Shopping As Recommended By the International Herald Tribune

I have the International Herald Tribune delivered to my front door every morning. I am ashamed (or proud) to say that the prime reason is that I am hooked on the New York Times crossword. This is how I escape from the muddled, angry world we live in. This puzzle has become a cult around the world. It has quite a few blogs which discuss the daily puzzle, analyze the puzzle–maker (known among us solvers as a ‘cruciverbalist’) and his or her evil intentions. But I do read the news too and when I cannot complete the crossword I scan the paper from top to bottom. So yesterday, the day of an impossible Sunday puzzle, I decided to take my newspaper addiction one step further. Shopping. I will buy everything the paper advertises, I decided in my moment of madness.

 

I barely made it past page 1. I used to think that this is a paper for the people. Not my kind of people. 

 

The ad is for a Patek Philippe watch. “Begin you own tradition” says the ad. I got the price by email: “The suggested retail price for the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph Automatic Rose Gold (5960R) is $79,800. If you have any questions about this item, please send an email to…”

 

The only ad here is a picture of a leopard and the word Cartier. This is simply a reminder: “If you are shopping for leopard start at Cartier.” No price.

 

Full page ad of a very smooth looking woman wearing a great pair of earrings. Bad picture taken from too low down giving her size 16 feet. No price.

 

Belles Montres. International Luxury Watch salon to be held in Paris this weekend. Do I need to look for a back-up unit for the watch I bought on page 1? 

 

Celine has a good picture of a shopping bag. No price. I guess the message is, “get one for your lady and let her fill it at Christmas time”.

 

My weakness – art. Lempertz, an auction house in Cologne shows a Maz Ernst oil painting consisting of 3 human figures or 3 sheaves of wheat, I couldn’t decide. The estimated price is €600,000 to €800,000. The other painting is by Wassily Kandinsky, a watercolor carrying an estimated price of is €900,000 to €1,000,000. The sale will be held on December 2. I will not be there.

 

Ermenegildo Zegna. “Passion for life” The ad shows 2 pictures of a gold watch, front and back views. Difficult to find the price but the watch has some great reviews from shoppers. The closes price I could find for the Monterubello Chrono model advertised in the paper is $28,300.

 

Roger Federer and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date watch, almost a standard ad these days. $8,150. Much cheaper than I thought it would be. Perhaps a kind reader…, or my publisher…

 

I will continue with the daily crossword. No more news and no more shopping.