Serious Question For All Of The Crunchers.

Fortunately, I’ve never been mugged or menaced over a watch.

It’s dreadful that anyone would be attacked for their watch.

I've never been mugged/jumped for a watch. I have had to throw hands in my days but never for a watch maybe some shoes LOL!

But I had a cleaning person steal my Rolex Submariner two tone watch out of my watch box collection in my home several years back😓 That's why I now keep my high end watches at the bank 🤙🏽

I'm not saying this never happens, but I think we are in the middle of a cultural hysteria surrounding this topic.

If you put yourself in the mind of a thief, stealing watches is truly not worth the trouble. Aside from needing to know which brand you could actually get some cash for (and identifying authentic watches at a glance) the time and exposure required to get a watch off someone's wrist isn't worth it.

Stay frosty, but live your life. Enjoy your stuff or it's not worth having.

Do you count UPS screwing up an order? Because it feels like I'm dealing with a syndicate trying to get reimbursed.

I live part time between two states. In one I can carry a gun in my pocket to defend myself legaly...people don't get mugged there! In the other, you have to be aware just in case as they don't protect your right to defense. You can go to jail for shooting someone that is robbing you! No muggings yet. But anywhere you are you have to be aware.

If you do a search on the web, there are many articles, posts etc about Rolex, AP, Patek, VC, RM etc getting mugged or stolen but in my opinion, it all depends on where in the world you are and other external conditions. For example, here in NYC, there are some really ghetto areas( I’m not going to name) where you may or may not be targeted at first sight based on what watch you’re wearing but could just be targeted randomly anyway if alone and then they might end up hurting you and steal your watch whatever that might be- Rolex or a nice sub-1000 Seiko, at that point they wouldn’t care or do a watch price evaluation standing there!, it would either be just a quick snatch and grab or beating the shit out a guy and taking everything from him i.e. cell, wallet, jewelry and watches! Again, just my personal opinion and actual stories /incidents I heard from others.

Nope, never been mugged in my life, I have travelled a lot and been to some very dodgy places however I tack appreciate care, so in Rio I wear a cheap Casio, in London I wear what I want although if I am wearing a Rolex etc I would not walk about in certain areas with just a T-shirt. If I’m in Angola then I’m not walking about, Paris is similar to London and USA is largely cool although there are a couple of areas that report elevated watch crime but not the places I go to Houston/New York/Florida. My travel watches don’t tend to be my more expensive pieces though, so a GMT, Casio’s a diver etc works for me, and I don’t think someone will try and rob me for those. I was once witness to it in Luanda where a person I was with got his TAG nicked at threat of getting chopped up with a sword!

I've never had any violent interactions over watches. I've had plenty of interactions where the other side was close to violence to try and get money out of me, but watches were never an element.

The key to avoiding the possibility of a violent interaction is to avoid doing stupid things at stupid places at stupid times. Much crime happens at contact distance (they need to get close to you to get your valuables), and happens in transitional spaces. Transitional spaces are areas like parking lots, garages, sidewalks, gas stations, etc. Places that people are at for something else, and don't generally tend to linger. Crime seldom happens inside of the store, but rather on your way to and from said store. It's why I avoid the sketchy gas stations at 2AM, hahaha.

Sure, you can carry tools to protect yourself from violent crime (and I do), but the most important tool to avoid being a victim is the one lodged in between your ears. Avoidance is the best away to keep your goods.

Just curious, have you ever actually been to New York City? It's literally one of the safest, most (over) policed places I have ever lived.

I was mugged at knifepoint when I was about 15 years of age. The guy took my Seiko Digital watch. I was a naive kid that brandished the watch for everyone to see on a busy street.

From then on, I never wore anything flashy, and kept my money inside my socks. It happened in my home country, Peru.

I live in NY, may be I should have said NY and not NYC to avoid confusion, If you must know, have you ever lived in Queens especially southern Queens, part of Bronx and Brooklyn (if you know then you know which parts I am taking about). I said the above comment based on real incidents happened to people I personally know, their Omega, BB58 got stolen.

It’s never happened to me ( knock wood). I feel so badly for the people this has happened to.. as much for the fear and violation aspect to it as much as the loss of the watch. It must be so traumatizing

Queens, Bronx and Brooklyn *are part of NYC, as they are 3 of the 5 boroughs.

Sorry to be knee-jerk, but the stereotype of the "dangerous streets of New York" rubs me the wrong way. It hasn't been like that in 30 years. I'm sorry that happened to your friends, but crime occurs literally everywhere, I don't know if it's fair to perpetuate some Taxi Driver vision of a NYC long forgotten.

Anyway - this is a watch website, so we don't have to get into it. I'm just defensive about such a special place.

I sold a Grand Seiko Titanium diver because a close friend was robbed at gunpoint for the same watch. The picture below is the Jewelry store I purchased my wife's Cartier Tank from. There are 2 more armed guards inside. Some on WC have commented that there is nothing unusual about off duty armed law enforcement milling about smartly at your local AD. It's a lack of crime prevention and a DA that will not Prosecute crime.

Those cops are on the job. Different police forces have programs called "Paid Detail Units" where businesses can hire cops as security.

Not yet

I am naturally quite careful when out and about in London

One time when I was 12 I was in my home town's main big street during the day (a small town so it wasn't uncommon to know other people on the street).

