I bought two new watches and tracked them to my door. Eager with anticipation I cut the miles of strapping tape and cardboard holding the Pelican boxes inside. With trembling hands I opened the first and there it was, my lovely new dive watch.
And then it hit me. Oh no. Dear God, no. I forgot about the horror that is Cling Film.
Every watch I've bought in the last 5-10 years has been encased in ever increasing amounts of cling film. It used to cover the crystal and caseback, now it covers every square millimeter of the watch, self adhering like a demented squid. It's in every crevice, it's on both sides and the sides of the band, it's in every deep hidden place in the clasp, in the endlinks, between the endlinks and the case... the stuff is everywhere. It's on the end of the CROWN, for crying out loud.
And is it easy to get off? Oh hell no. Get out a fine blade and carefully slip it between the film and the steel, cutting it loose. And as you do, watch the fine scratches appear on your otherwise unblemished watch ... BECAUSE YOU HAD TO USE A KNIFE.
I can't be the only one that hates this. Maybe the Trusted Dealers should have a checkbox on their systems where as you complete your purchase, you click the box to indicate Don't Wrap My Watch In @!#$^#$%^(I^@ Cling Film. Just think, they wouldn't have to pay some poor schlub to put all that cling film on there in the first place.
Can it be that hard? I can dream, can't I? Until then I'll have to remember to keep a nice 12-year single malt available for the unwrapping chore.