Just stick it in your pocket until you feel unobserved and reinstall when in secure surroundings. I have been living in London for40+ years and have yet to experience any bother, however, this may well be my last post,, pride, falls et al ....
Good points here. I'm a big lad with a (little) bit of training. 1 v 1 or even 2 v 1 I might stand my ground but these guys are mob handed & one person hasn't got enough vision or reaction time to deal with that. Plus, like you said, bigger, traditionally built, guys are no more resistant to sharp objects than racing snakes. The difference being that the racing snake stands a better chance of making a run for it...Originally Posted by RobDad
Ignore this - I was wrong.
Last edited by snowman; 16th August 2023 at 22:14.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I wear my Explorer in London all the time, but it's OK because nobody wants to nick that one
‘Excuse me sir, before I mug you how many millimetres is the case, and does it have the shorter handset or the longer one? - oh you’re ok, I want the newer model, have a lovely evening’I wear my Explorer in London all the time, but it's OK because nobody wants to nick that one
Seriously? Or are you going to say that Borrisey was a better Mayor that Sadiq Khan?
Problem is the little scrotes all watch Tik-Tok etc so often know as much about watches as you may, they also see all their idols flashing the bling, and they want some too
Tik Tok idols aren't wearing SS Subs though. They are wearing Royal Oaks, Hublots, Richard Mille and gold shiny things.
My mate got mugged in Paris on his honeymoon years ago and he doesn’t even own anything expensive
Currently in the Liberty Bounds, Tower Hill. Captain Willard & I are doing OK so far...
Wear a Sub. Even if it gets robbed, soon they are going to sell for peanuts.
Clearly the sensible option would be for Rolex to offer 10 hours of free Krav Maga classes with the sale of every Sub.
Job done.
Wear a cheap, nasty knockoff, the joke will then be on the thief?
After you have been stabbed!
The Captain & I are on the way home, unsullied by ruffians. The Captain was admired, but by a work colleague of mine, so no drama there...
Subs and DJs are the most common watches I see in London.
You'll be fine.
FYI, I live near Brixton and never had a problem wearing a PO, Exp 2 etc or more recently my SD43 with my short sleeved shirt/ tees.
Never been mugged or harassed and regardless on what the media report, I feel safe here.
Was the Captain wearing steel or rubber, or was it not that kind of night out "the Horror"....glad you made it back alive.
The Captain was on the OEM black rubber. Understated but classic.
I was watching a documentary on You Tube about watch thief gangs and they attend watch school and are taught what to look for, apparently they can identity an A. Lange & Sohne no problem and know exactly what they are looking at
I spent a few days with the wife in London earlier this week. I was conscious of this issue and despite having worn my Sub, Speedie, and also Pelagos during previous visits (we go down once or twice a year so not a frequent visitor), I wore my SPB143, the wife her MoonSwatch.
Albeit we didn't venture out of central London, I felt perfectly safe and couldn't help but think that I would have happily taken the Pelagos or Speedie.
That's the issue though isn't it? I swapped my Sub for a Seiko yesterday and felt relaxed in the West End. Was that down to the fact that the danger is overrated or were there in fact myriad muggers pinging the Seiko & thinking "Nah, I'll hang on for a Daytona innit".
Schrodinger himself would wrestle with such a conundrum...
Do you have a link?
I absolutely take your Point. Next time we go I probably will wear the Pelagos, but equally I will be conscious to be more aware of my surroundings and who is paying too much attention than if wearing the Seiko.
During the 1820s a Farmer named William Cobbett wrote a series of books entitled Rural Rides. Cobbet was a left wing politician/farmer who paid his workers over the going rate and made sure that their stomachs were filled with good food. He saw the good in everyone and his book was a recollection of his journeys on horse back through the country and also in the cesspit of London. He called it the Great Wen meaning it was filled with people who lacked honesty and who would steal anything from anyone. London destroyed his confidence in mankind but it was restored when he left it.
After reading his book in the 1980s, I rapidly came to the conclusion that he was right and that some things never change. London is still the Great Wen.
I would never wear a Rolex in that place, it's just not worth the risk.
Wear it at your peril.
Last edited by Mick P; 18th August 2023 at 22:58.
But they also watch the grey market dealers like Luxury Bazaar etc
Utterly true, we are all dishonest and will sell our own family, luckily I have one Grandmother who is still alive, it’s a wonder we have not sold her for organ donation.
Typical southerners really, never trust a people who consider a boiled eel a delicacy.
I assume you are saving her up in case a CWC 1980 should become available.
I am sure a Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimp is a much nicer foodstuff... sea cockroaches covered in butter yum.
