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With increased local armed robberies, I’m no longer wearing Rolexes

Evose
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Awareness is key but sometimes can’t be helped. If 4 guys showed up at a traffic light with my wife in the car, I’d hand them my possessions. They’re just things, but this does alter what I choose to purchase. As much as I like Rolex, I’d rather fly under the radar and still enjoy what I’m wearing - the speedy never disappoints.

It’s sad things like this can dictate what we wear on our wrists and where we can travel safely.
 
Evitzee
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BlackTalon BlackTalon
Funny, I went through the airport in Amsterdam last week. I spent some quality time at the Swiss watch store there, as they were kind enough to get a broken spring bar replaced for me while I was on layover. The person helping me enjoyed seeing my Nivada Grenchen reissue. I told him if I pass through there again in the future I will try to remember to have a Speedmaster LE with me to show him. He said "No, please don't do that. I recommend you do not bring any expensive watches if you come back."

Here in DC no one seems to notice Speedmasters except other Omega owners. I have not heard from any watch owners I know about getting undue attention.
In 1982 my wife and I made a stop in Copenhagen and we planned on going to Tivoli Gardens. We mentioned that to a saleswoman in a watch/jewelry store and she cautioned us on theft, she told my wife to turn her engagement ring 180 deg so the diamond was not visible. That was 40 years ago, street crime is nothing new.
 
gbesq
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BlackTalon BlackTalon
Funny, I went through the airport in Amsterdam last week. I spent some quality time at the Swiss watch store there, as they were kind enough to get a broken spring bar replaced for me while I was on layover. The person helping me enjoyed seeing my Nivada Grenchen reissue. I told him if I pass through there again in the future I will try to remember to have a Speedmaster LE with me to show him. He said "No, please don't do that. I recommend you do not bring any expensive watches if you come back."

Here in DC no one seems to notice Speedmasters except other Omega owners. I have not heard from any watch owners I know about getting undue attention.
Perhaps the would be thieves prefer Daytonas when they steal chronographs. As a Speedmaster wearer, I'm happy to be a lesser target.
 
janice&fred
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Evitzee Evitzee
Right now I'm in Portland, Maine with my Daytona, I am not concerned about any theft. But I'm not out partying at 2am, either.

What a coincidence as right now I'm in East Bumfuck with my Michael Kors! 👍
 
dsio
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There’s been a few of these in Melbourne too, I was super lucky when our house was burgled while we were asleep in 2020, I had both sets of keys to the 911, the house, my Apple AirPods and an LV wallet lined up next to the steel Daytona on a bench, they took everything including the AirPods but left the Rolex. Got the car back in pretty good shape and one set of keys but thankfully teenagers don’t know watches that well.
 
bigtriangle68
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Don't thieves look more for the cyclops, polished center links or glossy ceramic bezel when trying to steal a Rolex? I would imagine the OPs vintage steel Rolex watches with matte dial and no cyclops would fly under the radar for the most part. I'm not suggesting some thieves can spot vintage, but I would imagine most would not recognize them.
 
Larry S
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I’ve made my position clear on this issue before. F..k the media and F..k Rolex and their artificial shortages.
 
gbesq
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Larry S Larry S
I’ve made my position clear on this issue before. F..k the media and F..k Rolex and their artificial shortages.
As usual, there will be some members who push back and say that Rolex has not created an artificial shortage of its products, but I am 100% in agreement with you.
 
Shabbaz
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Evitzee Evitzee
That was 40 years ago, street crime is nothing new.
True. But the targeted stealing of high-end watches is fairly new. It has become much more difficult for thieves to break into houses. Homes are much more secure than they used to be. Here in the Netherlands there is an enormous decrease in the number of burglaries. And corona has accelerated that process even more. Thieves have therefore started to look more at alternatives. And with the socials like instagram they have a pretty good view of where people are and what kind of watches they are wearing. This also explains why quite a few celebrities have recently become victims of brutal robberies. Although the chances are still relatively small that something will happen, I no longer wear rolex in the summer when I go out. Fortunately, I have plenty of alternatives.
 
ghce
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I have been wearing my Invicta a lot in public when I go to the lumber yard or garden centre, DIY places, thankfully no problems yet 😗 but I do keep away from trailer parks just in case.

