by GaryG
Watches are made to be worn! From the time of my very first article here at Quill & Pad, I’ve argued that failing to wear the mechanical marvels we all love not only markedly reduces the joy of our hobby, but also is disrespectful to the designers and makers who created devices that are as functional as they are beautiful.
For a while, however, it has been increasingly difficult to ignore the stream of online videos and news articles about the phenomenon of watch-related muggings, including an alarming number of violent attacks resulting in serious injury or death.
News report: Amsterdam man killed in Rolex robbery at public park (source: dutchnews.nl)
As a collector, and a fairly visible one at that, I’ve certainly been paying attention to these reports and wondering whether it makes sense these days to wear one’s valuable pieces in public. To help, I polled a group of 20 watch enthusiast friends from around the world to see whether they are more concerned these days about their personal safety while wearing watches and to learn what steps they are taking to keep safe.
Is it safe?
If your only evidence was the set of results garnered from a quick online search of the terms “watch” and “robbery” with either “Rolex,” “Richard Mille,” or “Audemars Piguet” thrown in for good measure, you might never leave the house again!
Map of watch-related attacks in central Paris, January to September 2019 (photo courtesy Le Parisien)
In the first three quarters of 2019 alone, Paris police reported 71 muggings resulting in the loss of watches with a total value of almost $3 million according to Le Parisien. And a quick look at the map above from the same source shows us that these attacks weren’t exactly taking place in dark alleys in the seedy parts of town, but rather on the Champs-Elysées and Av. George-V.
Watch buddy Waldo (I’ve disguised the names of everyone quoted unless stated otherwise) talks about Paris: “Wearing a high-end watch in Paris is becoming a dangerous game and if you think that these guys only know Rolex, you are wrong. A childhood friend of mine had his Patek Philippe 5970G stolen in broad daylight on Rue Saint-Honoré (yes, that’s where the French President lives), and he was with his brother-in-law, their wives, and kids. Four guys, with two of them on a Vespa. It took about 40 seconds.”
And Paris isn’t alone: other friends reported their own or friends’ experiences with watch muggings in Spain (where the robber said “give me your triple bridge tourbillon” to the victim, who was wearing the selfsame Girard-Perregaux model) and in London. London seems to be a hotbed of watch-related crime, if one goes by the frequency of video and news postings such as the video below of a fellow who seems to be minding his own business, in his own office, until things go horribly wrong.
In December of 2019, a young Omani lost his life on the sidewalk outside of Harrod’s – perhaps 200 meters from where I once lived – during the robbery of his Rolex.
Paying with your life: student killed during Rolex robbery (photo courtesy ‘The Telegraph’)
Even Switzerland, a place that I perhaps naively believed to be among the safest on earth, is not immune. For years I’d been warned about imposters posing as police officers and stopping likely-looking victims on the Pont du Mont-Blanc and elsewhere. And journalist Sophie Furley, in addition to telling me her story about losing her own Cartier watch years ago to a thief dressed as a construction worker, mentioned two friends of hers: one who successfully fought off muggers in Geneva during SIHH and the other who was robbed while buying a transit ticket to Palexpo!
Says here they’re legit: but best to ask for ID (photo courtesy thelocal.ch)
When I asked my own unscientific sample of 20 watch enthusiasts whether they felt relatively safe or not when wearing their watches, I was expecting a flood of tales of horror and fearful behavior. Instead, the responses were split straight down the middle, with ten saying that they felt that conditions were worse than before or that they were being more vigilant, and the other ten saying that they were not concerned or were proceeding pretty much as always.
I’ve now determined that at least one of my U.S. watch pals is absolutely fearless as well as fully prepared. “As someone who has been robbed at gunpoint three times before, I am not worried at all wearing my watches in public as most of them are fairly understated in appearance. But you should pick your spots and not walk into any dark alleys at night without carrying a piece yourself. Use some common sense and look pissed off as if you are going to whoop some ass if some strangers come up to you. I call that the ‘New York look’.”
