The most important thing first. The Color. I have this set in black (Alt) and Green (New). The color lasts over 1 year without the slightest blemish although these each day were used several times and were washed in SpĆ¼hlmaschinen. The knives are super sharp blade sheath holds forever and the quality is completely awesome. Peaks product just as you would "really" expect from WMF is unlike their coffee machines but that is another topic: P