This guy in his early 20s called Jamie who was a known local criminal (bicycle theft etc.) came up and grabbed my skateboard and told me to give it to him.

I'm short and this guy was tall (plus the age difference) so he was easily a foot trailer than me.

But he was a druggie and didn't have any meat on him.

I said no a few times and didn't let go. I said no it's mine, get lost, etc.

And very quickly he just gave up and left. And I just continued with my skateboard.

Moral of the story is that if you go to my home town with a nice watch and you see a guy on the street called Jamie, watch out!

I am not sure why you are getting so defensive or taking offense in what I said, did I attack you personally? I am just a random dude, man expressing my side of the stories that I heard from other folks. Am i not allowed to speak freely on this forum and execrcise my constitutional rights? I am not born and raised here may be like you are but I have lived in NYC (Queens) for last 15 years and have been jumped twice and mugged at knifepoint in shady parts of Queens and robbed at gunpoint while working in restaurant, so just because there are nice, safe, rich neighborhoods in New York City, doesn’t mean there are not crimes that targets even low key watches. Yeah while I was attacked in my days, they didn’t take my watch because I was wearing a $50 invicta pro diver but they even took my Beats and a cheap-ass flip phone and beat me up. Are you satisfied with my explanation now or do I owe you more examples of this beautiful, all-over safe New York City?

15-20 years ago I worked in luxury retail and was robbed in the store by a thief with a gun for a diamond dive watch, probably at the time $30K ish.

I have never personally been mugged for my watch.

Hey, sorry. Again, it's nothing personal against you, and again, it's terrible that you experienced that. I'm defensive of NYC, that's all! It IS part of who I am. It's a nice place, and people who haven't been as lucky as you or I to live there think it's literally on fire and populated by demons (talk to my relatives.)

I don't want people to be afraid of cities, or new experiences. They should be cautious, and protect themselves, but when I hear people insinuating that New York is an unsafe place, I feel compelled to defend it. Because it's changed so much since the 1970's, and people should give it a chance.

Anyway - sorry to have upset you. You are certainly allowed to speak freely, obviously, but as such, I am also allowed to disagree with you. Community is like that sometimes. I hope we can both be respectful even though we don't necessarily agree.

Never been mugged for my watch, nor have any been stolen via burglary.

Further, I'm currently getting my collection added to our homeowner's insurance.

Nope. Long post....

And I've worn watches of all flavors in most big cities in the US, and pretty extensively in Africa, southwest Asia, eastern Europe, western Europe, parts of Mexico (not the fun ones sadly), etc. In uniform, incognito, and for personal travel.

Seems to kinda be a lot of hysteria/social media hype on this subject.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Evil is everywhere. But the prevalence of instant news, tik tok, ubiquitous talking heads needing clicks, etc have not helped.

Most predators, if not all, are ambush style attackers on their prey, regardless of legs (two or four). It's less calories when you get prey that's unaware. And predators don't like working harder than they have to. More work, means more noise, which means the sheepdogs/herders are more likely to get involved.

Those "little grey cells", as Hercule Poirot says matter most, appropriate countermeasures, when used correctly, are force multipliers not the end all be all.

Pay attention to surroundings, stop walking with your head buried in your phone, that stupid hawt blonde isn't randomly flirting with you, don't wear your custom all platinum, gold inlaid Patek to the yuppie speakeasy/dive bar at 0230, etc.

If allowed where you live, carry items for defending ones life. But also remember that no watch is worth your life.

ANY violent interaction can lead to SERIOUS injury to you or your loved ones. And robbery, by most countries definition, is an act of violence (threatened or used).

If you can't run away, use overwhelming violence to end aggression. And seriously folks, that's the key. Half assed attempts don't work or will only infuriate the predator. You have to, at minimum meet, in my .02¢, exceed whatever level of violence the predator is attempting, to end the threat.

Then run for help.

Unless in uniform (and if you're getting robbed, that's a bad day TBH), goal as a civilian is to get out, get away, call for help. Stop the threats for sure, but no vigilantism. We aren't batman, or Jason Statham in some action flick.

I had been robbed like 25 years ago by some junkie. It was an afternoon going to visit my grandparents when this guy appeared with a knife. I had no money but my watch. It was a Lotus my parents gave me for my 18th birthday, analog, chronograph, timer, alarm. Loved it! 😭

People steal MacBooks and iPhones which offer a fraction of the payday of a Rolex and come with the added complication that they can be remotely tracked and bricked.

Watch theft is absolutely a real problem. There’s no GPS trackers to deal with and watches are mostly fungible to the right fence. It’s easy to identify target models and they typically work in groups.

It’s the reason why you need to exercise common sense if you’re going to wear something valuable and be prepared to part ways with it if you’re unfortunate enough to find yourself in that situation.

You also need to be mindful when gifting watches/jewelry as they can make the recipient a target.

My 2 year old daughter opens my watch box without my permission sometimes. Does that count?

I’ve never been robbed but I dress more like riffraff than the people they would most likely target.

Never happened to me. I am not worried about being robbed on the street, as I am not interested in high-end fashion or expensive cars, and I do not look like a worthwhile target. In comparison, I would be more worried about break in if I am building up my luxury watch collection. So, I put all my luxury watches at a bank and only take one or two out for rotation every few weeks.