For the others, the degree of comfort or discomfort seems linked to three factors: where they are, what they are wearing, and how they are wearing it. Friends from India and Singapore, for instance, report that they are absolutely confident wearing their nicest pieces while out and about, and two buddies from South America say that they have not changed their behavior, either – although there was a bit of an unexpected twist for me in one of the responses. “Here it is okay and I’m wearing them as usual. I do drive a bulletproof car just to be safer.”
I’ve already leaned on Paris enough, but there were other stories of pals’ discomfort being seen with expensive belongings there. Closer to home, San Francisco came in for criticism from a few of my home area friends, including Chuck. “I was just in Union Square picking up a watch (from a local authorized dealer) and I felt quite exposed walking on the street as there was not much pedestrian traffic except for a few homeless guys eyeing my shopping bag.”
Can they be worn? The author’s Boucheron tiger cufflinks
One common pattern that somewhat surprised me was that people felt more exposed in high-end shopping areas than in other parts of town. When I asked folks what they were doing to stay safer, several gave responses such as “avoid smart streets” and “don’t go to watch stores.” Blasphemy!
That said, I do remember the shocked look that the sales advisor at Boucheron (sorry, Paris again!) gave me when upon picking up my bespoke cufflinks I began affixing them to my cuffs, advising me in no uncertain terms that I should keep them hidden and exercise special care when exiting the boutique.
The issue of home vs. away came into play for Patrick. “I rarely fly out of town with any of my most favorite watches. Any of these three or four would be extremely difficult to replace with comparable specimens so, sadly, they are pretty much homebound.”
And perhaps the glummest assessment came from Greg. “In Chicago these days, I don’t wear a watch outside at all.”
Too hot for Chicago or anywhere? Rolex GMT-Master II “Batman”
Assuming that they were wearing watches, what to wear also featured prominently in the responses and was a major determinant of people’s levels of comfort.
- “Don’t wear Rolex – or any watch with a metal bracelet for that matter.”
- “With the exposure from footballers, Richard Mille is easily identified and much-sought.”
- “Wear understated pieces; I have lots of nice independents that I feel fine wearing.”
- “You can wear nice watches, but only on leather straps.”
- “I wear vintage military watches as they are unlikely to attract unwanted attention.”
- “I wear white metals almost exclusively.”
Stealthy enough? Probably not: Philippe Dufour Simplicity in white gold
And how to wear watches also figured in.
- “Wear long sleeves and keep your watch covered at all times when in public.”
- “Position yourself well against the environment – don’t dress or act in ways that draw unwanted attention.”
- “In general, I have a very relaxed attitude toward my watch, and giving the impression that I wear nothing I worry about might be part of it as well. As a student in Zurich I would leave my gold watch on a restaurant table, go to the men’s room, and would find it there upon my return – other than that my girlfriend was furious with me, nothing happened!”
Others mentioned avoiding flashy clothing, one even saying that he “dresses like a bum.” Although another member of the group responded that might make it difficult to get any attention at watch stores!
If things are worse, why is that?
Along the way, my friends put forward a variety of arguments as to why things have gotten worse for showing your watches publicly – if indeed they have. Here’s what they said.
- Things actually aren’t worse, they just seem that way: “Although the snatch-and-grab videos on the Internet are scary, I wonder if this is happening more frequently or whether it’s always happened at this rate and we’re just seeing it more because of developments in technology and social media?”
- There is a larger inventory of valuable watches in circulation: “Another factor must be the development of the industry. When we started collecting, how many seven-figure watches existed (and many of them were probably pocket watches of the Caliber 89 ilk)? I vividly remember meeting an airline pilot at an event 20 years ago and being blown away by his Patek Philippe 3970. Back then a $70,000 watch like that was unobtainium. Now that the supply of five, six, and seven-figure watches has grown so much, it’s logical that more are stolen even if the demand curve for theft (propensity to steal) hasn’t changed at all (or even has gone down). Another friend: “All this also highlights the issue of the extreme appreciation in the watch market. I guess it depends largely what you already own or if you are an auctioneer, but the appreciation brings its own problems — more theft, more risk, more anxiety, less wear, more unobtainable watches.”
