Rolex Bezel Theft - How Easy Is It?

[timo12345]

Hello All, this is my first message in the forum.

A few days back a lady put a scarf over my rolex on the London underground, and exerted upwards pressure on my rolex. With my hand on the hand rail at the time i thought she was stupid as she looked the opposite of a thief, and it wasn't until latter that I realised she was trying to pop/lift the face/bezel from my watch.

My question goes out to those who work with rolexes. Could the bezel easily be lifted/removed in this way? Is there any position to put the bezel face in to make it harder to thieve? Any advice is most appreciated?

I couldn't find any information on bezel theft what-so-ever.

Let those with rolexes out there know!

Thanks so much in advance!

Paranoid to wear my Rolex now!

[Colnago]

I would imagine that it could be possible.....bezels can be pried off using for intsance an old credit card....however I would imagine that someone attempting to do it in the manner you described would have to exert a lot of pulling force on the scarf, it would not go un-noticed by you....obviously it depends which kind of bezel we are talking about as well.....a sports model bezel would possibly give enough purchase for the scarf removal technique....on a DateJust or DayDate I would not think that method would work..

[slevin kelevra]

IS THIS POST FOR REAL??

If so then it's very silly IMO and its posts like this that ruin the forum.

All those Rolex wearers out there.....beware of the scarf wearing bezel theif!!

[Nicko]

Originally Posted by slevin kelevra

IS THIS POST FOR REAL??

If so then it's very silly IMO and its posts like this that ruin the forum.

All those Rolex wearers out there.....beware of the scarf wearing bezel theif!!

Why? It seems perfectly plausible to me. As a matter of fact my 1680's bezel (since it hangs over a bit on the 9 O'clock side) is very easy to pop off, even with your fingers.

BTW, it's posts like yours that makes people want to not ask questions.

Oh, and BTW a complete bezel with insert is quite expensive.

[duckdown]

Sounds pretty unlikely IMO.

[Tunacan26]

Originally Posted by duckdown

Sounds pretty unlikely IMO.

Yeah.

[Andad]

She might have been trying to warm herself up...it has been bloody cold over there.

Welcome to the Forum mate.

[esm]

hi and welcome to TRF - certainly an unusual event... wondering which LU line it was

Originally Posted by timo12345

A few days back a lady put a scarf over my rolex on the London underground,

that would ring a bell for me straight away....

[Too Old]

Originally Posted by esm

hi and welcome to TRF - certainly an unusual event... wondering which LU line it was

Must have been the Circle Line!!

[ally]

Crazy

[timo12345]

Hello,

I am sorry if my post seems dubious or some sort of a joke, but unfortunately it is not. The event mentioned is for real. It happened on the Victoria line between Victoria and Green Park at about 6pm.

Theft on the London tube is nothing new. I once had someone try to steal something from my bag. But I have never heard of someone attempting to steal a rolex bezel, which is why I am bringing this to the forum. To see if it is possible. Clearly it has raised alot of doubt to suggest that it is not common.

I own a 2001 YM platinum bezel/steel, and also own a 1952 omega constellation (linen dial) and a limited edition Tag I wear from time to time. And some other watches too. So by no means a collector but certainly a small enthusiast.

With Thanks,
Tim

[tattooedfagin]

brazen at the very least, i make a point on the underground of not using my watch hand to hang on to a rail

[Colnago]

Originally Posted by timo12345

Hello,

I am sorry if my post seems dubious or some sort of a joke, but unfortunately it is not. The event mentioned is for real. It happened on the Victoria line between Victoria and Green Park at about 6pm.

Theft on the London tube is nothing new. I once had someone try to steal something from my bag. But I have never heard of someone attempting to steal a rolex bezel, which is why I am bringing this to the forum. To see if it is possible. Clearly it has raised alot of doubt to suggest that it is not common.

I own a 2001 YM platinum bezel/steel, and also own a 1952 omega constellation (linen dial) and a limited edition Tag I wear from time to time. And some other watches too. So by no means a collector but certainly a small enthusiast.

With Thanks,
Tim

Hey Tim....don't take too much to heart....I agree it could be possible...for instance if you tried to do it with a friend helping out, say with a silk scarf, pulled really tight...I dare say you could get the bezel to pop off....but I would imagine it would take a lot of pulling between you both.....having said that, I would not relish the thought of having to replace a Platinum bezel so I would try not to allow anyone to perform the "scarf trick" without my prior consent.....

