# What's the deal w/ Athena pheromones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 3, 2021, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203 "2021-03-03T15:35:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/1 "2021-03-03T15:35:31Z")
If you read certain magazines, you have likely seen [these ads](https://houseofpheromones.com/winnifred-cutler-athena-institute-10x-pheromones-review/). They have been appearing in Atlantic for (seemingly) decades. It regularly surprises me that the Atlantic - a rag that generaly prides itself in having SOME standards - would accept advertising for something like this. (Also makes me wonder how much The Atlantic charges for these ads or - conversely - how much $ Athena generates!) Just wondering if any of you had noticed these - or other - odd, long-running ads which seem incongruous WRT where they appear. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/2 "2021-03-03T16:40:16Z")
I saw a Stauer ad a few years ago, I think in Scientific American, for some piece of jewelry that was advertised as “volcanic” and would “drive women crazy” or something like that. I took a photo of the ad and if I remember, I will try to post it later. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/3 "2021-03-03T16:41:49Z")
I kinda think of Stauer in the same category as Franklin Mint or other “collectibles.” I’ll periodically see ads for their watches and think they look neat, but assume they are of poor quality. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/4 "2021-03-03T16:49:40Z")
Stauer or one of it’s offshoots runs a full page ad in _SA_ almost every month. I saw once, some years ago, an exercise machine that claimed you could get fit with just ten minutes use a day. It cost $14,000. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/5 "2021-03-03T16:56:19Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I saw once, some years ago, an exercise machine that claimed you could get fit with just ten minutes use a day. It cost $14,000. I remember some kind of machine like that - but I thought it claimed results in only 2-3 minutes or so. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/6 "2021-03-03T17:45:18Z")
Yes, looks pretty BS-ish. I’m not entirely sure pheromones aren’t a real thing though. I notice during certain times of the month I tend to be extra-interested in sex with my wife. We track her cycle (useful in planning future vacations & trips) and these times line up with her ovulation. Or maybe it’s not pheromones but some other process of male sexuality recognizing fecundability in a female? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/7 "2021-03-03T18:07:37Z")
> [@Dark\_Sponge](#): > > Or maybe it’s not pheromones but some other process of male sexuality recognizing fecundability in a female? Maybe you have it backwards-- it may be that it’s your wife who is more interested in sex during ovulation, and she sends subtle signals of her greater interest to you, which in turn piques your interest. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-w-athena-pheromones/934203/8 "2021-03-03T18:14:01Z")
I’ve had a Stauer watch for many years. It’s a replica of an early self-winding wrist watch of the 1920s. It still works just fine, but it’s hard to find a replacement for the strap.