Leave home without it: F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Souscription
- Law enforcement doesn’t enforce: Here I’ll reflect on a couple of my own experiences, including the theft of my camera equipment at an event. The fantasy was that as on television, the police would launch an immediate manhunt. The reality was that I was issued a case number “as a courtesy” so that my insurance would pay off. Another of my watch pals takes a dimmer view: “The police don’t care. The DAs don’t prosecute. The courts don’t sentence. The bad guys know this, and they are becoming more brazen. The criminal law was conceived to punish and deter crime. Now there is neither punishment nor deterrence.”
- There are larger societal issues at play: Brad says: “I can’t help but reflect on the divergent issues we are discussing. Watches and other assets are enjoying great appreciation in the midst of the greatest health and economic crisis in a century, all while civil unrest increases and cities deteriorate. It does not make sense to me, and I don’t think the imbalance is sustainable, one way or the other.” And from Sid: “I believe that in these troubled times, downplaying how you dress, the car you drive, and your whole behavior make sense, as the politics of envy is becoming more apparent. The flashier you are, the more of a target you become.”
Car and watch pal Enzo, whose wisdom has appeared on these pages previously, sums up the spirit of the current times. “I do think that there is a distinct chill in the air when it comes to the appearance of luxury (at least in the U.S.). I’m hearing it from the car collector community as well. People are hesitant to be seen with valuable items like watches and cars. It is a shame because most of us do not own such things to be ‘seen’ with them. We just appreciate them and want to use them, not lock them away in a safe or garage.”
What to do?
This is the disappointing part where I say that I can’t tell you what to do – but that I hope that the reflections and comments of my 20 friends are useful as you chart your own path.
If you’ve had an uneasy sense about this topic, though, you’re not alone; it’s been a consistent topic of conversation in my circles for a while, and the issue is prominent enough that it has spawned at least one product designed to address it: the Luxwi watch lock. The whole Luxwi story bears deeper investigation, but in brief it is a small “lock” designed to secure the clasp of a watch bracelet and, at least in the original marketing messages, help to deter or avoid theft as well as incidental loss.
Luxwi lock: back to the drawing board
The market blowback upon launch of the Luxwi lock was both immediate and severe. The major complaints being that a) the lock wouldn’t work because the spring bars are the weakest point of a bracelet and that strengthening the clasp would not guard against robbers and b) the product would work, and in the ensuing delay the robbers would be more inclined to harm or kill the watch owner.
When I approached the original promoter of the product for input to this article, he asked for a set of written queries and upon receiving them declined to comment and suggested I contact another member of the project.
What I won’t be doing is buying a Luxwi. Some of the things I will be doing, though are as follows.
- Wearing my affordable “daily-wear” steel-on-leather watches and more modest vintage pieces in public and saving the big guns for occasions on which I’m sure that they and I will be protected.
- Continuing to keep my sleeve down – the good news being that I have years of practice with that as a ding-avoidance measure.
- Remaining fastidious about storing my watches in secure off-site locations.
- Doing a health check on my listed items insurance to make sure that it is fully up to date.
- Pondering Brad, Sid, and Enzo’s thoughts on potential root causes of our current discomfort and what I can do about them.
Parting shot: feeling safe with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute to Reverso 1931 in steel
Are you feeling safe? I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments below, and in the meantime wish you happy wearing!
* This article was first published on August 29, 2020 at How Dangerous Is It To Wear Your Watches In Public? (With Tips For Minimizing The Risks).
You may also enjoy:
Why You Can’t Afford To Buy Your Watch If You Can’t Afford To Break It
Keep Calm And Continue Collecting: Advice For An Up And Down Watch Market
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Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!
