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All in the wrist | Philstar.com
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Fashion and Beauty

All in the wrist

- Kathy Moran -

The watches we have here are for people who are daring, the ones who wear watches as a fashion statement. They are the people who know quality, and appreciate fashion trends worldwide,” said Emerson Yao, managing director of Wrist Pod, Bonifacio High Street. “These are for the well-traveled, those who scour watch stores for the latest, most trendy and good-quality watches.”

If you want to know the time, check your cell phone. If you want to make a fashion statement, wear the right watch. It makes perfect sense. And it explains why watches have become so different, bold and fashionable than ever before. People wear the watches now that will best complement an outfit or make them stand out in a crowd. 

I love watches and I go for timepieces that are quirky, colorful and different. When I buy a watch I have to like what it looks like first; as an after-thought, it must also tell the time. When I was a child I liked the watches my parents wore because they were simple and reliable.

Today, it is not uncommon to bump into people with great-looking watches that may not even be set at the right time. There is also that oft-told tale about a former first lady who always wore the most expensive timepieces, but was perpetually two to three hours late for every engagement. Her reason: her watch was a great jewelry piece, so who cared about whether it kept the right time?

At Wrist Pod the concept of the watch as a fashion accessory and a jewelry piece hits perfection. When the store was conceptualized it had Manila’s fashion elite in mind, those who wear watches as jewelry pieces and like to wear their attitude on their wrists.

Wrist Pod has edgy brands like Diesel, Moschino, Just Cavalli and Odm for the younger set.  There are classic yet stylish brands — BCBG Max Azria, Emporio Armani, Kenneth Cole New York, Philip Stein, Skagen, Kenneth Cole New York, Emporio Armani, Cerruti1881, Lacoste, DKNY, Franchi Menotti, Invicta, CK, Victorinox Swiss Army and Wenger — for every seasoned watch lover.

Even the design of the store is unusual. There are huge fashion black and white photos of timepieces lining the walls; the shelves are well-spaced so one never gets the feeling of being cramped. Watch-shopping is one of those activities that requires lots of time and plenty of space to find the perfect fit. Watches at Wrist Pod can range from P7,000 to P30,000. “These types of brands have to be presented in a more upscale environment,” added Yao. “Bonifacio High Street is the ideal location with Wrist Pod providing the ideal environment.”

Most of these fashion watch brands at Wrist Pod come from up-market fashion houses. Since they are priced higher, the watches are made with more detail and their styling is more unique.

Wrist Pod has been doing well since opening two years ago. It has a steady stream of customers who are always on the lookout for that perfect watch accessory or jewelry piece. There are the customers with cult-like attachments to certain brands, like Philip Stein.

At Wrist Pod, Philip Stein is a top-seller. Pinoy watch lovers have fallen for the health benefits this watch brand reportedly provides. I know quite a few people who wear Philip Stein watches and swear that they feel better because of it. Not to mention Stein watches make great fashion accessories as well. The dual watch and the classy and classic designs are pure fashion statements. The other desired brands for the elite and fashion-conscious at Wrist Pod are Skagen, Kenneth Cole New York, DKNY, odm, Cerruti 1881 and Emporio Armani.

And there are the sports watch users who look for brands like Victorinox Swiss Army, Wenger, and Special Edition Seiko watches.

So. Gotta have your watch fix? Bring along your credit card — better yet, make it the Citibank credit card which has an exclusive promo at Wrist Pod. This offers the 0% PayLite promotion for watches and jewelry. The offer ends on April 15.

“In the past, people used their credit cards largely for the purchase of appliances, but that no longer holds today,” said Aneth Ng-Lim, VP of public relations and communications, Citibank Phils. “Our card holders now use their cards to pay for jewelry pieces like watches on an installment basis.”

Aneth added that Citibank knows watches and jewelry pieces are normally big purchases and can put a dent in one’s cash flow. But, that doesn’t stop people from wanting the latest fashion accessory available. That’s why with Citi PayLite, cardholders can indulge themselves and start enjoying their new watch or jewelry pieces while paying off their purchases with easy-on-the-pocket payment terms.

What’s more, Citibank recently launched its “8X A Millionaire” promotion where cardholders can earn raffle chances for every P1,000 single-receipt transaction. What could be better than having the watch of your dreams and a chance to win 888,888 Rewards Points in the early draws, or the grand prize of P8,888,888?

“It’s all watches for now,” said Yao.  “Soon we will introduce fashion-inspired watch straps. There is a growing trend of mixing and matching colors and patterns from different straps, and we want to offer this option to our customers, too.”

We are watch we wear, right?

FASHION

PHILIP STEIN

POD

WATCH

WATCHES

WRIST

WRIST POD

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