Advice for wearing PP in Europe

[HMHM]

If you want to lose your watch and never see it again, then sure by all means please do wear them while touring Europe…..

[strettyend]

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

[cavallino17]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

South of France is especially bad. Don't wear anything north of a swatch. Friend of mine got robbed for an Omega.

[herefortheattachment]

Originally Posted by cavallino17

South of France is especially bad. Don't wear anything north of a swatch. Friend of mine got robbed for an Omega.

Goodness, I think of Omega as being under-the-radar for non-watch folks. What kind of Omega was it? Hope your friend is alright.

[EazyE]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

Just speaking from my experience, I had no problems wearing my daydate around town pretty inebriated

[masochistsr]

I wore my 5167 in St Barths recently. Didn’t feel unsafe at all. Tons of Rolexes on wrists there.

[aa_watch]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

Wealth and opulence are a good opportunity for robbers.
Watch thefts happens even there, I have read few stories.

[Russell996]

The answer probably depends on what you are wearing but personally I’ve never had concerns in London or indeed on a recent trip to Paris. Big cities are big cities and they all have their issues, exercise some personal responsibility and enjoy your watches.

[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Russell996

The answer probably depends on what you are wearing but personally I’ve never had concerns in London or indeed on a recent trip to Paris.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by Russell996

Such a beautiful watch.

Also a nice long sleeve sweater

I recall London itself doing a PSA/ad campaign advising people not to show their watches. Billboards in the street

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

I was in St. Trop this last week and spend a lot of time there. Even the shopkeepers wear Rolex, and AP/Pateks are more common than Swatches. Zero issues.

For London (where I live most of the time) it’s complicated. My wife wears a GMT every day, and I wear most of my watches (Lange, Patek, AP, Rolex etc) even on the Tube or cycling around the city. That said, I doubt I’d wear a Nautilus with short sleeves nowadays as that’s just asking for it - my daily is a Czapek, as nobody knows what it is.

[fsprow]

To add to my earlier post, if I wouldn’t wear nice watches every place I go, I would sell them and put the money elsewhere.

[Divingdeep87]

I love how you Americans make Europe alot worse than the states. lol. Those Fentanyl neighborhoods you have... yikes!

I wore mine in Paris in Metro and London a few times no problem. Can be luck.

A staff member at the Patek store in London wore an Aquanaut and said he took it off on the way home though.

But London, Barcelona, Paris and Marsielle/Lyon is in Europe the only one who has a bad reputation really...

But Geneva, Zurich, Munich, Amalfi coast, Cannes, st tropez and so on you would be the only one without a pp/rolex. lol

[thetahoess]

Originally Posted by Divingdeep87

I love how you Americans make Europe alot worse than the states. lol. Those Fentanyl neighborhoods you have... yikes!

I wore mine in Paris in Metro and London a few times no problem. Can be luck.

A staff member at the Patek store in London wore an Aquanaut and said he took it off on the way home though.

But London, Barcelona, Paris and Marsielle/Lyon is in Europe the only one who has a bad reputation really...

But Geneva, Zurich, Munich, Amalfi coast, Cannes, st tropez and so on you would be the only one without a pp/rolex. lol

I was specifically told to be careful where i was going in Geneva after buying a few heavy pieces from the local Bucherer. May have just been because I was a tourist, but who knows. This was back in September of 2023. The world is changing. Crime is up everywhere. Where I live, a homeowner in a community directly next to where I live was followed into his house, tied up, thrown in the closet, and robbed at gunpoint. Pretty unnerving.

B

[inxs777]

In Austria you are safe too

[subtona]

The trip is only as safe as the weakest link.

Just no.

Winter w long sleeves maybe.

Summer aquanaut on the wrist…
Absolutely not

[dauster]

I was wearing my omega and pateks all over Europe no issues


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[johnpp77]

the correct answer and what you are wearing. if you use a nautilus or aquanut then Paris and London are to be avoided. if you wear a weekly calendar like the 5212a then I'd be fine�� remember that often the 'driver' of these robberies are the cars you travel in and the places you frequent which often have waiters who report customers' watches.

[Patekfinder]

Ensure your watches have full insurance coverage for market value and enjoy them. Someone walks up to you wanting to, gladly hand it over and filed your police report and insurance claim.

No one in Europe will kill you for your Nautilus or Rolex. Other parts of the world like Brazil, Mexico City, etc. are another story.


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[YoungMoneyAssassin]

It’s going to be hot in the summer, I will never travel with any watch that I wouldn’t walk around with in short sleeves.

In the past I have worn my VC overseas blue dial on its rubber strap. It just isn’t as recognizable as the common Rolex sport models or something like an AP, 5711, etc.