I think what we’re seeing here is the well-known phenomenon of the perception of crime due to media coverage being far greater than the reality. We’re far far more likely to be injured in a road accident or in our own homes doing DIY than have our watches stolen in the street yet we tend not to fear those events. After reading the recent hullabaloo, on a recent trip to London, for the first time in my life, I thought about whether I’d be a victim of watch theft in the street. In the end I decided to wear my Rolex Pepsi GMT out & about in London with short sleeves & I’m pleased to report that my watch was not stolen. The best advice I can give is insure your watches & enjoy wearing them. If you’re targeted by criminals, don’t put yourself in danger, give your watch over, get a good description of the thugs & claim your insurance. In the end it’s just a watch & not worth being beaten up for or worse.
PS Gorgeous cufflinks Gary !!
That´s where replicas come in. Some insurance companies require to wear facsimile jewelry at public events unless accompanied by bevy of bodyguards. Hope there`ll be new trend, expensive watches in very unassuming clothing and without giveaway names.
Good advice! While I’m more wary than before, life is too short not to enjoy the watches we have, I agree. And I absolutely agree with your advice on handing over the goods if the worst happens!
Glad you like the cufflinks — they are very special to me.
Best, Gary
Get in the gym, stay fit and learn some basic defensive skills especially if you live in a place where you can’t carry a gun. Is a watch worth dying over is a question we should be asking assailants, not them asking us.
Criminals have learned there are no consequences for crimes like theft, each successful robbery encourages the next.
A robber we not be stopped by a few martial arts classes and a 30 minute workout 2 times a week, physique. They type of thing your ate encouraging is gonna get some watch wearer hurt and robbed
This is why I’d never buy let alone wear a watch that costs more than 2 grand, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing that much money on my wrist, not necessarily out if fear if it getting stolen which I do agree isn’t actually that common, but also it getting damaged or what not, just too much money in one place…it goes from being a practical piece to wear and enjoy to an investment piece to lock up and let gain value, and I’m just not interested in that… that’s what banks are for, but that’s just me…also think most watched above 2 grand don’t deserve to be.
I understand your concern that is why i purchased insurance through mutual jewelers …peace of mind and really not that muich check it out
Surprised to see that “style” Cuff links . Would never guess you would go full Asian pimp ! Fun though.
As for crime, when or if they end the free money here in the us , a different kind of pandemic will arise.
To each his own! There’s a long story behind those cufflinks, dating back to a similar pair I saw at Asprey early in my career when the price was well beyond my means — they are personally meaningful to me even if not to everyone’s tastes!
Best, Gary
I always pair my Rolex with my Glock
Try to take my watch I dare you. It will not end well for you if you choose to do so.
In Chicago the crime has increased dramatically downtown and muggings and car jackings are at an all time high. Shootings? 50-75 per weekend. Our mayor has disparaged and hamstrung the police, the Cook county attorney general doesn’t charge people and other than the most heinous crimes, the judges release these criminals. How else do you explain criminals perpetrating other violent crimes while on electronic home monitoring? If in Chicago, leave your valuable at home and keep your head on a swivel for potential threats.
So, in Chicago you have more gun deaths in a weekend than my entire country has had in the last thirty years.
It’s a shame — I lived in downtown Chicago from 1982 to 1997 and always felt quite safe walking the streets or running along the lakefront, day or night. Sounds as if things have changed significantly from those days…
Everyone’s a hard man until it happens. These ‘supercool’ gun owners do not impress anyone.
I have been mugged. It’s not nice.
Three normal men walking on the street; one of them suddenly grabbed me by my jacket and shouted “Give me money!” while another rummaged around in a bag of tools saying, “Can I cut him! Let me cut him up!”
Needless to say, I am not Jackie Chan, so I gave them what money I had and they let me go unmaimed.
As far as the police catching these thugs goes, I am certain that they know who does this, but have neither the staff nor the courts to do anything about them.
I love the part claiming laws are meant to deter crime. Seriously? That’s literally impossible. A violent criminal will still ignore the law. The law’s purpose is for prosecution after the commission of a crime, and nothing more.
