I had no issues in Budapest.
Off to Singapore soon and will not worry for a second about wearing my 116610LN throughout. Even if I have too many at a rooftop bar and stagger back to the hotel.
Same can’t be said for many cities in Southern Europe and South America. Not singling them out as there’s loads of other places I wouldn’t go out for a night out with a desirable watch.
So, it had me thinking, apart from just wearing your desirable watches to work and back, which other cities in the world you trust to wear an expensive watch on a night out?
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Dubai
I've travelled all over the world with my Sea Dweller, in the past I've had an Orange monster or a G Shock in my luggage if I thought I was going to be doing something more risky.
Life's too short to worry too much about it, I was robbed at gunpoint in Panama city 10 years ago wearing my orange monster and they didn't even look at it. I am usually a lot more cautious in South America though - In Bali, India and other bits of Asia I don't bother about it much.
It depends on good local knowledge and it pays to be discreet anywhere. In South America I have no qualms with wearing any of my watches in Bogotá, Santiago, Brasilia, São Paulo, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Quito, La Paz, Lima and most places in-between. I only wear a G-Shock in Rio De Janeiro and Caracas (not that a night out there is going to happen any time soon).
Dubai - very safe and my most expensive watch would be chickenfeed compared to what a lot of the locals are sporting.
Southern European cities - no; I just wouldn’t risk it
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Wrong place-wrong time
Anywhere in the world if you ask me
In Asia, no problem in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo, Yangon, Kuala Lumpur wearing a Root Beer Rolex. Wouldn't wear it in Manila or Jakarta.
In Europe fine in UK, Milan, Madrid, All of Germany, Austria, Prague, Moscow, St Petersburg, Netherlands, Belgium etc. Would avoid Barcelona and Paris as well as Rome and Southern Italy. Can't comment on Portugal as never been there.
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Last edited by ryanb741; 8th September 2019 at 07:37.
I've worn an Omega in many parts of the world including places like Damascus, Beirut, Lahore & Faisalabad - never had any issue. That's not me being complacent, but I think being robbed could happen to me absolutely anywhere at home or abroad and I think it's actually a little bit silly to think that some places are safer than others.
Lots of areas in the south of France feel safe especially Monaco.
Often when I have traveled abroad I take something less obvious to not attract attention, but when there I often think why did I worry as most places feel safe.
If you don’t “flash” your watch and be aware of your surroundings you should be okay.
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Question -
Who has walked into an area, felt it’s a bit dodgy so took off their watch and put it in their sock? I have and it was in London..
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Stories of muggings/thefts are always going to be around so you can never be in a place with zero risk. Be more self aware, take precautions, wear a long sleeve etc, and make sure you have insurance. Can't let fear spoil our enjoyment of watches.
And of course make sure you have specific watch insurance that covers watches outside the home including overseas. Then no need to worry - just hand it over to a mugger if need be. I think I pay something like £23 a month for the Root Beer to be covered worldwide on this basis - that being said it does attract a lot of attention which I'm not comfortable with so once I get the warranty card from the AD it is up for the chop anyway and I'm sticking with SS or Ti in future
Anywhere in Turkey. They could mug 100 people of their ‘rolex’ and still not hit a genuine one.
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Last edited by The Journey; 8th September 2019 at 09:59.
If you are genuinely so paranoid about your desireable watch, the easy answer is to sell it. You should own the watch, you are letting it own you.
Life is to be enjoyed not fretting over trivia such as watches.
I hardly travel abroad with a very valuable watch. It’s not paranoia, could be lost, pinched, attract attention, even in a ‘safe’ country that’s hassle I can do without. I’ve plenty of very decent watches of lower value that do me fine for travelling. SKX009 is a favourite and it’s a good chance to wear them.
Where there’s poverty, there’s a risk.
Personally don’t advertise any rich pickings to be had from me where risk is obvious, but each to their own.
Wouldn’t even consider wearing a Rolex in Africa. Respect for life doesn’t exist, that being the risk of drawing attention in itself.
I have heard stories of most major cities where people wore a Rolex in a Rolex store, and despite a guarded door, stickers and warranty cards disappeared in a snap.
