Real vs. Fakes: Home Invasion & Robberies

Relax, enjoy your watches, and never take advice from "you tubers"

If you would feel safer buying a bunch of fakes and a decoy safe, then just do what you feel you need to to protect your family. No one can judge you for that and no one knows your situation.

I have to say though, if I thought my watch collection could seriously bring about a scenario of my family being held at gun point, I would just get rid of them and keep sentimental pieces at the bank or something. Nothing is worth that kind of stress.

Would I be surprised if these YT people sold security items on the side or were invested in security on the side? Not one bit. 

Sounds like a bit of fear mongering. 

Insure them, wear them, don't do stupid things with them. 

It's not so much that I'm taking advice from YouTubers per se, it's more that I'm seeing it reported in the news. I'm not fearful but I was raised to "expect the unexpected" so I'm always situationally aware. With the recent crime increase in the U.S. it's something I'm paying more attention to.

Agreed though, enjoy 'em. 

Who knows, they might. I thought it was fear mongering too, but it's in the papers, which heck, can we trust them? I'll say this I've not heard of any incidents in my neck of the woods (knock on wood). 

They are definitely insured, and I'm not a flashy guy (i.e. I'm not loud, obnoxious, and I don't try to stand out).

All good points. I have the bank as a resource, and I've not heard of anything in my neck of the woods (knock on wood), but I must say hearing about more and more of these has heightened my situational awareness. Probably not a bad thing to be even more aware. 

Agreed on your second point. They are simply "things" and can be replaced. 

I like my watches, but if someone has a gun, they are welcome to them.  Same thing with cars, bikes, etc.  That's what insurance is for.  

None of it is worth anyone getting hurt over.

100% agree with that. I was thinking deterrents, like an alarm on your car or home.

Such a sad state of affairs to even have to think of doing these things

OP, 

1.  Ain't nothing wrong with fakes, in my book.  Have done lots of research into fake luxury goods, and turns out that fakes are actually good for the manufacturers, because it keeps the brands top of mind for those aspiring to own the real deal one day
2.  If it would make you feel safer to have fakes displayed at home, and to put your real, high value watches into a safe or something, why the hell not?  Ditto on traveling with fakes, as opposed to real watches
3.  You are not being paranoid.  See:  https://counciloncj.org/2021-year-end-crime-report/ and https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/07/rising-murder-rate-falling-crime-statistics-pandemic/  If you are out on the street, your chances of being a victim of violent crime has skyrocketed
4.  This is precisely why I am such a fan of "stealth wealth."  Human beings are fundamentally evil, and the #1 method by which humans have generated wealth for themselves since the dawn of time is by stealing it from other human beings.  So, knowing that, why paint a giant bullseye on your back?  If you have timepieces that the general public would easily recognize and KNOW to be valuable, like Rolexes, then why wear them out in public, where lots and lots of evil and covetous human beings will want to take your property from you via force?  (inb4 the predictable, "Yeah, all watches get stolen all the time.  We only hear about the rare cases when somebody gets their Rolex stolen.  99% of the time, people are getting mugged for their $25 Casios."  Okay...  Then I guess I have a deeper question:  "WTF are you doing hanging out in neighborhoods where people will engage in dangerous and violent conduct to steal $25 Casios???")

I will wear my GS'es everywhere I go.  

• a) Nobody has any clue what the hell they are, because GS'es look so EFF'ing weird.  Any muggle spots the watch on my wrist, they'd be repulsed by its weird looks, much less want to mug me for it
• b) By the same token, "everywhere I go" are places where it would be INCONCEIVABLE for some hoodlum to pull out a gun or a knife to try to take my watch.  My life is in much greater danger from all the geriatric drivers in my neighborhood not being able to see where the f*ck they're going, and confusing the accelerator for the brake pedal - also known as "unintended acceleration" when the U.S. government decides it would like to steal $1.2B from a foreign corporation.  
• c) Knowing the evil that exists in the human heart, I don't understand why more people don't take Krav Maga and MMA and other training that will help them to...  what's the word...  "protect" themselves against aggressors.  (I guess in polite society we like to say "protect" now.  Kinda like how the U.S. changed the name of the "War Department" to the "Department of Defense.")  If crime is a real issue where you are, why not learn how to...  "incapacitate" any potential threats within 10 seconds?  I would imagine that would do a lot more to alleviate any anxiety around all of this than any of the other measures!

I think @Omeganut nailed it with conspicuous wealth. If you wear easily stolen items that are worth a couple months of an average person's pay, you're painting a target on yourself. 

