TRUE STORY - Picked up an Omega 007 Seamaster rep for my 18 year old stepson (on my last visit to New York about 4 months ago) on (GASP!) Canal Street. Cost me $40 and believe it or not, the quality wasn't bad at all. I gave it to my stepson upon my return home and he loved it! Wore it everyday to school and work. His favorite thing about it was turning the bezel and hearing the "ratchet" sound.
Fast forward two months. The family took a trip to the local Busch Gardens Theme Park. My stepson loves rollercoasters and we all went on as many as we had the patience to stand in line for. Of course he was wearing his beloved Omega 007 twisting the bezel to his heart's content. He and I decided to ride the Big Bad Wolf and sat in the front cars. It's a fun ride, but it is a bit rough and knocks you around pretty good. We enjoyed the ride and when we pulled in to the loading zone to get off, my stepson went to turn his bezel (by now an unconsciuos habit) and the bezel WAS GONE! The Bid Bad Wolf ride had knocked his arm around so much that the bezel popped off! We looked in our seats and had no luck. It was lost along the ride route, probably in the murky depths below. Needless to say, he was heartbroken and wanted nothing more to do with the watch. He gave it back to me and I donated it a local (favorite) thrift store which I frequent on a regular basis.
May 19, 2009 - Stopped by favorite thrift store on the way home from work today. I always hit the jewelry case first to hopefully find a watch bargain. Gazing at the tray in the showcase, I anxiously scanned the lot of about 30 watches. There among them was the Omega 007 rep that I had donated several weeks earlier. Of course I was curious as to how much they were asking for it. The attendant pulled the watch out, handed it to me and I slowly turned the watch over to see the price sticker......$199.99!!! My jaw dropped! They obviously thought that it was a gen, but I don't think they realized that the bezel was missing. I immediately informed the attendant (a young lady about 25 years old) that this was indeed a replica that I donated to the store. She just smiled, shook her head and told me that she doesn't do the pricing but will let her manager know. She still put the watch back in the showcase though.
I will stop by the same thrift store later in the week to see (1) if it is still there at a reduced price (they do sell donated "obvious" reps), (2) if it's still there at the same $199.99 price or (3) if someone bought it and for how much!!
I'll keep you posted.....
Fast forward two months. The family took a trip to the local Busch Gardens Theme Park. My stepson loves rollercoasters and we all went on as many as we had the patience to stand in line for. Of course he was wearing his beloved Omega 007 twisting the bezel to his heart's content. He and I decided to ride the Big Bad Wolf and sat in the front cars. It's a fun ride, but it is a bit rough and knocks you around pretty good. We enjoyed the ride and when we pulled in to the loading zone to get off, my stepson went to turn his bezel (by now an unconsciuos habit) and the bezel WAS GONE! The Bid Bad Wolf ride had knocked his arm around so much that the bezel popped off! We looked in our seats and had no luck. It was lost along the ride route, probably in the murky depths below. Needless to say, he was heartbroken and wanted nothing more to do with the watch. He gave it back to me and I donated it a local (favorite) thrift store which I frequent on a regular basis.
May 19, 2009 - Stopped by favorite thrift store on the way home from work today. I always hit the jewelry case first to hopefully find a watch bargain. Gazing at the tray in the showcase, I anxiously scanned the lot of about 30 watches. There among them was the Omega 007 rep that I had donated several weeks earlier. Of course I was curious as to how much they were asking for it. The attendant pulled the watch out, handed it to me and I slowly turned the watch over to see the price sticker......$199.99!!! My jaw dropped! They obviously thought that it was a gen, but I don't think they realized that the bezel was missing. I immediately informed the attendant (a young lady about 25 years old) that this was indeed a replica that I donated to the store. She just smiled, shook her head and told me that she doesn't do the pricing but will let her manager know. She still put the watch back in the showcase though.
I will stop by the same thrift store later in the week to see (1) if it is still there at a reduced price (they do sell donated "obvious" reps), (2) if it's still there at the same $199.99 price or (3) if someone bought it and for how much!!
I'll keep you posted.....