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Best bet is to purchase insurance and don’t have to worry about the rest. (Just make sure the insurance covers what you need it to!)
It’s not always the watch or city it’s how you rock it!
RIAC
I’ve worn a Rolex throughout the world for 16 years including chad, Nigeria, townships of South Africa along with many others and never had an issue, personally if I was scared to wear it I wouldn’t own it. I do however understand folks not going to certain places wearing one, everyone is different I guess but my watches are there to be worn not sit at home in a safe I get no enjoyment from that.
I’ve previously worn a Rolex in lots of places I currently might not, like Brazil. But generally I’m happy wearing a nicer watch anywhere - every country has areas you should avoid.
It's just a matter of time...
Would happily wear a watch of any value in Turkey.
Bradford
The only city I’ve ever left early was Marseille.
I think the quotes of “if you’re too scared to wear it sell it” are a bit to cut and dry, there is absolutely no problem in not wearing a certain watch if it attracts the wrong attention, actually it’s a wise decision based on not wanting to lose the watch and self preservation.
I have been to Africa a few times and as beautiful as it is your life is worth a lot less than a ££££ watch, this is the same in other parts of the world. There are also poor areas where people struggle to feed themselves on a daily basis, would wearing such an expensive watch not be rubbing salt into the wound?
In the limited time I spend in such areas I’m more than happy to blend in and not wear an expensive watch, have my wallet hanging out my back pocket or flash the latest iPhone, it’s not just about avoiding a mugging but sometimes having respect for people around you.
Last edited by murkeywaters; 9th September 2019 at 10:24.
That really sums up why I no longer own a single expensive watch. Having worked in the private sector for years, 10 years ago I moved to the public sector and was in contact daily with people in real financial hardship. After 20 years wearing a Rolex, it just didn’t feel appropriate - and after a while the watch stayed in a drawer gathering dust, not even coming out at weekends - somehow it just killed my interest. I just couldn’t get my head around owning something so frivolous when there are people out there who can’t afford to eat properly. I have a nice house and car and I dress well but don’t feel the need to advertise my good fortune. I also tend to dress casually at work with short sleeved polo shorts etc so as not to intimidate those I deal with - so my Rolex was very in their face if I wore it. Somehow a g shock or Seiko diver (even if they’re special edition screwbacks or Tuna’s) go completely under the radar - so you can be a WIS but on the down-low!
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I would not recommend Amsterdam nowadays. Large number of robberies....
See the long list of topics on the local news station: https://www.at5.nl/zoek/rolex
Somehow, before these types of posts started to appear on watch forums couple of years ago, thought of not bringing my watch somewhere, never crossed my mind. I had a watch and it stayed with me everywhere I travelled.
That's fine if all ends well, but it could also be said its a naive attitude, 99% of the time you will be safe but certain places will lower that percentage massively, its just using self risk assessment to judge is it worth the hassle.
Walk around Naples in a polo shirt with a Rolex on your wrist and you are at a very very high risk of losing that watch.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are about as safe as you can get
St Helens
I popped in to Gretna last week and that seemed ok with a Speedy...
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Amsterdam
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Actually my Dutch colleagues are saying there is a spate of violent moped robberies in Amsterdam which are seeing victims brutally mugged for their watches. I guess like anywhere when it's your time it's your time but it does seem to be on the rise there according to them
I was in Barcelona for a day a couple of weeks ago it has a really dodgy reputation my work mate got drugged and robbed in a bar I didn't even wear a watch I wasn't sure if it was as bad as everyone made out, but an American had his phone nicked in mc Donald's while I was in there
The issue with insurance is that say you’re rocking a daytona or nautilus, u get robbed. Then what happens? You probably won’t get another one, do you get compensated for the market valuation?
I still feel that if you can’t wear a watch for fear of crime, no point in having it. These watches are just luxury toys.....life wouldn’t be significantly changed if you didn’t have them.
Anyone who’s suffered a major illness will confirm the truth of this.
Last edited by paskinner; 10th September 2019 at 09:44.