I could do a job lot for my mother and Mrs if anyone is interested in a trade?
This is the thing - there are so many imponderables: physical size can be a deterrent, are there witnesses, are you wearing a Sub when Mike the mugger is looking for a Daytona, there are probably others...
Safe will always beat sorry, which takes me back to my comment upthread about the benefits of concealed carry...
Hmmm, London not white gammon enough for you? Sorry to hear that.
Thoughts and prayers, as ever.
Some interesting comments about places. I’ve walked round Paris at night, similarly Barcelona and many many others, many times - including the back streets of Naples - mostly with an expensive camera around my neck and never felt threatened or worried once. But the two places I have felt uncomfortable and threatened were Washington DC and London.
Personally, I wouldn’t wear any expensive watch or jewellery in either of those cities. YMMV.
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Were there two children begging in rags?
If you wear long sleeves you can have a Roger Smith or whatever you want in London. Nobody will notice. But short sleeves - I wouldn’t have a Rolex in site. Good mid market watches though.
Love this.
I stood next to Peter Sarstedt in a urinal in Maida Vale.
Can't remember if he was wearing a watch or not :)
Not the best claim to fame, but a claim to fame nevertheless.
Reminds me of some old joke with the punchline "got the time on yer cock?".
I don’t think Schrödinger would wrestle with the dilemma because he would have all options and none.
Sorry, just doing my risk assessment..
This thread reminds me of a book I once read about Harpo Marx.
He favourite possession was wristwatch that great sentimental value. His brother ( I assume Chico as he is reputed to have had a gambling problem) used to steal his watch and pawn it so that he could gamble or pay debts. Harpo had to find the money to go buy it back.
One day Harpo decided to remove the hands so that the pawn broker wouldn’t accept it. His watch was never taken again.
So there you have a proven solution!
Ideal! Watch crime solved at a stroke! On the other HAND...
No one begging, but lots of children; mostly well clad and shod. Lads on their motor cycles opening their front doors and driving their motorbikes straight into the hallway seemed a bit, well, odd.
Naples is a great place but, like Liverpool, with an undeserved reputation. Galleria Umberto 1 is a beautiful arcade where the walls and ceiling ironwork are 'reputedly' coated in Gold, but no one seems to try to scrape it off....
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
My reference was to a line in a song, it wasn't a literal question :). We went to Naples about 9 years ago, absolutely loved it, signs of civic money-saving abounded, weeds growing on pavements and litter etc but still more than charming.No one begging, but lots of children; mostly well clad and shod. Lads on their motor cycles opening their front doors and driving their motorbikes straight into the hallway seemed a bit, well, odd.
Naples is a great place but, like Liverpool, with an undeserved reputation. Galleria Umberto 1 is a beautiful arcade where the walls and ceiling ironwork are 'reputedly' coated in Gold, but no one seems to try to scrape it off....
Didn't see the Galleria Umberto but 5 days probably wasn't enough by time we fitted in the usuals like Pompey and Capri.
It's similar in many cities with significant financial districts, and as good a reason as any not to wear one. Fly under the radar and let the hoodlums target someone else.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
My badLOL. That song must be from way back in the 60's.
Yes, we really like Naples. I've often wished we had been there during their football season, would have loved to have gone to a match. Maybe one day?
Pompey is superb as is Capri. But if you go to Naples again it's well worth the short ferry hop to Ischia, another lovely island in the bay and a really nice place to stay.
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Lol yes, the song was a while back.My bad
Yes, we really like Naples. I've often wished we had been there during their football season, would have loved to have gone to a match. Maybe one day?
Pompey is superb as is Capri. But if you go to Naples again it's well worth the short ferry hop to Ischia, another lovely island in the bay and a really nice place to stay.
I think a month there would maybe cover everything. This was the view from our room and thanks for the advice re Ischia.
"Where Do You Go To My Lovely"
Peter Sarstedt 1969
Dueted with John Otway in a resounding rendition of "Really Free" in the Robert Browning Maida Vale.
John Otway, that's going back. Met Wild Willy Barret once.
My last trip with the mrs to london in 2020 ended up with a 14 month wait to see if I was getting charged with GBH after some lowlife attempted to steal my trainers off my feet in broad daylight, after saying he had a knife my reaction got me arrested and held in a cell 14 hours then had to wait and not work my job as head of security for a big club for a year.
In the End case dropped and I went back to work, he got his jaw wired back and his hand out it’s cast and we never went to London again the end 🙄
Police advice was to try not to draw attention……
Does anyone with an IQ over 40 or so seriously doubt this?
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