When we first found the Black Rose collection, my girlfriend and I were admittedly quite excited. They seemed classy, stylish, comfortable, etc. What more could you ask for? Well, unfortunately the various products from this line did not quite live to our expectations.

Aesthetically, the mouth bit is very pleasing. The purple ties are rich and smooth, the bar has a nice gloss to it, and the petite roses , though a bit stubby, are a nice touch. My only complaint here is that the bar was cut a bit too short and left some wiggle room between the ties. Personally I would prefer it to be held more solidly in place.

As for function, well, this is no gag. If you're looking for something with which to keep your partner quiet, keep looking. You can practically hold a conversation while wearing this. Besides that, the plastic bit tasted well, exactly like that, plastic. Which, in my humble opinion, is not the greatest of turn-ons. In addition, the ties, while pleasant to the eye and the hand, did not do their job very well either. By the nature of their silky texture, they have to be tied very tight to actually stay on your partner, and a loose knot is prone to slipping off in the middle of your fun. A tight knot creates several problems: discomfort for your partner, difficulty in untying, and difficult to remove wrinkles in the ties. The last issue really only concerns those who wish to keep their toy looking like new though.

At the end of the day, if you're looking for a real mouth bit solely for function, that will stay in place no matter what you throw at it, this is not it. But this is still a very nice bit, it is just more of a costume piece which is exactly what we used it for. Donning this, and the other Black Rose products, my girlfriend and I had a little photo shoot and some gentle fun, but that was it. We certainly will be investing in more heavy duty restraints for regular use. By no means do we regret the purchase though. This is a very beautiful bit, and a great addition to our collection, but will likely be saved for special occasions.

Between the hard plastic, and the looseness of the bit itself (sliding back and forth between the ties), I'm coming to like this product less and less. Despite aesthetics, it's just not that enjoyable for the wearer. Obviously that's not everyone's concern in this market, but especially for extended use, it's just not something you want to be wearing. We're definitely looking to purchase a more traditional gag in place of this one.