LUST IS such a strong word. It connotes a feeling so intense that one is often left at its mercy, unable to resist the propensity to give in. Fortunately for me, lust only pertains to materialistic pursuits. And here is one item that makes it to my lust list. Hahaha! And yes, finally, a “wristwatch” post.
I first saw this wristwatch at Rustan’s Department Store in Makati. They were having a thematic display on men’s wear and accessories. Each glass display was a set of wristwatch, cufflinks, bracelet, necklace and what have you. I do remember that one of them had a brand spanking new Ernst Benz wristwatch. But it didn’t catch my fancy really (not to mention the fact that I couldn’t blow serious moolah on this brand just yet!). And the others didn’t do a good job either in capturing my attention and awe. Except for one that contained what I later realized to be a MORELLATO MASTER wristwatch. I love a substantial wristwatch, enough for Brother to quip, “What time is it according to that wall clock on your wrist?!”
I wasn’t so keen on really spending that day – don’t you just have days that felt like they were made just for window-shopping? – so after training my eyes on the wristwatch’s curvaceous silhouette carved out of a solid block of stainless steel, I politely thanked the sales associate and went on my way.
I left that day only to find that I would be back a couple of days later. I had to be back after failing miserably to sleep through the past couple of nights, as flashing scenes of the MORELLATO MASTER wristwatch strapped on my wrist haunted me incessantly. I almost killed myself when the sales associate, recalling me from a couple of days before, said with an impish grin, “Sir, it was sold na po.”
Fast forward to yesterday. On a whim, I decided to go to SM Megamall and the The Podium. You see, as Batman and I had been talking about, this Friday will be the start of a three-day, up-to-70%-off SALE extravaganza in the said malls. So I felt the urge to survey the goods and see if there would be something worth coming back for. I naturally zoomed in to the wristwatch stores. And in one of them, I realized that one of my other must-have items on my lust list – the CORUM XL men’s bubble wristwatch in all-stainless-steel – was already “affordable” at Php 99,000.00! And that new price was still negotiable. Really negotiable! I do remember staring at it in true “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” fashion, back in the day when a similar model would easily fetch somewhere in the vicinity of Php 100,000.00 to Php 200,000.00! See, that’s the reason why I have a lust list. Because that’s all I can do about them. Sometimes, we just have to dream about the things we know we cannot have. It is free to dream after all. Hahaha!
Of course, whenever I would find myself in either of those malls, meeting up with Batman would always be a likely certainty. So there I was – on break from my wristwatch hunting – waiting for Batman in front of one of his fave stores. He arrived within a couple of minutes from his last call. And together with a friend of mine from work, we first had a quick eat at Mann Hann at the lower level. Kim Hiong Food Garden (in Ongpin) and Ma Mon Luk (in Quiapo) are still tops on my list. But I discovered at least one item on Mann Hann’s menu that I ended up raving about. It was their chilled tofu! The tofu was silken and really tasted fresh. It was doused generously with a soya-based sauce (I caution to use the term “soy sauce” because it didn’t taste like that), topped with century egg and a very generous heap of pickled mustard greens! It was the greens that did it for me. Batman loved it too!
Batman had to leave early so that was when I continued on my sojourn of the wristwatch stores. Nothing really made me dig deep into my pocket and part with my hard-earned money. Nothing even made me feel like whipping out my checkbook (as if it was loaded! hahaha!). So off I went to The Podium!
Once there, I went directly to the Morellato kiosk on the third level. But of course, I made my requisite stop at the Philip Stein boutique and stared at the oversized ones that I – yes – have been lusting after! Sigh…
The price range of the Philip Steins was a little more than I was willing to spend at the moment. Yeah, reality bites. And it does bite hard! So off I went to the escalators, on my way to Morellato… but without first bidding my Philip Steins a fond adieu. Once there, I was so surpsrised to be greeted by the Morellato display, as well as by the very warm and comely sales associate. I remarked that I have the very same Technomarine chronograph wristwatch (one of three Technomarines I’ve had) she had on. It was at that point that I realized that Morellato is locally distributed by the same group that brought here Technomarine and Officine Del Tempo (I have a couple of these too)! I’ve bought watches at their My Diamond store in Glorietta 4.
But the most pleasant of all was being greeted by the very same Morellato wristwatch I had lusted after in Rustan’s! So without skipping a beat, I asked for it! And I am so pleased with this purchase of what can only be “affordable luxury.”
My MORELLATO MASTER wristwatch (Reference: S 020E 003) has three hands with calendar date aperture, quartz movement Miyota 2315, is water-resistant up to 50 meters, is in an all-stainless steel case and bracelet with a spring-locking buckle, and boasts (really?!) a 0.01-carat NATURAL DIAMOND on the crown. Per my understanding, each Morellato wristwatch is made in their plant right outside Padua in Italy where each item is made in accordance with their strictest standards!
For its list price, it’s such a steal! How can I not love this?! Finally, something I lusted after and had!
eNTeNG c”,)™©'s MunchTime™© 
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