Reply With QuoteBeing mugged for a Rolex is a serious issue these days... and something to be considered.
Up on You-Tube, under a series called ‘Active self protection’, video of a guy being robbed of his Rolex in South Africa.
The narrator remarks, ‘if you don’t want to get eaten, don’t look like food.’ Not very sympathetic.
Being mugged for a Rolex is a serious issue these days... and something to be considered.
Last edited by abraxas; 7th March 2019 at 23:34.
Originally Posted by paskinner
Having lived in South Africa, you don’t draw attention to yourself if you can help it.
Some pretty scary videos in that series.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Can happen anywhere. If you look vulnerable or like someone who isn't going to fight back, then you'll get eaten. Rolex sub is the most recognisable watch that's worth ripping someone's arm off for but that doesn't mean that Rolex subs are the only target.
He could have framed the statement a little more politely, but hes completely correct.
In any city there are predators waiting to pick up on peoples naivety and mistakes.
In an ideal world this wouldn't happen, there would be well resourced police force but its not an ideal world.
If I walk down the street waving a wad of 50's about Im advertising that i have something worth taking.
Certain cities in South Africa are known to have high levels of crime, i.e. more predatory elements looking to take advantage or weaker people who have something they want. Why wear a 10k watch in those areas?
Keep a look out in Barcelona too (I speak from personal bitter experience).
Strangely, I feel perfectly safe in London though - perhaps I am more familiar with what to look out for.
M.
Though bluntly put, the comment about looking like food is on the money.
Over the years l have spent on this forum l have read many posts from people who genuinely believe that a rolex isn't a conspicuous thing to have on your person - though the majority of such posts are to try to pretend that they didn't buy the rolex to impress...
They state that nobody really notices what's on your wrist - except "WIS's".
It astonishes me that adult human beings can be so naive.
In one breath a person can describe, for example, a submariner as an "iconic design" yet they can't get to grips with the notion that a criminal can recognise this too...
...cloud cuckoo land.
When they suspect that it is a Rolex, they will ask you for the time to make sure that it is a Rolex and them mug you further down the road. I will not go into details but they know what they are doing and how to do it and it is not pleasant.
Completely agree on Barcelona. Frightful for theft at night time!
I don’t think it’s about wearing a 10k watch in certain areas, more displaying/advertising the fact you have a 10k watch on.
I have worn expensive watches in every country, and been absolutely fine. I doubt many people would have thought of mugging me 10-20 years ago, but I’m sure I’m slightly more of a target these days and as such I’m more wary of my surroundings, and my own vulnerabilities.
Be careful, but don’t let fear rule your actions.
It's just a matter of time...
Pretty common to occur during the day in the popular tourist haunts. It surprised me to learn that the Spanish are so into thievery.
Last edited by DA56; 8th March 2019 at 07:24.
Was in the old town of Jaipur the other day and spotted a tourist wearing a rather nice PP Aquanaught (complication model).
Actually find it pretty safe here but why invite the opportunity
On the Spanish front(I like the Spanish btw) I remover people immigrant policemen a few years back and pulling cars over and robbing them that were on our rally.
Far worse than north/ mid Africa.
Having done business in South Africa our internal security advisors were very specific about not wearing anything expensive visibly in public. I never felt unsafe but did see some very nasty images in a presentation to bring home the message about the fearless nature of muggers and motorcycle riding thieves.
According to local police it wasn’t the locals who were into thievery. I will say no more as this is a watch forum - can take it further in BP if necessary.
As it happens I was walking around Jo’burg last week and Amsterdam this week.
Personally I wouldn’t wear my Rolex on the street at night in either city, or any other major city for that matter. I’m far from paranoid, but why needlessly put yourself in harm’s way for no reason other than vanity? Expensive watches make for a ready source of income for a certain section of society. Openly visible, easily accessible, quickly removed, readily disposed of - what’s not to like for the criminal fraternity?
It’s why I’ve come around to always travelling with two watches these days. It’s easy enough to stick a Seiko, G-Shock or other beater in the hand baggage.
If I had to rank the foreign cities I’ve visited in terms of concern over personal welfare, Barcelona would likely be at the top of my list too, closely followed by Philadelphia and Nairobi. Jeddah, Beirut and St Petersburg felt the safest. Every city, though, has its bad areas.
