WATCH CRIME!!!

[Macros]

Hey people

We all love our watches right? We spend a lot of hard earned cash on our precious time pieces don't we?

Some are worth more than others but a large proportion of us have at least one premier Swiss watch on our wrists at some time.

So my questions are...

Do you ever feel a little unsafe or at risk from crime?

Do you ever get a little paranoid about walking around with hundreds or thousands of £/$ on your wrist for all the world to see, like a beacon saying "Hey I'm worth a lot of money! Take me if you think you can"?

Have there been times when you dare not wear it or erred on caution?

Have you even actually BEEN a victim of watch crime or know someone who has? Or simply felt at risk of it?

Let's hear your opinions and stories, after all these babies are worth a lot of cash so it goes without saying that they could and often are a target for criminals or opportunists.

I have never been a victim of watch crime but I have certainly felt a little "anxious" in certain areas or situations. Wearing a Rolex does kind of stand out as an expensive watch since they are perhaps the brand best recognized by the general public as expensive.
I feel though that it is a lot of money to sit in a box, often losing money. I refuse to be intimidated into not enjoying something which I have worked very hard to obtain! These watches do not come easy to me, I am not a wealthy man so I will darn well enjoy the fruits of my labor
However, I do exercise caution and common sense must often prevail.

so....whats your take or experiences?

;D

[Sam]

Never had any problems (knock on wood! ) but there have been certain situations where I have chosen to wear a less conspicuous watch....like a Seiko diver on a NATO.

[bpax]

No problems thus far, but I definitely don't try advertise the watch I'm wearing.

I think that for the most part, normals (people other than WIS) couldn't tell the difference between a timex and an Omega, Panerai, Rolex, etc.

[Macros]

I think it was on a WIS forum that I was first told "99.9% of people either won't care or won't notice which watch your wearing"

Personelly it's the first thing I clock on someone ;D

[wasatch]

I personally don't worry too much about it. I put the watch on a rider with my wife's jewelry insurance, so if it ever gets lost or stolen, I'm covered.

[bpax]

mac62 said:

I think it was on a WIS forum that I was first told "99.9% of people either won't care or won't notice which watch your wearing"

Personelly it's the first thing I clock on someone ;D

Me too! ;D

[Sam]

bpax said:

mac62 said:

I think it was on a WIS forum that I was first told "99.9% of people either won't care or won't notice which watch your wearing"

Personelly it's the first thing I clock on someone ;D

Me too! ;D

I think all of us do that....drives my wife nuts!

[Warren]

Ha! I'm six foot three, 275 Lbs., dress like a bum and look like a lunatic(picture Santa Claus in sweats and a ball cap) . It's not something I worry about too much.

[Archer]

I have been a victim of watch crime. I felt like I was robbed when I bought my Rolex, and again when I sold it!

Seriously, I have insurance for them so no big deal. The only time I didn't wear one of my more expensive pieces is when I went to the Dominican Republic. There are other places I have been (before getting the WIS disease) where I would not wear anything remotely "showy". I was mugged in Venezuela when I wasn't wearing an expensive watch, so....

I would also avoid something like this if I ever get to Cuba again.

Not so much because of the value of the watch, but what measures someone would go to to get it. You might not have time to hand it over before you get hurt......

[atomic]

Wow Warren, didn't know you were so tall. At 6'6" and 220lbs, I have the same outlook.

But really Al... Cuba? Never felt unsafe when I was there whether it was on the beach or in Havana. But I do know the feeling about the Rolex purchase-sale.... ouch!

[Sam]

Good rule of thumb for me....no nice watch if I am traveling south of the US border. Nicest watch I've taken to Mexico, Costa Rica, etc was a $100 Seiko diver. No need to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. Like Al said, I'm not all that worried about the watch being stolen...I'm worried about getting shot/stabbed in the process.

And on the Rolex thing....you either paid too much or you bought a less desirable model. I could sell all of mine for close to what I paid for them....some for a good bit more. Some were bought new from AD and some preowned. You're a lot less likely to get raped on a Rolex sale than on most other watches in that price range.

[atomic]

sam said:

And on the Rolex thing....you either paid too much or you bought a less desirable model. I could sell all of mine for close to what I paid for them....some for a good bit more. Some were bought new from AD and some preowned. You're a lot less likely to get raped on a Rolex sale than on most other watches in that price range.

While there were factors in Al's purchase (mid-size, TT, ahem ) and my ExpII wasn't the most popular model there....

The biggest thing going against us was buying and selling within Canada. Man we get raped on the price of luxury goods, cars, consumer electronics, etc.

[Sam]

atomic said:

sam said:

And on the Rolex thing....you either paid too much or you bought a less desirable model. I could sell all of mine for close to what I paid for them....some for a good bit more. Some were bought new from AD and some preowned. You're a lot less likely to get raped on a Rolex sale than on most other watches in that price range.

While there were factors in Al's purchase (mid-size, TT, ahem ) and my ExpII wasn't the most popular model there....

The biggest thing going against us was buying and selling within Canada. Man we get raped on the price of luxury goods, cars, consumer electronics, etc.

Yeah....you're gonna get killed on a mid size for sure. Even in the US, if you buy at list (or God forbid, list plus tax), it's gonna take you a LONG time to break even. If you do your homework and find a good AD that will discount, you're in good shape. I've bought a couple of Rolex from my AD for less than they are going for on TZSC for 1-2 series older. Even my wife's DJ I sold was only about a $400 loss....and I bought BNIB.

[Archer]

atomic said:

But really Al... Cuba? Never felt unsafe when I was there whether it was on the beach or in Havana.

Well, I probably stayed at and have been to places that you haven't. Remember these were not vacations, but competitions so although the "hotel" we stayed at had security, we weren't always at the hotel......

Even some of the competitors from other countries in South/Central America were quite "cautious" in the areas we went to.

[Archer]

sam said:

Yeah....you're gonna get killed on a mid size for sure. Even in the US, if you buy at list (or God forbid, list plus tax), it's gonna take you a LONG time to break even. If you do your homework and find a good AD that will discount, you're in good shape. I've bought a couple of Rolex from my AD for less than they are going for on TZSC for 1-2 series older. Even my wife's DJ I sold was only about a $400 loss....and I bought BNIB.

For the record I've never bought anything at list. Far from it actually.

The bottom line is anyone who knew what the watch was wanted it for a song, so my only hope was to find a(nother) sucker to take it from me at a decent price. In the end I got tired of a watch I didn't want to wear, and traded it for the Blancpain I have now. The loss on the sale was more my doing than anything.

But remember there were two parts to my story. In terms of what the watch list price was, I bought well. In terms of what I got for my money - I got shafted hugely and it has nothing to do with being a mid-sized or TT.

But, I'm not one to cry over spilled milk - just thought I should clarify my position. The day I traded that watch was a happy day all around - no regrets at all! ;D