Priscilla Ilarraza, marketing and public relations manager for Grand Seiko, was attending last week’s WatchPro Awards in New York City with little more on her mind than catching up with friends from the industry and hoping to see her brand walk away with one of the trophies.
Her first objectives were met as she mixed with over 200 leading executives from the American watch industry before Grand Seiko walked away with the prize for Prestige Watch Brand of the Year.
But Priscilla’s fun was not over yet.
Throughout the evening, WatchPro was playing a safe-cracker game where everybody at the gala dinner was given a three-digit code that might unlock a box containing an unworn Rolex Air-King watch worth over $8,250 that was donated by pre-owned watch specialist Luxury Bazaar.
The three digits were revealed at intervals through the night. Everybody with the incorrect first and second digits was eliminated, but Priscilla was still in the running when the final number was revealed.
As the final code was revealed: 5-9-1, Priscilla confirmed she had the numbers and made her way to the stage where Luxury Bazaar’s Avi Shenkar watched her unlock the Rolex from its box and presented it to her.
