Making a Date with Status

Swanky desk diaries show more than just what day it is

Remember the humble office calendar? It was just a ho-hum piece of desk equipment, a chintzy plastic tray with 365 nondescript pages on it. But now it is being replaced by the posh and prestigious desk diary. Bound in padded leather with the owner's name or initials stamped in gold on the cover and decorated with silken page markers, the best-bred datebooks look a bit like church hymnals, and they command nearly the same reverence.

Publishers have found that executives are willing to pay a fancy price for sleek and functional models....