By the way...welcome to the forum and please hang around here.....the more the merrier!!!

[Chris B]

Originally Posted by Too Old

Must have been the Circle Line!!

Nah, I reckon it was on the Jubilee Line

[Gundam]

Originally Posted by Chris B

Nah, I reckon it was on the Jubilee Line

...travelling on their Oyster cards...

[Gundam]

You do have to be wary especially in crowded environments & have a high level of suspicion at anyone behaving strangely at or around you. They may even have an accomplice for distraction techniques.

I wonder what'd be the best response in such a situation...

[timo12345]

Originally Posted by Gundam

You do have to be wary especially in crowded environments & have a high level of suspicion at anyone behaving strangely at or around you. They may even have an accomplice for distraction techniques.

I wonder what'd be the best response in such a situation...

Yep, I agree with you.

This is how it happened.

Picture if you will finishing work after a long day. At 6pm you catch the tube home. You grab the railing of the tube as the train departs. Behind you there is a lady mid 20's in nightclub atire. She reaches down to grab her boot/shoe with one hand and looks to be in an awkward position. As she does so she reaches with the other hand and a scarf which lands on your wrist. You then feel an outward pulling motion on your watch. You are temporarily confused for 5 seconds as to what is going on. You then move your hand and stare in confusion at this lady.

I remember her leaving at the next stop and chatting to someone else. This this may of been the accomplice.

[rajurama]

Well you can knock off the bezel even if you bump it at the edge also.. About the theft I guess you have to excercise the same caution you would for the whole watch.

[johnbeth]

I find this thread funny, because if you can not feel the pressure of someone trying to remove your bezel manually, hence your arm is moving, then they might as well chop your arm off as u probably have no feeling what so ever and take your rolex!

[DS_Obsessed]

You should have punched her and stole her scarf. Just kidding. Crazy story, welcome to the forum.

[spuds]

Originally Posted by DS_Obsessed

You should have punched her and stole her scarf.

[GEO_79]

maybe she was trying to steal the watch...

[axecollector65]

Originally Posted by GEO_79

maybe she was trying to steal the watch...

I think this is more likely. I would think it would be easier to steal the entire watch than to pry the bezel off while on your wrist.

[520Matt]

Originally Posted by axecollector65

I think this is more likely. I would think it would be easier to steal the entire watch than to pry the bezel off while on your wrist.

As I was reading the post my thoughts exactly! Welcome

[masterkiller]

I REALLY find this totally absurd IMHO, NO WAY that she was triying to steal the Bezel, that is just plain stupid!

/masterkiller

[timo12345]

Imagine if you will finishing work, kind of tired and heading to the underground to head home. You grab the tube railing and behind you there is a young lady mid-twenties with a short skirt and general nightclub atire. She reaches down with one hand to adjust something in her bag/shoe. With her other hand she grabs your wrist with a scarf in an 'awkward position' and exerts an upwards force. Remember you are holding the tube railing. You think this lady must be crazy, on medication or something. After five seconds you pull your hand away and stare at her. She leaves at the next tube stop and chats to someone on the way out.

It's not untill afterwards you realise what has happened.

[rolexertion]

Originally Posted by masterkiller

I REALLY find this totally absurd IMHO, NO WAY that she was triying to steal the Bezel, that is just plain stupid!

/masterkiller

It may have been that she was just trying to pull the Rolex off the OP's wrist. She could have been trying to learn the delicate art of pickpocketing and just is inept at it. Don't be so doubtful, remember that thieves turn to crime because they are too stupid to do anything useful or positive with their lives.

[rkammer]

I'd be more inclined to think that her accomplice was also standing there and using the same grab bar. Then, she would grab the Rolex from the top and he would flip the clasp release from the bottom and she would slip the watch off and hide it in the scarf. It still seems kind of ridiculous but, feasible.

There are thieves that can remove a watch without the owner even being aware. It happened to me in Nice, France and I was lucky enough to grab his arm and wrestle the watch from him before he got away. It was a kid less than 12 years old!

[marcinthemiddle]

That was certainly one brazen woman. What was the follow-through? Did you have her arrested? File a report? Never reade a post like this before!

[timo12345]

I reported it to London Underground and the police are investigating it. It sounds stupid but I didn't realise untill a couple of hours afterwards what was going on, so a bit late then - My bad :-s