Reply With QuoteSo sad really.
We have had Rolex gangs on here for years, but they normally hang out in the BP ready to attack you with their keyboard skills.
https://www.fratellowatches.com/form...is-own-safety/
Sadly not an uncommon story in these times. With Buyers, Instagram wrist flashers and You tubers constantly highlighting the $£ Monetary aspect of watch involvement revolving around this brand and some others, can you enjoy a timepiece on your wrist if the only time you feel safe to wear it is at the bank safety deposit vault.
Rolex have always been an easy money maker for the criminal but I have never known a time were it has become a criminal industry, so prevalent in our society.
So sad really.
We have had Rolex gangs on here for years, but they normally hang out in the BP ready to attack you with their keyboard skills.
I feel fairly strongly about this.
If you've earned the enjoyment of something, you should be able to enjoy it.
Bad things can happen at anytime and to anyone, waiting for the worst to happen for a long time can be as bad.
I think you've just got to enjoy it, not worry, be sensible and whatever happens, happens
Perhaps if they were not so frequently mentioned on forums they would not have this aura around them? There are threads on here with people salivating over the next price increase, how much a Daytona is etc…..
Look at Ming watches right now, people create a feeding frenzy around them then suddenly realise they can’t actually enjoy them.
ReallyOriginally Posted by rossyl
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crim...t-b153097.html
I'm generally happy wearing a nice watch, but there have been two occasions recently when I have deliberately not done so. One was on a trip to London and the other on a trip to central Manchester. I don't think I'm too paranoid but I have certainly been more careful recently.
I've been in London all week and I've seen tons of Rolex all over the place, not just in restaurants, on the tube and in crowded streets. I'm wearing my Linde Werdelin and was initially a little weary about having it on view, not so much because anyone would know what it is but more because it's fairly loud and could attract the wrong attention. I chilled out a little when I saw a small Asian guy in short sleeves wearing a fluted DJ41 on the tube with zero apparent concern.
It is a sad reality but I often opt out of wearing a nice watch depending on where I am going. That story above about the young lad getting stabbed and shot in London for his Rolex sickens me to the core. Lives and families ruined all for the sake of some mindless and heartless criminal wanting to make a quick buck. Very sad times.
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It is certainly not a nice experience when it happens.
I am still very conscious to this day of wearing an expensive watch having had a submariner ND robbed from me in 2017.
Fortunatly I was not hurt but anyone who thinks it won't happen to them or by being in a decent area reduces the risk is mistaken as it could happen to anyone at anytime.
It just comes down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Shopkeepers get murdered for takings that are considerably less than the value of a Rolex.
Wearing a high end watch is only one of many reasons for these scumbags to target you!
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The Fratello story is nonsense, the guy sold it because he’d rather have the money. He was given it, he’s in a well paid job, but rather than keep it as a memento of a successful time in his career he’d rather cash in. I’m not saying thats right or wrong, but he didn’t have to sell it because he dare not wear it.
I have made the decision not to wear a valuable watch when travelling in major UK cities. I’m currently waiting for a PRS-25 Exp to be delivered which I intend to wear on such occasions.
I've taken the decision to buy a Ming at RRP on their next release, as my outside wearable beater. I'll just need to remember to take my phone so I know the time.
As for the story, disappointing times - but, a first world problem if ever there was one.
I’ve completely stopped wearing any of my Rolex’s, wearing an Apple Watch now just to save any grief, they were constantly getting noticed and commented on in recent times, where as in the past they wouldn’t get a second glance
Is that not a sign to sell them and move forward?
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No one seems interested in my Fenix 6…
It probably is, I just can’t bring myself to admit it yet
I'm wary of wearing my James Cameron in London even at 6'4" and 19 stone. I wear it locally without much concern but after all these stories it doesn't seem worth the risk. What's odd is that I don't have the same concern about my Monaco or Omega which are super recognisable. That's illogical.
I'm going to London on Saturday to meet an old mate (he's coming up from Hereford to look at the electricity) & I'll be wearing my Tuna or one of the Vostoks.
It makes me angry that I can't just wear what I want where I want but why risk it?
By being in a decent area does reduce the risk, unless you have predetermined some strange meaning for 'decent'. Just as different postcodes will affect house, car insurance ......... all down to 'risk'
Sure it can happen anyplace, anytime - but in different areas the chances can be at extremes. I mean - you could say the same for earthquakes, but I'm fairly sure that UK is in one of the safer areas.
I just wear a 47mm Panerai when i’m down London, that way any ne'er do wells will be giving me their hard won earned cash to get away from them.
Bonus feature, it’s a shed load more legible than the daytona.
Simple question - What is the most likely?
1. Man wearing a Rolex watch gets mugged when walking down a busy street in a big city.
or
2. Man wearing a Rolex gets hit by a car or some other serious accident when walking down a busy street in a big city.
Number 1 nearly happened to me a couple of years back Number 2 thankfully never has so I would say Number 1!
Narrowly escaped getting mugged for my LV in broad daylight in North London. Since then it's long sleeves or a beater when I city centres.
Looks like being a man could be the risk. Maybe if he identified as a woman - that might reduce that risk?
Or
3. Man wearing a Rolex gets hit by a car driving mugger when walking down a busy street?
Good call, top tip for safely wearing a Rolex in a big city, wear a frock.
The solution is for the Rolex to self-identify as a Bremont.
The situation is a shame, but people get robbed for lots of things - phone, wallet, bag, car, other watch brands, jewellery etc. Seems 'Rolex' in the title helps to generate views.