I have been to Barcalona and Nairobi but it was a few years ago now, Barca felt okay but I suppose that's where the problem lies in feeling safe in a modern western city and walking around with ££££ on your wrist..
Nairobi visually looked like you would be turned over as soon as the bus stopped, as it happened we were not to worry as there was a random police stop check where they tell the driver to pay X amount or it goes no further!
Yes, Barcelona does feel rather edgy. I don’t think the problem comes from the Spanish. These cities attract roaming thieves.
Yes that is correct, the gangs come into Spain and are back home as soon as they used violence.
In Spain, theft of a watch or handbag is low down on police priorities. But if the thief uses violence then it becomes mega important and carries a much heavier penalty. Therefore they come, do the theft but as soon as one theft involves an act of violence, they play safe and vamoose back home.
Barcelona is a particulaly bad spot because if the gangs want to leave Spain, it is not too far from the French border.
Philly the 'city of brotherly love' surely not, though like any big city some areas will be edgy, just surprised to hear that. I visited CHicago a couple of years back, now that had a 'vibe' about the place, noticed lots of groups of police apparently guarding stores in the central city area and from what I've read there's been multiple accusations of the police using 'black site' and illegal interrogation methods more often associated with anti terrorism and places like gitmo.
They don’t necessarily wait for the bus to stop....
Downtown Philly can be disturbing at night partly, I think, due to having a couple of big hospitals in downtown and a widespread issue with drugs in general and opioids in particular.
Surprisingly I never felt threatened in Chicago.
It just shows how specific to the individual these experiences and perceptions can be.
Yes, the statement's almost true. 99.9% of people indeed don't notice. The problem is that the remaining 0.1% contains not just WIS but every single watch thief out there earning their living!
true enough Willie, and things might've changed since I lived there, downtown used to be a safe, clean and well policed business district in centre city.
I don't bring expensive watches with me when I travel. I wear an SKX011J1 when out of the country.
Its a little orange but it doesn't attract the wrong attention :)
Nothing changes, it seems. 30 years ago I arrived in BCN late on a Friday night to start a cycle tour in the Pyrenees with a friend. We couldn't find a hotel so decided to doss down on a bench on La Rambla with our bikes and paniers. I volunteered to take the first watch and looked on as a group of half a dozen or more youths stood around at a distance of no more than 10m casually discussing among themselves how they were going to rob us, as I found out when the local sitting at the next bench along kindly warned me.
A few years later in Nairobi, we were specifically warned not to rest our arms outside the windows of taxis while wearing watches as there had been incidents of local thieves using machetes to separate the watch, and with it the hand, from the owner.
Having grown up in London, Amsterdam always seems like an unusually calm and civilised place. Certainly not one where I’d be scared to go out at night wearing a watch. As for ‘any major city’ that seems a touch paranoid! I’ve never had a serious problem in London, though tend to choose watches to suit where I’m going. Perhaps I’d feel differently wearing a conspicuous new model sports Rolex - preferring vintage probably helps. But in any case when walking around at night in potentially dodgy areas, so do sleeves.
I used to work with a chap who had a seamaster but bought a seriously convincing fake as well and wore it when traveling or doing something active.
Arguement that it's a bit poor form to wear a fake but he was happy which is the point.
That’s a bonkers approach in my opinion. Can you imagine sitting in a taxi in Nairobi as noted below and some lowlife takes your arm off with a machete to steal a convincing fake.
I work with a Zimbabwean chap who has seen it happen btw, so it’s no idle rumour.
I do exactly the same. I call it my holiday watch.
Still paid £650.00 for it.
I am happy with that. And I agree that is the point.
Either he’s not thought this through or he’s more interested in saving his watch than his life!
Bizarre!!
And I thought they were desirable here in the U.K. !
Sounds like damn good advice in my book!
I've been to Barcelona 7 or 8 times and never, ever felt threatened there. Similarly felt very safe in other cities that are generally thought of as a bit 'rough' such as Beirut, Amman & Istanbul.
Faisalabad & Lahore - now they genuinely felt a bit lairy with people actually following you as you walk around. This wasn't really about the watch on your wrist, it's just that a white guy (for want of a better description) wandering about in those places really does stick out like a sore thumb.