If you think your watches will make you a target for theft, you're farther ahead getting rid of them than you are having fakes that draw just as much attention. Getting stabbed/shot over a fake watch is no better than being stabbed/shot for the real deal. 

By the time someone has a gun in your face you're highly unlikely to want to mess around hoping they don't see through your fakes. Also, consider what happens if the thieves realize you duped them, and decide to come back for round two in a couple months. 

Oddly, as watches become more of a luxury item for watch consumers they are considered less of a luxury item by our criminal class.  Watches as a separate category of theft is more rare than it used to be.  Watches are less common. (I think that in the most affluent of zip codes watches are still a target.)

I have been robbed at gunpoint.  They did not even see my watch (no loss) or my wife's (a Rolex). They were nervous and trying to get out of there.

My hot take is that I am against armed robbery as a legal and moral matter.  It is also an inefficient means of wealth redistribution.

Great points @Omeganut. A couple of things I'd like to say on your points.

1.) Fakes. When I was in my teens and 20s I had a fake Breitling and Rolex (they no longer exist in my personal space). They did motivate and inspire me to get the real deal many years later. So your point is absolutely valid. I will say, I don't necessarily support them at this point, but per my post, I may have to for a couple of pieces. 

2.) Agreed. I don't live in an unsafe neighborhood, but I'm a proponent of being prepared no matter what. And a hidden safe was always something I had planned to get ( too many movies planted the seed...haha).

3.) Oh wow! Thanks for the link!

4.) You had given me a YouTube channel to watch a while ago, and it is great. I too am about the stealth wealth to a degree. My family has always operated that way due to our spiritual beliefs, but let's remember that "value" is perceptive (i.e. the grey market and other goods). Also people will think that someone may be wealthy if they drive a car that is better than theirs (*this has happened to me and I drive a jeep). The point is, stealth wealth is good, but I also think people should be able to wear what they want without immanent fear of being robbed or engaging in combat (more on that later in one of your points).

Cassio's being stolen?? 😮 I don't make it a habit to hang out in bad areas, but I'm more concerned about new places, airports etc. I do my research in general, but like most things you can't predict everything. With GS's that may change soon with the hype growing, but good call on them. 

• a) Fair point.
• b.) I can relate, sort of. I'm hearing of more shootings, and robberies (albeit) still small in adjacent areas. The county I live in is top 3 in the state for household income, but imho, that now makes us targets. For the record, I'm moving soon, but still it's a bit disheartening since I grew up here and could operate like we lived in Maybury (Andy Griffith reference).
• c.) I 100% agree, and I do have that capability. The framing wasn't simply about me or my family/friends but more for the community and issues. People should be prepared for "encounters" and have the mental/physical fortitude to handle those encounters. I recently spoke to another watch crunch member about getting into BJJ because I wanted to keep learning and evolving that skillset.

Overall I agree with what you've said, and appreciate your points, not only here, but in other threads. 🍻

Agreed!

I only really tell close mates about what watches I actually have and even online try not to reveal to much information.

Its a shame but at least online we have spaces here where we can share :)

Im going to buy a casio FW so people think im poor. got to be stealthy now days

Glad I don’t have a big enough or expensive collection of watches. They can have all my watches and not bat an eye. I have other inanimate things that are way more important. 

100% agree. I don't brag about what I have. If I run into a fellow enthusiast I'll chat a bit, but that's rare. I try to hide what I'm wearing or I choose wisely. I'm on the road now, and I saw so many Rolexes on people's wrists, but I chose to wear my Omega Seamaster Professional. No one has ever asked or commented on it so it's super stealth for me.

Casio's are awesome. I have two and love them.

its a shame we cant just wear then 0 fucks given. On the bright side it makes it more special when you do :)

I'm not a fan of fakes because I love the real thing too much. Getting knocked off for ah knockoff seems sad 😔.  The reality is I would never harm anyone over possessions BUT the person who wants to take your possessions will kill you for them. Enjoy & Wear those watches Real or Fake. I do sleep better with walls, safes (no decoys) gates, cameras,  alarm system, insurance ,  and firearms. BTW, dogs and firearms are fun to collect! 

Theft is really getting out of hand, just a few weeks ago someone stole my fathers daytona, fortunately he is ok, but gosh! I found a platform that was made to report stolen watches, it’s called JoinTrack.org I hope this helps a bit.

I hope he gets it back. Was it insured?

I hope so! It wasn’t insured but I already registered as stolen in the platform I talked about, I think that will help