Sorry but I don't buy that story. It seems a great excuse to sell an expensive watch that was both gifted and recognisable thanks to the engravings. And some publicity to boot from the story which openly promotes the auction - nope, horse manure alert!
There were 25,341 reported collisions in London in 2019, resulting in125 people being killed, 3,780 being seriously injured and 26,102 being slightly injured - http://content.tfl.gov.uk/casualties...ondon-2019.pdf
In 2019 the Met recorded 57.734 cases of theft from person and 37,051 incidents of robbery. Either of these crimes could include a subset of mugging someone for their Rolex. https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-a...ata-dashboard/
Last edited by gerrudd; 5th August 2021 at 21:44.
I wear a BLRO daily, often around London. I would like to think if someone tried to mug me I’d just give it up (pathetic I know) but who knows how I’d react if I was drunk.
I can think of one or two occasions in the last year where I have been in rough parts of town and it made me feel uncomfortable (pulled the sleeve down and put it in my pocket once).
Does dull the shine, but not the enjoyment!
Because a PRS-25 Everest doesn’t look like a Rolex from the distance at which a mugging might be initiated?
I’m not certain that that will alter the physical risk profile for you. Perhaps the financial risk, but there’s insurance for that.
Well... 1. The man wearing the rolex is just as likely to be hit by a car as any other man.
2. The man wearing the rolex is definitely more likely to be to mugged for his watch than somebody not wearing an expensive watch.
We need to account for which Rolex model the man in question is wearing.
If it's a sports model then presumably he has better odds of power rolling out of traffic?
If it's a Cellini I fear he's significantly more likely to be run over by slow-moving traffic, but on the bright side it's unlikely anyone will recognise it.
I must be a ninja or something as in the 5 years of wearing desirable watches, I've only had it noticed once in public. I use to go from Birmingham to Penge East daily for 3 months in the summer, wearing my BLNR or LVC and had no issues.
The way I look at it, wear it and enjoy it, someone wants it that badly let them have it. All of mine are insured anyway and I just hope that other owners also insure their valuables appropriately
A couple of years ago a mate of mine who works at the BFI got mugged on the South Bank for his no-brand twenty quid quartz. He’s dined out on that story ever since.
I must admit when ever I visit a big city/go abroad I tend to not wear my Sea-Dweller.
I've worn it in public before and its been recognised a few times, thankfully not by any wronguns.
I'll usually wear a Seiko or a G Shock as its one less think to think about.
Theyll have been noticed more than once in public. Its just you're only aware of the one time.
Good points... if anyone attempts to mug me while lm wearing my seadweller l will take to the ocean depths...
That footballer didn't exactly give it away in desperation, maybe he isn't interested in stupidly expensive trinkets.
I wouldn't walk around London with an expensive watch on my wrist anymore.
A couple of months back Paul Thorpe posted a video where four masked men jumped out of a car and attacked someone on the pavement for his watch.
I believe that a top of the range pair of shoes purchased from John Lobb will set you back around £4.5k. I have yet to hear of a fellow being wrestled to the ground and having his Lobbs ripped off.
So the lesson is forget watches and buy nice shoes.
I should charge a fortune for my advice.
Unfortunately you give it freely
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I don’t think the Expedition version looks too much like a Rolex. Agree the standard Everest wouldn’t be the best choice.
My friend and I were robbed outside a snooker bar at university about 10 years back, at knife point, by a gang of perhaps 8-10 people. Not an exaggeration on numbers, although I'd estimate half were in their early teens... nice place.
They took my Motorola flip phone (lol) and forgot to take my wallet. My friend even managed to retain his sim card before handing over his Nokia
On the bright side, I got to go on a ride with the police to look for them which was interesting. No success though.
Moral of the story - anyone can get targeted, even if you're a broke student with a £30 phone and no watch to your name... can't live life in fear!
Yes but he wasn't wearing a Seadweller of otherwise he would simply have jumped down a storm drain and escaped
Last edited by M1011; 6th August 2021 at 13:22.
I live in London in a nice area, so feel comfortable around locally. When going in to central I’m definitely more wary and selectively wear my nice watches particular in summer and wearing a tshirt, my speedmaster on a suede strap or citizen/Seiko is usually fine. I would put on a nice watch going out for dinner in central with the missus usually will be taking Uber door to door, but would hardly ever wear an expensive watch if going out for beers with guys. Overall, I think it’s being sensible and appropriate.
As said, be sensible and take obvious precautions, but try not to let them win. I tend not go to any dodgy parts of town any more, so will happily wear a Rolex with short sleeves anywhere I’m likely to go in the UK.
When I go somewhere I know is dodgy I’ll wear a Swatch or G Shock.
To what extent do muggers prowl "nice" areas on the assumption that they will be full of people with expensive watches, phones etc?
if anything i think it increases the risk. my gf worked at a mayfair restaurant where at one point customers were targeted and followed specifically for their watches. thieves aren't stupid and obviously areas like mayfair are going to have wealthy people with expensive stuff about their person
I think Mayfair, Knightsbridge etc are obvious areas to prowl. But they are plenty of nice local areas in London which are out of centre, a bit more residential and they feel very safe being not so obvious target areas for the mugger.
If we're talking targeted watch theft, somewhere with a steady flow of expensively bewatched people out of their element seems the most likely. Mayfair and Knightsbridge 'in town for the day' bars and restaurants would be perfect.
General mugging, anything that grabs the attention of a desperate drug addict will do it. Phone, £20 note...and I suspect plenty of watches that count as beaters here!
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