Upon reading about @Barking mad and his stunning travelling companions it made me think realize this is an interesting topic I've never really explored with what others are doing (and I didn't want to hijack his thread).
I suppose it's a good problem, but a problem nevertheless - how does one decide which watches to take whilst travelling?
I guess it depends on the purpose, length, and destination(s). I try to limit myself to two - I don't think I'd need four chronos, but hey, ya never know. Maybe I do?
I usually bring an all purpose watch which can pull multiple duties: a diver, chrono or GMT. Then a dress watch for the evenings. Usually.
The conundrum comes when we trade off the variety we all love, against the fear of losing, damaging or just plain having something go wrong the way things can when in a foreign place. I can't imagine losing a watch or having something go missing - the thought makes my stomach turn. I try to pack light. But there's no one watch that does it all
How do you decide? Is it a, "Speedy, first and foremost, then another watch fitting to the occasion and the destination." Is there a 'one watch that does it all when abroad, like an AT GMT?
I once ran into an old guy sporting a Patek. I complimented him on it to open the conversation, and he goes onto thank me, impressed that I knew what it was (of course to anyone of us, his understated RG Calatrava sticks out like a sore thumb, but I guess nit doesn't to many others, odd) and tells me he bought it years ago on vacation, and only wears it on vacation. His everyday watch, according to him wasn't even worth mentioning. Amazing. Who does that? It wasn't vintage. He had many more years behind him than ahead. Why not wear the snot outta that thing. But who am I to judge? Good on him. He was/is a great guy to sip a whisky with.
What do you's do when travelling?

 

One dress watch for dinner and other more serious occasions (used to be the VC, now it's an AP).

One dive watch for beach / beater duty (always a Seiko).

One casual watch for in between (either the Breitling Chrono Cockpit or Omega Aqua Terra).

Shazam!!! Who needs anything more?

It's either "you guys", "y'all" or "youze guys".

 

Well, traveling outside your country of residence, there's always this:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...ng-jewelry-with-cbp-prior-to-traveling-abroad

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5056-eng.html#s2x5

But that aside, maybe leave the really nice stuff at home and take a beater? So hard to do, but probably smart. I usually travel with one (and sometimes bring another one back).

 

All depends on the trip. International, usually the vintage Seamaster 300. Relatively water resistant, accurate and automatic (plus no screw down crown to jack with different time zones). Local travel and nice weather is wide open to everything. Rainy weather, any of the divers. Dinner at a nice place, Rolex GMT Master, Speedmaster or Navitimer. Wedding, nice gold Seamaster Chronometer. Funeral, something really old, black and dressy pre 1930's. Backyard work, Casio GShock

 

I'd usually wear something in an Oyster case when traveling, because they could take a beating.

 

Always one watch Omega Seamaster Professional, Its waterproof and I don't have to worry about damaging it, wear nice with everything and its automatic. ( I would love to bring my Speedy Pro but I always worry about damaging it)

 

If you really believe that... get thee to the marketplace and start selling .... after you've PM'd me for first pick of course.


For me -

Business travel could be any of my watches, vintage or otherwise.

Vacations (and any more rugged activities) - Submariner 116610. It's the one watch I really don't worry about wearing for any activity or occasion. It's easily replaceable and so is every part on it - inside and out.

I've never left on a trip, business or leisure, with more than one watch, but have been known to return with two.

 

I'm heading over to the States soon for a couple of months, and will be taking 3 watches with me. The Speedy Pro for general day-to-day use, my trusty Nite MX-10 for beater duties (including those crazier nights out) and Casio G-Shock for gym/swimming.

I don't plan on attending any formal occasions, so the Vintage Connie will stay at home, and the Speedy can step in if required.

You never know, depending on how the trip pans out, I may return with 4...

 

For business trips, 2 watches usually - one on a bracelet, another on strap, for versatility. The bracelet one is almost always the AT8500

 

Flying out tonight so this one for crossing the time zones and casual wear...
.

JLC for Valentines night dinner, Caravelle for knocking around...
.

 

. I take this machine. It's specifically made for Travel !!

 

I travel infrequently, and have rules that change for every trip (meaning, no rules!)
We are a family of three with a six-year old daughter, so most of our few trips are casual, short, and in California USA (where we live) or a Western state.
Since the only water we see is the hotel pool, I'll leave my watch in the risky hotel safe. Otherwise I'll wear whatever strikes me when I pack. No provision for value, vintage, or condition. I'm careful at home, I'm careful on holiday.
I surprised myself when we prepared to travel to Italy last June. I decided since I enjoyed vintage so much that I would wear vintage on holiday abroad (gasp!) I used the occasion as an excuse to buy a 60's Wittnauer dive watch (a "guilty pleasure" watch brand I have long admired for the quality-to-price value). It fogged up when worn so I returned it.
What to do?
Here's proof you can wear a $5k, 47-year old Speedmaster 105.012-66 (in a Centrale Boîtes case no less) to a foreign country, and live to tell the tale! Rialto Bridge, Venezia, Italia:


Truth be told, I felt an odd comfort and happiness wearing a current obsession on holiday, and I will do it again.
Not to say I won't change my mind in the future and wear my Luminox quartz dive watch (yeech!) on the next trip abroad. Probably smarter, but WAAAAAY less enjoyable. And life is short...(knocks on wood).

 

For me it's just a function of where we are going and what we are doing. A trip to Paris would get me to pull out something dressier than a ski weekend in Park City. But I usually limit it to two pieces, for security reasons and to not drive my wife crazy.

 

I keep it simple. One trip one watch. This year we are heading for the Maledives, again. So my PO GOODPLANET will be on the wrist.

 

I wear one decent watch and carry up to three cheap ones. That way I have something to wear if the occasion fits and should I happen upon something to buy, I will be taking the same number of watches home as I did when I left - and some hotel cleaner has a new beater..

 

Explorer II for me. GMT, water resistance, and under the radar makes it a great travel watch.

 

This is what I usually take on trips - the alarm function means I don't have to rely on hotel alarm clocks or wake up calls that come late, and I've never been able to sleep through this one:



I did leave it behind on a couple of trips in favour of the Speedmaster, and when I was Germany this one had to come along of course:



But the JLC is the main watch I use when travelling. I almost never go anywhere with just one watch though, so something else is usually along for the ride. I usually limit it to 3 watches though - one on my wrist and two in a small carry case.

Cheers, Al

 

For pleasure trips that involve pools or beaches or snow, it's always the ceramic Sub, the only really water resistant watch I have. And maybe a couple of cheap and amusing ones packed in the carry-on... nothing I couldn't live without. I like to travel with the Rolex because it's not so recognizable at any distance, given all the copy-cats, that I feel I have to worry about someone amputating my left hand for it (though I'm sure it could happen in many places, under the wrong circumstances). Also, it's replaceable... the watch, that is. And I figure it could be converted into hard currency in most countries without much difficulty, if necessary, or used as a straight-up bribe to a gendarme or border guard. Would be damned uncomfortable to secrete with that bracelet though... maybe time to think about a NATO for travel.