Plus police are not super heroes. They’re human beings. It’s extremely difficult to track something small like a watch, especially in a busy city, and with criminals smart enough to blend in with the crowd. How the flip can police figure out who was on a common-looking Vespa, wearing regular clothes just like so many others, and zipped off into traffic? Thinking some sort of “clues” would be left behind and that then police would leap into investigative action is simply naive.
It sucks — like REALLY sucks — for something so small and expensive to be stolen. I’m not discounting that. It’s just not realistic for people to think it’s the job of the police to track down every petty theft.
Your argument is discouraging but at the same time has the ring of truth about it — and my personal experience is that the police will try at times to pursue property crimes if there is clear documentary evidence, but for the most part will simply give you a case number to send to your insurance company…
Best, Gary
Jeezo Gary, you’d think you’re in the insurance business or something. 😉
Hmm…never thought about it! That said, I do think there is room for a listed items product that covers an entire collection up to a dollar limit rather than requiring each item to be insured separately — I know of one that does exist, but the company requires that you insure your home through them as a precondition and they are not writing any new business in California due to the fire hazards…
Very good article, well done and a wake up call. I have been wearing a Rolex GMT since 1967. It was a gift. I was 16 yrs.Old and yea crazy giving your son a Rolex. I’m 70 now. I live in the desert southwest. Right on the mexican border. I do think about being mugged, all the time. Terrible way to have to live. I feel very safe wearing my day date when I do my swimming every morning at the local indoor pool. However, I won’t wear the DD when I go to the flea market or the up coming state fair in sept. Most likely wear my oyster with no date.
I know I can still be robbed.
Even at 70 I ride my bicycle 95% of the time. I keep pepper spray on my handlebars. I am always looking around me. I am on guard when I pedal up to my front door. Living in a triplex with plenty of bushes. All I can say is. Keep an eye on what’s going on around you.
My day date is coming back from the service centre in new York in a few weeks. Being serviced including buffing the case and bracelet. I’ll really keep my eyes open now.
Reading this article definitely makes my ears go back. With winter coming I’ll live in flannel shirts. Enjoy your watches, but don’t say, hay everybody look at me.
Wear your casio when you go to the box store loading wood into your vehicle.
Hi Wayne — glad to hear both that you are active and healthy, and watching out for yourself! It’s a shame that we are where we find ourselves these days, but as you say best to exhibit some caution…
Best, Gary
Anyone who suggests to “wear a piece” in preparation for being mugged has no concept of reality. If someone pulls a gun on you and you pull one back, someone is going to pull their trigger. You really want to bet your life (and that of your family) that you’ll be faster? Oh and even one guy with a knife will put you in the hospital if you decide to test your CrossFit strength on them because you’re so smart and strong. In the extremely unlikely event you are mugged, calmly give the attacker what they want and get to safety.
Up until last week, I was convinced that I lived in a secure neighborhood in Cologne, Germany, and wore my watches without thinking about that issue. But then the police rang at my door and asked if we have any surveillance cameras installed, that would cover the streets next to our property, because a man was robbed of his expensive watch just a few meters away. Sadly, I could not help him, because we only have one camera which shows the the person ringing our doorbell and does not even record that.
The police officer told me to be careful and left, asking at the other houses around here, but I don’t think, they will catch the robber. As a result, I am more careful now and will read the next article on the topic here now.
Very sorry to hear about this happening on your street, Georg. I appreciate your sharing your experience and will add the idea of a follow-up article on this topic to my list as there is clearly a lot of interest from watch enthusiasts like you to stay informed.
Thanks,, Gary
This is where I’m so glad I live in Singapore. I can stumble home from a pub across the park wearing shorts and short sleeves and a Patek or Lange, without the slightest concern. I’ve never actually heard of anyone being mugged for a watch here, and I don’t think there has been an armed robbery in many years. Even graffiti is unusual here since there’s a very high chance of being caught and severely punished. Of course the price we pay for this is total surveillance by the state, but it’s a bargain I’m willing to make, and actually the police have a very low profile and don’t hassle people unnecessarily like I’ve seen happen in the UK, US and Australia. But they’re there in a shot if you ever need them.
