.5 cm	0.8 cm	0.4 cm	0.5 cm	0.8 cm	1.1 m	0.5 cm	0.8 cm	1 cm	1 cm	0.5 cm
WEIGHT	160 g	100 g	75 g	80 g	100 g	120 g	80 g	180 g	200 g	200 g	160 g
Bound	Spirolux	Section Sewn	Saddle	Saddle	Section Sewn	Section Sewn	Saddle	Section Sewn	Spiral, coated metal	Section Sewn	Spiral, metal
Language	Englsih	Japanese	English & Japanese	English & Japanese	English	English	English & Japanese	English & Japanese	English	English	English
Pages	180	160	64	64	160	156	80	100	110	132	128
Paper colour	cream	white	white	cream	white	white	white	cream	white	white	white
Sleeve	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES		YES	YES
Sleeve feature	card slots	pen holder, pocket			pen holder, pocket
Sleeve material	Synthetic material. Smooth. Thick.	PVC - transparent, light weight	PVC - transparent, light weight	PVC - transparent, light weight	PVC - transparent, light weight	Hard cover	PVC - transparent, light weight	Synthetic Material
Cover Graphics	Embossed with  a company name of Charcroft Electronics	Photo image of colourful Ranaculus flowers - double flower type in a glass vase.	Illustration of Chrysanthemum of 4 colours on white background	Illustration in pastel colours: girl with present and text: "The day when every day is new and fun" on white background	Photo image of roses on light blue background	Illustration of abstract floral	Illustraton of abstract floral patter in pastal colours and gold. Title text in metalic gold.	/	Close up colour photo image of Agapanthis flowers.	mocking illustration of Scrabble.	Illustration of 24 colourful  watercolour circles on semi- transparent background
Cover Colour	Dark blue	Multi-colour	Multi-colour	Multi-colour		Blue, dark blue, white,  purple		Almost black with leather texture	Mainly green, purple, white	Dusty colours	Multi-colour
Cover Material						Cardboard. Hard cover.				Cardboard. Hard Cover.
Content: Number of ink colours for main body	2	2	2	2	2	1	2	2	2	1	1
Year Planners	Good	Good	Good	/	Good	/	/	Good	/	Grey boxes	Too small to write
Week start	Monday	Monday	Monday	Monday	Sunday	Monday	Monday	Monday	Monday	Monday	Monday
week view	one week on two facing pages	two weeks on two facing pages	/	/	two weeks on two facing pages	one week on two facing pages	/	/	One week	one week on two facing pages	one week on two facing pages
Month view	as tiny inset on Sundays	Month view on two facing pages; also as inset in weekly view.	Month view on two facing pages	Month view on two facing pages	Month view on two facing pages; also as inset in weekly view.	/	Month view on two facing pages. With next month calendar as small inset.	Month view on two facing pages	/	/	/
Calendars	2016, 2017, 2018	2017, 2018	2017, 2018	2016, 2017, 2018	2016, 2017	2015, 2016, 2017	2015, 2016	2014, 2015	2017, 2018	2017 tiny on every facing pages.	2016 Jul to Dec, 2017
Space Daily	thin ruled lines	plain, hint for 4 parts	plain box	plain box	plain, hint for 4 parts				plain	Plenty. Ruled lines.
Moon phases	YES									NO	YES
week number	YES					YES		YES		YES	YES
International Holidays table	YES							YES
International Holidays	some									some
Next Year Planner	YES	YES								YES	YES
Personal info section	Full page	bottom corner near the end.			bottom corner near the end.	2 pages	Last page	Almost last page.
Note paper	ruled	different styles & sizes, included traditional, perforated, etc.	22 pages ruled	30 pages ruled.	different styles & sizes, included traditional, perforated, etc.	5 pages	26 pages, checkered in fine light grey lines.	17 ruled pages at back, plus 2 ruled pages after each month.		1 page	6 ruled pages, 1 blank page.
Special	Spirolux system: 1- users can remove pages if needed to. 2- open flat.	- Positive quotations on  week view pages.  - Holidays have pink background colours.  - Birth stone info on month-  view pages.			Positive quotations on month-view & week-view pages		Most spaces for writing are subtly checkered		Photos on the right hand side pages.
Holidays list	YES	YES			YES			YES		YES
Festivals list	YES	YES
Lunar Calendar 24 key dates		YES			YES
age/year list #		YES			YES
Useful Tel	YES	YES			YES			YES		YES	YES
Emergency info		YES			YES
Conversions	YES	YES			YES	YES		YES
world map	Yes							Yes
National map	UK. colour.		Japan , with prefectures					Japan