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...chael+McIntyre
Still got my 2010 Passat. Still go into town wearing a Poljot. Still connected to reality. Still streetwise. Still here.
Last edited by Russ; 10th March 2019 at 14:27.
Let’s look at it this way.Would You wander round a dodgy country with 5 1/2 Grand visible in Your hand?Course not!!! In Johannesburg I wore my MWC quartz.Any one pulling a knife on Me could have it
Stopped wearing a nice watch for travel abroad in the 1990's
Don't forget that in 2003 there was parity between murders(stabbing normally) in Johannesburg and Camden North london UK.
I remember a protest march with banners "stop the Killing" I naively thought it was against the war but it was about knife crime.
I was a victim of an attempted mugging at that time (in Camden by the canal - guy had two knives and a mate ) - my fault I suppose for taking that shortcut and it was dark - let me assure you these things can change your life.......and not for the better.
A lot of the guys that travel regularly refer to stories of people being detained in third world countries by police if they think that you are not armed and on your own. For a watch ? not worth it.
That's of course if you haven't lost it at the airport already because of the dodgy security personnel.
I wear a CASIO W800 if I want to look anonymous or a W736. A number of times when wearing the 736 I have been asked by local street life if I was a copper. That is in the UK and the US but I am sure that all coppers wear a similar style...ish.
B
My parents are from India but I am born and raised here. I use to think that when I visit India I blend in with my family there and the locals. But no, I stick out like a sore thumb.
I wear my Seiko SKX007 which is my everyday and holiday watch. For me going on holiday can be a worry in itself without having the additional worry of an expensive watch.
I'm all for punishing criminals but that is taking it too far imho.
Lol I like it!!!!!
You always think it is safe till it happens to you.
Most of the countries/cities mentioned I have not remotely come close to being mugged.
I believe as long as reasonable precautions are taken like avoiding dodgy areas, not flashing your expensive trinket, gathering some knowledge from the natives about the areas you plan to go to etc, it should be safe.
I believe some of the fear is over blown though as I acknowledge, it is safe till it happens to you. In areas where this things can happen, the perpetrators can go after anything, not just the watches. It is prudent to take precautions but choice of watch is not one of them. Fingers crossed.
I visited Nairobi last year and had been told plenty of scare stories and heeded the advice given. Visited everywhere with locals and never felt threatened once but they did say to me that they did keep surveying the area around the wife and I to ensure that we could be warned and shuttle us away if they saw anything they didn’t like.
There is no way I personally would have visited any of the local places without the pair to guide us.
I suppose I’m one of those people you mention above. As you can tell from the photo below I’m wearing a Submariner. I bought it because I like its “iconic design”.
Astonishingly nobody noticed it earlier when I went to the pub for Sunday lunch, which was a bit disappointing as I’d really bought it to impress.
—
Sent from cloud cuckoo land.
i recall one of the young lads stabbed/murdered in London last year was wearing a Rolex. no idea if that was the reason for the murder, was it a mugging gone wrong? but the watch was mentioned in the news so i assume it was stolen from the dead lad. I never heard what, just 'rolex watch'.
I know i don't feel worried as such when out, but i try to keep my watch under my shirt sleeve, more so the busier or rougher the place feels.
can you write this in english please??!!
I was in Jaipur during January and saw several Rolex in the Hotel, so yes the decent watches are being worn there and mainly by young Indians.
I was a typical tourist doing the typical golden triangle thing and we were under the supervision of a guide all of the time and they stayed a discreet 6ft behind us. Basically we paid for protection. I wore my 1655 and no one notices that and I guess the same would apply to a PP because they do look pretty low key.
I would guess that India is heck of a lot safer than the UK.
You can’t be serious? The chance of being murdered in India is three times as high. And that’s with a less developed set of statistics. And are you aware of the levels of crime against women?
Last edited by paskinner; 11th March 2019 at 17:59.
If I remember correctly, India has a population of 1.3bn, so you will get a lot more murders, rapes and everything else.
I was out there for 3 weeks and we went to some very upmarket places and also some complete and utter dumps with hardly another white person in sight. We never once felt unsafe.
You don't here about many British pensioners being duffed up or murdered on the news.
Last edited by Mick P; 11th March 2019 at 18:08.
Because what you said is demonstrably false...or doesn’t that matter?
Posting Permissions
