Message in a bottle was a $10,000 Mark Loren diamond for FGCU student on Gulf fishing trip

Naples

Mark Loren from Mark Loren Designs shows Wes Skinner the $10,000-plus retail diamond he won by finding a specific message in a bottle floating in the Gulf of Mexico, part of a Valentine's Day promotion by the jeweler.

Most people have fantasies of finding a genie in a bottle, a treasure map with an 'X marks the spot' or, at the very least, an interesting message.

But for Wes Skinner, a bottle he found bobbing in the Gulf of Mexico was no fantasy. The message inside the bottle turned into a $10,000 Mark Loren Designs’ diamond for the 22-year-old FGCU student.

On Feb. 12, Loren, owner and founder of Mark Loren Designs, helicoptered along the Lee County coastline and dropped three bottles, each with messages, as a promotion for Valentine's Day.

Two bottles contained $2,500 gift certificates valid for any purchase or services at the Fort Myers gallery at 13351 McGregor Boulevard.

Mark Loren, owner and founder of Mark Loren Designs, holds three "messages in a bottle" prior to dropping them into the Gulf of Mexico on Feb. 12, 2018, as part of a Valentine's Day promotion.

But that third bottle had contents worthy of an "I Dream of Genie" type result: A certificate for a diamond valued at more than $10,000.

More:Cape Coral woman accidentally sells husband's Marine ring, military ID bracelet in garage sale

More:Creating jewelry fit for royalty

More:Is it antique or just old? 'Antiques Road Show' appraisers here to help

Skinner, a spearfishing, commercial fisherman who has been plying the waters of the Gulf since August catching fish to sell to local restaurants, said he was on his way to fish, about 20 to 30 miles off the Sanibel Causeway and Punta Rassa, when he passed by something in the water and decided to turn around and see what it was.

The water that day was like glass, he said, or he might not have seen the bottle.

What Skinner found was one of the three promotional containers that Loren had chucked into the water.

The three"messages in a bottle" dropped into the Gulf of Mexico on Feb. 12, 2018 by Mark Loren contained two $2,500 gift certificate and the third bottle with a certificate for a diamond valued at $10,000.

"I didn't ever think it was going to be worth much," he said. "If I did I would have dressed up when I went in. I was wearing just a tank top."

When Skinner took the certificate to Mark Loren Designs McGregor Boulevard store, a clerk at first thought he was the $2,500 certificate winner before realizing he had the big ticket item.

Loren spotted a tiny red mark he had made on the certificate and knew. "Oh boy, he found the diamond," Loren said.

On Friday Skinner came in to redeem the certificate for the 1.90 carat round brilliant and very fine quality stone.

"I never really won anything before," Skinner said. "I was really shocked. I couldn't believe it."

The integrated studies senior at FGCU grew up in the Fort Lauderdale area.

He said he plans to just hold on to the diamond for now.

He does have a steady girlfriend. What does she think about his "catch" of the day?

"I told her I'm not doing anything with it," he said. "She understands."

Loren had chartered a helicopter and dropped the three bottles in three different spots, hoping that couples walking the beaches on Valentines Day would find them on shore.

"The east winds must have pushed them out," he said. Skinner concurred, saying the bottle he scooped up was far out past the opening of the Caloosahatchee River and not near the Sanibel drop point.

The plan by Skinner was to open the bottle, which he took to contain some old note from someone, after a day of fishing.

Wes Skinner shows the certificate he found in a bottle in the Gulf of Mexico that won him a $10,000-plus retail diamond, part of a Valentine's Day promotion by Mark Loren Designs.

However, fate even intruded on that.

After finding the bottle early in the morning, Skinner put it away to open later. However, after fishing around the Twin Barges Wreck area his boat developed a problem and he had to limp home on just one engine, a 12-hour journey.

"We opened it on the way back," he said. His response when he saw what it was: "I said 'no way'."

And for all those who believe in the message in a bottle, don't forget there's still two $2,500 gift certificates floating around the Gulf somewhere.

Connect with this reporter: MichaelBraunNP (Facebook) @MichaelBraunNP (Twitter)