Other maps	YES
Capital map	YES							-
Rail map of Capital	YES							YES
Rail maps of major cities in that country	YES							YES
Capital Motorway/ Highway map	YES
Time zones	Yes							Yes
International holidays	Yes							Yes
IDD codes	Yes							YES			YES
Contacts/ Phone book	4 pages	optional booklet attachment	/	/	optional booklet attachement	10 pages A-Z	6 pages	2 pages	2 pages	6 pages	/
Project Planning								YES
To Do list / checklist		Spaces	ruled spaces	Monthly	spaces		6 pages	Various
Notable dates	YES	YES	YES	/	YES			YES		YES	YES
manner/etiquette/social norm		YES	some		YES
Health/ personal care		Food. Exercises. Grooming/style, etc.	Health info of reflexology.		Recipes, exercises, etc.
Other pages / info	Travel info, Birth Stones, Anniversaries, Various useful numbers	Emergency packing checklist, Birth Stones, Anniversaries. Fav shopping list….	Inland postage in Japan.		Fung Shui, anniversaries. Fav shopping list…	Birth Signs horoscope info. Anniversaries. Geometric formular. International paper sizes, spaces of useful contacts next to personal info.	Year Plan with different realms			Time-tables, Deadlines/ exams	Time-tables, Deadlines/ exams. Travel Info. Funding organisations, etc.
Extras		Stickers & ruler bookmark			Stickers & ruler bookmark
Summary of product features removable printed sheet			YES	Yes				YES
Paper		FSC paper			FSC paper				FSC MIX paper. one side matt one side slightly glossy reflective.
Page Edge index	Tear-away type	Print on margin bleeding			Print on margin bleeding
Bookmark Ribbon		YES			YES			YES
Usage of colours in dairy	gd	gd	reasonable	ok	gd	/	reasonable	gd		/	/
Made in	UK ?	Japan	Japan	?	Japan	no  data	Japan	Japan	UK	PRC	?
Project Team or Designers		Ref info credited to various sources			Ref info credited to various sources	Francesca // Robert Frederick Ltd. UK			photos are fully credited.
Target Audience  !!	Professionals who need to travel a lot.	Females in modern cities/towns from 20s to 40s.	Females aged twenties upwords.	Females aged twenties upwards	Females in modern cities/towns from 20s to 40s.	Females	Females	Professionals in Japan & alike	General public and senior citizens	Students	Students
Comment	Professional to some extend.	GOOD. Thoughtful. . Nice size. Feminine. Practical. Well-designed	Lightweight. Simple. Casual	Lightweight, thin, simple. Not too practical as too small for writing.	GOOD. Thoughtful. Nice size. Feminine. Practical. Well-designed	Hard cover a bit heavy.	Lightweight. Simple. Casual	Professional image.	Metal spiral & heavy paper for home use. Nice photos.	Hard cover is heavy. Economical.	Metal sprial. Colourful. Economical.
My suggestions	Make a version for females. Reduce weight.	Add icons for moon phases. Make the healthy lifestyle reference section be separated & detachable. Try not to use PVC.	Try not to use PVC	Try not to use PVC	Add icons for moon phases. Make the healthy lifestyle reference section be separated & detachable. Try not to use PVC		Try not to use PVC	Add icons for moon phases.
My usage	TBC	as pocket diary	TBC	TBC	as pocket diary	due to its weight, used as notebook at home for expenses & vocabulary.	as pocket diary	as diary mainly for work life.	as notebook at home.	As notebook at home.	As notebook for Bible verses at home.
Price range	$$	**	$	$	**	$$	$	$$-$$$	$$	$	$
RRP	GBP6.35  ?	Present to customers	HKD12	HKD12	Present to customers	no data	HKD 10	forgotten	GBP 7	GBP 8	no data
Actual Price I paid	/	JPY 1000 plus postage	/	/	JPY 2000 plus postage	/	HKD 10	forgotten	/	GBP 1	GBP1
How I obtained	Gift	Bought	Gift	Gift	Bought	Gift	Bought	Bought	Gift	Bought	Bought
Where from	friend	via an Japanese auction website	sister	sister	via an Japanese auction website	friend	Aeon (Living Plaza)	CitySuper or LogOn	friend	discount shop	discount shop

* Most data refer to that country.
Most have smaller fonts. Over 50s may need reading glasses.


** Normally it is supposed to be a reward present for loyal customers
 free of charge in that country.

P.S.  I have also checked out other diaries in various shops;
 also bought Moleskins(returned). 
 Most Taiwan, Hong Kong & PRC designs are not my cup of tea.
 Too school-girly.


I apreciate international cosmopolitan functionality & also good tasteful design.