Travelling to the US later this year...

[boa2]

I don't know when you're coming but there is a Watchtime fair in NY in October.
I've lived in NYC twice and a close friend (and huge watch collector) there advised not wearing a nice watch for this coming trip.
We shall see...

If you're concerned, don't wear anything nice. However, chances are nothing will happen, especially if you're not hanging out in bars at 2am.

Philadelphia is amazing, you'll really enjoy it. NYC too, nothing like it.

[espanol]

Originally Posted by Toproll85

My God ! I wouldn't give such unconscious advice to my children, for example.

Travel everywhere?
So there are frankly places not to wear a luxury watch...especially certain big cities, other dangerous places or really poor countries.

On the contrary, it is very intelligent to ask other travelers about the state of affairs and security of X or Y places.

For my part, it is excluded in Paris, London, Mexico; Barcelona and Madrid (my recent trips).
While I plan to wear whatever I want in Switzerland or New York City.

As for watches, thieves and attackers can easily notice them from a distance, even if it seems undetectable to you! Don't worry about this, it's their hobby as much as you are specialized in your field.

The other day, I took my son and his friend to the park, and unbeknownst to us, we noticed a baseball game was underway. It was a very competitive, yet under-attended U12 game. The kids were incredibly impressive.

We sat on a bench maybe 20 yards (18 meters) due east from 3rd base. I explained to my son’s friend the rules of baseball and what was happening right before our eyes. After about the third batter he heard the first “thunk” of an aluminum bat-meeting-ball, and immediately jumped up and yelled “well what if they hit us? We don’t have a glove to protect us!” Well… I guess he’s right? What if they did hit it perfectly at us?

This situation isn’t all that different from your comment. Having been to more than enough baseball games in my life, and more than enough “certain big cities, other dangerous places or really poor countries,” the chance of something happening to you or your precious watch is incredibly close to 0. In fact, I’ve lived in places most on TRF wouldn’t go to in their worst nightmares, and yet here I am, with my understanding of risk still intact, as well as my wrist. In fact, I broke my Explorer’s crystal 4x4ing in Kenya just a mere 18 months ago…

We left that baseball game unscathed, with fond memories, and if we did it another 100 times the results would be the same. The chances you run into the thieves you cite is like catching a foul ball off the noggin. One shouldn’t stop going to baseball games out of fear. But if you’re considering it, just bring a glove (insurance).

[77T]

I like your metaphorical narrative, but statistically speaking - being hit by a foul ball or a home run is less common than experiencing a theft, especially in areas where thieves target those wearing valuables.

So the OP was asking for some advice out of concern.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[espanol]

Originally Posted by 77T

I like your metaphorical narrative, but statistically speaking - being hit by a foul ball or a home run is less common than experiencing a theft, especially in areas where thieves target those wearing valuables.

So the OP was asking for some advice out of concern.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s statistically easy to support an argument where even being 20x more likely to get robbed of a luxury watch than hit with a foul ball is still an incredibly close to 0 probability proposition. That was the point of the metaphor.

Clearly I struck a cord with quite a few here, so just don’t wear your watch. I’ve always found that my watch is safest on my wrist, but that’s just me.

[Toproll85]

Originally Posted by espanol

The other day, I took my son and his friend to the park, and unbeknownst to us, we noticed a baseball game was underway. It was a very competitive, yet under-attended U12 game. The kids were incredibly impressive.

We sat on a bench maybe 20 yards (18 meters) due east from 3rd base. I explained to my son’s friend the rules of baseball and what was happening right before our eyes. After about the third batter he heard the first “thunk” of an aluminum bat-meeting-ball, and immediately jumped up and yelled “well what if they hit us? We don’t have a glove to protect us!” Well… I guess he’s right? What if they did hit it perfectly at us?

This situation isn’t all that different from your comment. Having been to more than enough baseball games in my life, and more than enough “certain big cities, other dangerous places or really poor countries,” the chance of something happening to you or your precious watch is incredibly close to 0. In fact, I’ve lived in places most on TRF wouldn’t go to in their worst nightmares, and yet here I am, with my understanding of risk still intact, as well as my wrist. In fact, I broke my Explorer’s crystal 4x4ing in Kenya just a mere 18 months ago…

We left that baseball game unscathed, with fond memories, and if we did it another 100 times the results would be the same. The chances you run into the thieves you cite is like catching a foul ball off the noggin. One shouldn’t stop going to baseball games out of fear. But if you’re considering it, just bring a glove (insurance).

I will also image your position. You are sitting on your 1200cc racing motorcycle, wearing no protection, because you are convinced that if you fall on the tarmac or hit a barrier, a tree or a wall, you are made of reinforced concrete and nothing will happen to you. You've done it 50 times, from time to time you come across flowers attached to a post here and there, and you tell yourself that it's to feed the birds and bees. You have a good laugh as you pass the other bikers equipped with helmets and full suits. Why protect yourself and prevent? You are the one in 100, for the other 99 you are oblivious and laughable.

For years, a police brigade has been formed in Paris to combat watch theft, because it happens every day to many tourists, in the middle of the day. Do some Google searches, I'm not making this up. Barcelona, London and so on, it is becoming catastrophic on many security issues. If you go crazy like you cross the French "cités", the Brazilian favelas, the Adjamé market and other dangerous cities around the world with your luxury watch with zero risk, great good to you, you are a superhuman, but I'm sure you've never done it.
Keep enjoying your baseball games and safari in Kenya, don't tell people you survived 3 wars...that's not true.

