WALL of Fame features brand ambassadors (clockwise from top, left), Oprah Winfrey (with Michelle Obama), Samuel L. Jackson, Isaiah Washington and the author.
ZURICH—Philip Stein is not an actual person.
According to Will Stein, founder of the company, he and his wife (and business partner) Rina were going to name their—at the time—unborn son Benjamin Philip.
When their son was born, they decided to name him Benjamin and their brand-new company Philip.
My husband Rob, assistant Sheilla and I spent a beautiful day here with the Steins, and they planned a truly lovely way for us to experience this gorgeous city in the very little time we spent there. One day is really not enough to truly enjoy everything Zurich has to offer.
We started the afternoon with a water taxi ride across Lake Zurich. The weather was more than cooperative, giving us plenty of sunshine, blue skies and just enough heat (the temperature was unusual for early October… actually, it was like this for much of the Il Divo tour).
We took several pictures of churches, old buildings and scenic spots during the ride, and had some lively conversation as well (we were also accompanied by Philip Stein publicist Inge and her photographer-friend Carlo).
The water in the lake was incredibly clear, so clear we could see the bottom. There were a few boats on the lake and someone on a paddleboard. Will mentioned that he enjoyed paddleboarding as well, and that it was not as easy as it looked.
Our destination was the Restaurant Seerose (Water Lily), which was right on Lake Zurich. The Steins reserved a table for us outside, under the sun.
We all ordered salad with an olive oil and balsamic dressing. A bunch of us had the Caprese—cherry tomatoes, baby arugula and burrata (a very soft and creamy variety of mozzarella cheese). We also had fish (either Dover Sole or Alaskan Black Cod), which was incredible.
Apparently the sole is one of Seerose’s signature dishes, pan-fried with herb butter and ratatouille.
We also took the opportunity to take some group pictures with boats, or houses on the hill, or the lush, green mountains in the background.
After our sumptuous lunch, it was time to head to the Philip Stein offices in Zurich. Their main offices are in Miami, Florida, so this space was a bit smaller, white and clean.
Display cases
But there was enough room for display cases, which showcased samples of their current collection for men and women, some of which are not available in the Philippines. Not yet anyway.
We sat in the conference room with its wall of fame: brand ambassadors from all over the world, celebrities who have worn the watch proudly and a photo of the woman who really helped Philip Stein achieve success, Oprah Winfrey.
It started when someone at Philip Stein sent a watch to Madonna’s personal assistant, who passed it on to Madonna. The singer then gave a Philip Stein watch to Oprah Winfrey, who loved it so much that she sang its praises on her syndicated television show. After that first endorsement, long lines of people looked for the “Oprah Watch” in stores carrying Philip Stein watches in the United States. At the end of her show’s run, Winfrey commissioned a special 25th anniversary Philip Stein watch to be designed.
Will and Rina showed us what made Philip Stein so special by doing what they called the “Lemon Test.” First, they presented two plates of freshly sliced lemon wedges. Next, they placed one of their Philip Stein Natural Frequency Technology cards under one of the plates. After five minutes, we were asked to sample the lemons by smelling and tasting.
Here’s the weird part, which totally impressed me. The lemons on the Philip Stein plate smelled more fragrant and tasted sweeter. The lemons on the other plate had almost zero fragrance and were really sour.
The technology does the same thing when any one of Philip Stein products—watch, bracelet, or even their perfume—is worn by a human. It attracts only earth’s natural energy and ignores human-made energy. This energy aids the wearer in his/her pursuit of well-being and good health.
Philip Stein customers have reported major benefits since purchasing their watches and that, besides the timepieces’ elegance, is the draw of the brand.
Guided tour
Rina took me on a guided tour of their offices, where I got to meet one of their designers who was busy working on something brand-new (and, right now, still top secret). Their tireless office manager, David, was a ninja in opening display cases so we could look at the watches up close and try on a few things. (I’m a big watch person, so this kind of stuff is fun for me.)
Rina gave me a couple of straps that were shorter and more suited to my smaller wrist, plus a few other goodies for Rob, Sheilla and me to enjoy.
Beyond their obvious business acumen, Will and Rina Stein are incredibly generous and kind, lovely people inside and out (Will and Rina likewise praised Philip Stein’s Philippine distributor, Emerson Yao, for the kindness he has shown throughout their partnership, which is going very strong).
Because of this, I feel very proud to be Philip Stein’s newest brand ambassador. The brand represents the pursuit of elegance, simplicity and being one and in tune with the world.
For more information, visit www.philipstein.com.