Frequent readers may recall my mention of a certain fellow who used to sell watches in San Francisco named Francis Zanetti.
I met Francis when he was working at Seregin's which at that time had cornered the market on selling watches to pretty much every professional athlete in the San Francisco Bay area. It is important to keep in mind that they were not selling new, but rather pre-owned. Seregin's had the ability to lay hands to pretty much anything you might want, and for these savvy customers, they were more on the collecting side rather than the "buy something shiny to feel important" side of things.
Francis was an "early adapter" to Bell & Ross and although this model may have changed since he had his in 2001, this is (to my memory) almost the same one. I beg forgiveness to the Bell & Ross cognoscenti as I am failing on this esoteric bit of information. But he loved that watch!
Francis passed away rather suddenly from stomach cancer back in (I believe) 2006/2007. I was no longer living in San Francisco at the time so I only heard about it after the fact. Paul Seregin shared a final memory that really summed up Francis for me:
"We were there in his room, and the Priest and the grief counselor came in and asked if they could talk. Francis looked at me and the others gathered around him, and although his voice was weak, he winked at the grief counselor and said: 'Get lost, can't you see I'm busy here with my friends!'"
That was Francis!
I have no idea where that Bell & Ross eventually got to, but every time I see this model I am reminded me of my friend, the man who coined the most used phrase in the Tempus Fugit Lexicon for describing a desirable watch -
"James, that is the SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS!"
Enjoy your watches!
I met Francis when he was working at Seregin's which at that time had cornered the market on selling watches to pretty much every professional athlete in the San Francisco Bay area. It is important to keep in mind that they were not selling new, but rather pre-owned. Seregin's had the ability to lay hands to pretty much anything you might want, and for these savvy customers, they were more on the collecting side rather than the "buy something shiny to feel important" side of things.
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| Courtesy of Bell & Ross |
Francis passed away rather suddenly from stomach cancer back in (I believe) 2006/2007. I was no longer living in San Francisco at the time so I only heard about it after the fact. Paul Seregin shared a final memory that really summed up Francis for me:
"We were there in his room, and the Priest and the grief counselor came in and asked if they could talk. Francis looked at me and the others gathered around him, and although his voice was weak, he winked at the grief counselor and said: 'Get lost, can't you see I'm busy here with my friends!'"
That was Francis!
I have no idea where that Bell & Ross eventually got to, but every time I see this model I am reminded me of my friend, the man who coined the most used phrase in the Tempus Fugit Lexicon for describing a desirable watch -
"James, that is the SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS!"
Enjoy your watches!
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