My advice would be to wear something a little off the normal path and you should be good. Also depends on your overall age and physical condition I guess. I will be hitting anyone who tries to steal a watch from me very hard. It’s a big risk they are taking, and I’m not traveling alone.


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[Ubiquitous1984]

Originally Posted by YoungMoneyAssassin

My advice would be to wear something a little off the normal path and you should be good. Also depends on your overall age and physical condition I guess. I will be hitting anyone who tries to steal a watch from me very hard. It’s a big risk they are taking, and I’m not traveling alone.


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You might be Jon Jones for all I know, but what I would say is what are you going to do if they pull a knife out on you? Or worse, a knife on your partner? Or there are four of them armed with bats? The former boxing world champion Amir Khan had his watch stolen in London by a gang. It doesn't matter how brave or tough you are: these gangs are ruthless and have nothing to lose compared to you.

[YoungMoneyAssassin]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous1984

You might be Jon Jones for all I know, but what I would say is what are you going to do if they pull a knife out on you? Or worse, a knife on your partner? Or there are four of them armed with bats? The former boxing world champion Amir Khan had his watch stolen in London by a gang. It doesn't matter how brave or tough you are: these gangs are ruthless and have nothing to lose compared to you.

:) you are totally right. In that case I would hand the watch over with pretty much a smile and get out of there alive, file an insurance claim.

Anyone who robbed me in a non violent pickpocket type scenario I think I’d hit :) perhaps this isn’t a realistic view. I think I fantasize about these guys getting what they deserve. I can’t be alone in that lol.


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[lightcatcher]

What about Portugal? Planning to visit this summer and I was thinking of wearing an explorer 1 for the trip.

[bibbi]

Originally Posted by lightcatcher

What about Portugal? Planning to visit this summer and I was thinking of wearing an explorer 1 for the trip.

Exp 1 should be completely easy in PT. Yet, as in any big city, you don’t want to go into shabby parts of Lisbon in the night. With the watch on or off.


bibbi

[mjolnir2thor]

Originally Posted by soxfan39

Summer is fast approaching and many will be traveling in Europe. For those living or traveling in cities such as London/Paris/Geneva/Zurich would you wear your PP around town?

I flew to Europe many times over the past 15 years and on one flight I sat next to a jeweler from London. I was wearing a new Omega SeaMaster and she warned me about wearing such a nice timepiece when out and about in London. She stated they will stalk you (e.g., wait for you to come out of a restaurant) to rob you. Indicated she had customers who had experienced this misfortune and that robberies were becoming common.

I personally had a coworker in Lyon France get jumped by 3 guys when he walked down a side street one evening while returning to his hotel room. They beat the crap out of him and stole his wallet and his watch. No situational awareness on his part and it got him into trouble. Ended up in the hospital for one night.

Towards the end of my traveling abroad, I ended up wearing an Omega Speedmaster Professional and was very discrete with the watch, ensuring it was typically covered by my sleeve. Personally, I’d wear something else; however, should you decide to wear your Patek, situational awareness is key.

[MRBolton]

I'm now even more scared to wear my Daytona in Paris!

[aa_watch]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

I'm now even more scared to wear my Daytona in Paris!

Just keep your watch under your sleeve, you will be fine :)

[MRBolton]

Originally Posted by aa_watch

Just keep your watch under your sleeve, you will be fine :)

With it being July, I don't plan to have a sleeve that low!

[bobernet]

All the responses are going to be statistical or anecdotal. No one has a crystal ball. Risk is low until it happens to you.

I wore my 5930 in Athens, Lucca, Pisa, San Gemignano, Florence last spring. Then alternated it and a Cartier Santos I bought in Rome while we were there.

I wore my 5370 in Malaga, Barcelona, Vienna, Prague, Warsaw and London.

I wore my 5270 in Mexico City, Sydney, Brisbane, Hong Kong, Singapore.

I’ve worn platinum Daytona, rose gold Royal Oak, Rolex President in platinum and yellow gold.

All of these all over the world without issue. That doesn’t mean no crime happens.

[Medem]

Watch theft in tourist areas is a prevalent problem and the thieves know what you are wearing. Assuming no one notices an expensive watch is naive. These are specialised bands that move all over Europe.

A diplomat had his 40k Rolex stolen in broad daylight in Madrid recently. A rainbow Daytona was flashed on a social network from a distant European country only days after being stolen locally. They were caught of course; they are savvy but also, fortunately, not always clever.

Watch theft is not infrequent. People are followed to hotels and homes. The number of thefts is small compared to the number of tourists and locals dining and getting about, but if you asked the local police they would probably have a very different view as to whether watch theft is infrequent.

Bring it, by all means, but be mindful.