It's a sad fact of life that technology has led to this targeting, possibly from the comment about Instagram many people have brought the problem on themselves.
Edited:
 
bigtriangle68
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So are low key matte dial vintage stainless models without a cyclops being targeted? Or are the thieves instead going after modern blingy Rolex with polished center links, shiny ceramic bezels, precious metal models and loud Daytona chronos and GMT Master IIs with two-tone Batman / Pepsi bezels?

If I were to venture a guess, I would suspect the thieves are targeting the modern flashy Rolex stuff.
 
NGO1
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I wear long sleeves. I can wear my grail to meeting clients in downtown Oakland, sitting outside Starbucks and hop around all day. I keep my blings to myself. I’m aware of my surrounding and keep my Lange underneath, private to me.

Wear your best watch, wear it everywhere, but be selective to when or where to whip it out. My Rolex and my Johnson shared the same rule. “Put it away, or you’ll lose it”. My wife is a brilliant woman.
Edited:
 
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Turpinr
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NGO1 ngo516
I wear long sleeves. I can wear my grail to meeting clients in downtown Oakland, sitting outside Starbucks and hop around all day. I keep my blings to myself. I’m aware of my surrounding and keep my Lange underneath private to me.

Wear your best watch, wear it everywhere, but be selective to when or where to whip it out. My Rolex and my Johnson shared the same rule. “Put it away, or you’ll lose it”. My wife is a brilliant woman.
This would be my grail too.In my opinion Lange are at the top of game, I love them.
The average would be Rolex thief probably aren't even aware of them.
 
Evitzee
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It's not just a Rolex thing, any high end watch is a target; Royal Oaks, Nautilus', precious metal watches in general, they are all targets. There have been incidences of crooks coming into a restaurant and doing a mass stickup. Don't assume you are ok because you aren't wearing a shiny Rolex.
 
Larry S
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Also a pox on the people who use the term “ investment” in the same sentence as “watches”, create securities based on watches or in any way hype them as such.
 
hansmaulwurf
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Hm,

I followed some of these Threads and discussions about that topic. I see the point, but I think it has nothing to do with what you really wear. Its more a general problem and is not direct relatet to the price of the things you wear. Its a thing of luck not beeing attacked or bad luck beeing selected by idiots. Iam sure they do not know if you wear a real expensive jewellery or only a watch that is worth 100$... So, I dont care 'most of the time' and hope that I have luck.

BR
Hans

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savka
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Anyone afraid to wear their Rolex or other nice watches are welcome to send them to me! I’ll pitch in for the shipping and will regularly post pics of the watches out and about for you to enjoy via a screen while you maintain your safety.
 
JwRosenthal
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savka savka
Anyone afraid to wear their Rolex or other nice watches are welcome to send them to me! I’ll pitch in for the shipping and will regularly post pics of the watches out and about for you to enjoy via a screen while you maintain your safety.
You are incredibly kind and selfless to risk life and limb to keep these watches out in the world.
 
Fatcat
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Was in SFO last week , Moscone center and around i was wearing my speedmaster grail , some people pop up (nice watch yeahhhh), more people interested to discuss with no i suppose another idea in head , on the other side i visited the Omega OB to check and get a free coffee and the « expert » the sales guy was trying to convince me that any speedmaster never have day and date and i was wearing surely a Chinese fake 😀)))

Shinny robbed
Classic no body care (not yet)
 
JwRosenthal
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Fatcat Fatcat
…visited the Omega OB to check and get a free coffee and the « expert » the sales guy was trying to convince me that any speedmaster never have day and date and i was wearing surely a Chinese fake 😀)))
(not yet)
This is like when the neuvoRolexed guy at work tried to tell me by ‘78 OPD was a fake because it didn’t “sweep”.
 
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