I do love Singapore, both for my many watch friends there and for the safety and prosperity that the country has built over such a brief time. If you can fix that pesky humidity I’ll start working on my residency application immediately — in the meantime I will continue to enjoy my visits immensely, including the safe environment.
Best, Gary
I wear a Rolex every single day… from a Day Date DJ2 to a Yacht Master 2.. I never felt insecure about wearing them in public. I am 6ft 220lbs.. and live in a safe good city.
Patrick, you are not a large man. Six foot is nothing these days and everyone goes to the gym. And even the largest man can be “dealt with” in a second if the criminal is desperate enough.
Whether you will be mugged/attacked depends on three factors.
1) Blind luck.
2) “Street sense”.
3) The kind of society you live in. I have walked through Tokyo alone in the early hours without the least worry. Been in “darkest China” surrounded by.. quintessentially disreputable people and felt more safe and secure than in my own home town.
If you think that laws or police forces are pointless, you live in a dysfunctional society.
Where’s your home town, Tam?
Glasgow.
West End.
You see Limmy’s in the news for saying ‘Edinburgh isnae Scottish’? I bet he’s being 100% earnest.
Lol. And how do you feel about that?
@ Elizabeth (no reply function on your comment for some reason)
I feel disgusted, sickened, furious, apoplectic to the point of serene oneness with the universe. He’s joking though, in his typical fashion, and I was joking about him being earnest. Deep Inception levels of joking 😉
Oh, I know! And I see what you mean by the missing reply button…weird. I went through the backend to reply to you.
It’s been years since anyone has tried to mugg me. With that said I recently went on vacation with a friend, and decided to take a less expensive mechanical watch on the trip. We stayed in an 4 star hotel, and dined out at nice restaurants. Since we often got in late (moonlight walks on the beach, etc.) I was hyper vigilant. Nothing threatening happened and I regretted not bringing at least one of my higher end time pieces (what’s the point of having it if I can’t wear it). I’m fairly street sophisticated, still who wants to fight if you don’t have to, I once talked a guy out of shooting me when he had his pistol pointed right at my face, true story, (please don’t try this, I was lucky, and it isn’t for the faint of heart). I’ll be traveling to Paris soon. A city where I love to walk, and I’ll probably take at least one very expensive time piece with me. There’s nothing quite like sitting at a cafe and looking good. Muggers be ware, I’m well trained in verbal street BS!
Wow — what a story! I pride myself on my BS skills but have little doubt that I would crumble like a small child in that scenario.
Agree that there’s no point in having great watches if we can’t wear them!
Best, Gary
most useful article, thank you. canada (montreal and toronto) seems at least so far immune to this scenario
Thanks for commenting — and I’m happy to hear that the situation is secure where you are.
Best, Gary
Very worthwhile piece with terrific thought cross section. Certainly merits reprinting every so often. BUT, the added plus is reading the comments. OK, some boys still find a need to crank testosterone. Good that many others remain quite rational. EYES WIDE OPEN, remain aware reminders serve both focus & perspective. Like most everything else outdoors or, in crowds today, just take good care!
Glad you found the article useful, Jonathan — I’m with you that some caution and awareness is needed these days, and I certainly despair of my own abilities to face down or overpower villains on the streets…
Best, Gary
I don’t own anything worth stealing watch wise in my collection other than my father’s solid gold British
Railways service pocket watch which was his Fathers before him which I don’t wear in public anyway.
What I’m trying to say is if I were in a position to buy or own an expensive watch and wear it in public if I didn’t feel safe in some area why not just take it of a stuff it in a pocket.
Insidently I owned a Rolex
Submariner in the late sixtys
Which I traded for a mint 53
Black Volkswagen with split rear window, cloth seats, and running boards, wish I still had them both.
Seats,
i really like your blog very informative and helping me thanks for info.