Claudia Schiffer found out that spotting celebrities is as popular an Irish hobby as ever when she visited Dublin yesterday.
A crowd of opportunist star spotters, lunchtime shoppers and bemused tourists waited outside the Westbury Hotel for the best part of an hour in the hope of catching a glimpse of the German supermodel.
Schiffer was in town to showcase a new diamond-encrusted Ebel watch, which will be on sale at Paul Sheeran jewellers in the Westbury Mall.
A combination of photographers and event security is generally enough to attract an audience, and sure enough an inquisitive bunch quickly gathered on Balfe Street and Harry Street, just off Grafton Street, expecting to see a star.
A sizeable number of amateur photographers had their camera phones at the ready in unison with the press snappers.
Scottish tourists told an elderly couple that "Claudia, the actress" was in the hotel. Four English women who had waited some considerable time left moments before Schiffer's arrival on being informed who the mystery celebrity was.
It seems Claudia's presence was not enough - they had been hoping for Robbie Williams.
A patient majority were not to be denied though and Schiffer finally made her fleeting appearance. Every bit as glamorous in the flesh as she is in her photos, the 36-year-old greeted the masses with a small wave and a trademark stunning smile.
She was then escorted through the Westbury Mall to the sound of cameras crackling like gunfire. A similar gathering was waiting outside the jewellers, but after a brief photo shoot inside, Schiffer departed as quickly as she had arrived. With a smile, of course.