In the end, travelling in New York city with a watch is fine, not a place to worry. That was the subject !

[espanol]

Originally Posted by Toproll85

If you go crazy like you cross the French "cités", the Brazilian favelas, the Adjamé market and other dangerous cities around the world with your luxury watch with zero risk, great good to you, you are a superhuman, but I'm sure you've never done it.
Keep enjoying your baseball games and safari in Kenya, don't tell people you survived 3 wars...that's not true.

In the end, travelling in New York city with a watch is fine, not a place to worry. That was the subject !

Jeez-o-Pete, I don’t even know where to start with your comment, so I won’t. Who are you to say what a person has done? You have no clue, yet make many blind assumptions. I’ll repeat; you state you know someone’s experiences without having a clue. Oh the anonymity of the internet…

Won’t derail and entertain TopTroll any longer.

OP, wear the watch if you’re comfortable. Rolex watches are nearly as common as iPhones in NYC.

[Tick Tock Tick Tock]

Originally Posted by boa2

I don't know when you're coming but there is a Watchtime fair in NY in October.
I've lived in NYC twice and a close friend (and huge watch collector) there advised not wearing a nice watch for this coming trip.
We shall see...

If you're concerned, don't wear anything nice. However, chances are nothing will happen, especially if you're not hanging out in bars at 2am.

Philadelphia is amazing, you'll really enjoy it. NYC too, nothing like it.

Thanks for the heads-up about Watch time, unfortunately we arrive 2 days late! :(

[OG1982]

Originally Posted by joli160

I really enjoyed Greenwich. As a mariner I always relate to GMT. To stand on the zero meridian was special to me.
There is also a nice museum in the Observatory with some beautiful clocks.
Of course we brought our favorite watches.

Missed a trick not wearing a GMT here.

[OG1982]

Originally Posted by espanol

The other day, I took my son and his friend to the park, and unbeknownst to us, we noticed a baseball game was underway. It was a very competitive, yet under-attended U12 game. The kids were incredibly impressive.

We sat on a bench maybe 20 yards (18 meters) due east from 3rd base. I explained to my son’s friend the rules of baseball and what was happening right before our eyes. After about the third batter he heard the first “thunk” of an aluminum bat-meeting-ball, and immediately jumped up and yelled “well what if they hit us? We don’t have a glove to protect us!” Well… I guess he’s right? What if they did hit it perfectly at us?

This situation isn’t all that different from your comment. Having been to more than enough baseball games in my life, and more than enough “certain big cities, other dangerous places or really poor countries,” the chance of something happening to you or your precious watch is incredibly close to 0. In fact, I’ve lived in places most on TRF wouldn’t go to in their worst nightmares, and yet here I am, with my understanding of risk still intact, as well as my wrist. In fact, I broke my Explorer’s crystal 4x4ing in Kenya just a mere 18 months ago…

We left that baseball game unscathed, with fond memories, and if we did it another 100 times the results would be the same. The chances you run into the thieves you cite is like catching a foul ball off the noggin. One shouldn’t stop going to baseball games out of fear. But if you’re considering it, just bring a glove (insurance).

You should go to a game of cricket, the fielders dont even wear gloves!

[espanol]

Originally Posted by OG1982

You should go to a game of cricket, the fielders dont even wear gloves!

Good call, have always wanted to see a live cricket match.

Would likely be similar to my first time seeing rugby. I grew up watching American football, so to watch equivalent hitting without pads and better form tackling, that was great to see.

[123Blueface]

Reading some of the hysteria is comical.
People outside of TRF just wear them. Only in this small part of the word is there fear mongering.

[OG1982]

Originally Posted by espanol

Good call, have always wanted to see a live cricket match.

Would likely be similar to my first time seeing rugby. I grew up watching American football, so to watch equivalent hitting without pads and better form tackling, that was great to see.

Cricket is my favourite sport, when it comes down to a close match with few balls to go, in my opinion it’s the best sport in the world for tension and drama, but those instances are too infrequent unfortunately. I am off to The Oval in the summer with my eldest, it's been a tradition of ours for a few years now, it's in London and YES, I'll be wearing a Rolex!

I have a special appreciation for Rugby, but not really a regular watcher, it's a hard but very fair sport. The force and nature of the collisions are extreme, especially as you've pointed out the only protection they have is a gumshield. From what I understand, the 'hits' are more severe in American football, but I guess that is compensated by the protection being worn.

[worldofoyster]

Philly is safe to wear your watches

[Ravager135]

I went to medical school in Philadelphia and live a very short drive from NYC. You're going to be fine either city. There are parts of Philadelphia I would not advertise that you are wearing a Rolex, but if you are in Center City, Old City, Rittenhouse (which are the main areas) you will be perfectly fine. Manhattan even moreso.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by codecow

If you have long sleeves it doesn’t matter.

One thing to keep in mind though that any major cities in the US there is a possibility of watch spotters in restaurants (typically staff) recognizing an expensive watch and ringing someone up to rob you on the way out.

I only wear obvious known expensive watches in closed systems like Las Vegas, or to work.

In London I bring my Grand Seiko to wear out on the street as it’s not obviously expensive.

This is true in all major tourist vies in the world. Just wear it, but be alert.

Kat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk