Best under the radar watches?

With the economy all over the show and stories of watch theft on the rise. I wondered what people’s thoughts were on great timepieces that fly under the radar and wouldn‘t occur to thieves as having (perhaps significant) value - which would perhaps be worth risking a stay behind bars.

I had considered Glashutte Original the Pano series as a contender, maybe even Blancpain (pretty much everything is subtle)?

What about you? Any ideas of brands/models that don’t look as expensive as they are?

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Perhaps the Seiko SLA037. I doubt the average person looking at it would assume that it's in the same ballpark as an Omega Seamaster in terms of value. The Seiko name has a rich history, but people tend to associate it with more affordable entry level pieces. Not watches that retail for several thousand dollars.

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Suddenly_Monday

Perhaps the Seiko SLA037. I doubt the average person looking at it would assume that it's in the same ballpark as an Omega Seamaster in terms of value. The Seiko name has a rich history, but people tend to associate it with more affordable entry level pieces. Not watches that retail for several thousand dollars.

Yeah that’s a good call, Seiko‘s can cost… well, any price.

Nomos is one I often confuse with some of Junghans due to the Bauhaus simplicity of their designs - allowing that type of look to fly under the radar.

I don’t know whether Omega is a brand that draws jealous looks in the same way as Rolex, although still worth a lot!

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Good call on Blancpain in this category.  My BPFF Bathyscaphe has become my travel watch for exactly this reason.  It’s discreet, versatile and very capable.

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CWC Mellor Quartz 😅 Too cheap? Go mechanical.

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Pretty much ANYTHING other than Rolex should be under the radar of your run of the mill thief/robber. For that matter, I dare to venture that even a Rolex on a leather strap instead of the typical metal bracelet should fly under the radar. 

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You had to great ones, with GO and BP. Throw in GS, JLC, and I would even say Vacheron. 

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Avoid the hype watches, Rolex, PP Nautilus, AP Royal Oak, Richard Mille, Hublot, Jacob & Co. etc.  They will take a serious hit.  All the long established brands that @AllTheWatches mentioned plus Girard-Perregaux, Ulysse Nardin, Mont Blanc, Omega, IWC, Jacquette Droz and Breguet are better bets as long as you buy right.  Shop prices everywhere before you negotiate.  

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Nobody knows what this watch is...

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SurferJohn

Nobody knows what this watch is...

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I bloody do :)

That is an amazing watch, sir. It‘s not even under the radar - that’s a straight up stealth bomber.

It’s about the best of the best divers ever created and I’d gladly wear that!

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Frankly, I'm pretty certain outside Rolexes, Patek Phillipe Nautiluses, and AP Royal Oaks, folks don't know what most watches are.  Like I would bet a very substantial amount of money that a prospective thief wouldn't take a second look at a VC 56 annual calendar or a non gold calatrava.

From personal experience, not a single person has ever given a second look to my JLC.  

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Edge168n

Frankly, I'm pretty certain outside Rolexes, Patek Phillipe Nautiluses, and AP Royal Oaks, folks don't know what most watches are.  Like I would bet a very substantial amount of money that a prospective thief wouldn't take a second look at a VC 56 annual calendar or a non gold calatrava.

From personal experience, not a single person has ever given a second look to my JLC.  

Bang on about JLC as a brand that is overlooked - in pretty much every sense, unfortunately.

Personally, I love the elegance of the Master Ultra Thin Moon

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Within the Rolex catalogue, the Explorer I is sometimes positioned as the under-the-radar option... what are people's thoughts there?

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jagwar.jim

Within the Rolex catalogue, the Explorer I is sometimes positioned as the under-the-radar option... what are people's thoughts there?

It is quite plain but still ‘Rolex-y’ and likely to attract attention. It’s too close to several other models to fly under the radar.

When I think of what Rolex I’d like, the Rolex doesn’t come to mind….and that’s probably a good thing :)

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Edge168n

Frankly, I'm pretty certain outside Rolexes, Patek Phillipe Nautiluses, and AP Royal Oaks, folks don't know what most watches are.  Like I would bet a very substantial amount of money that a prospective thief wouldn't take a second look at a VC 56 annual calendar or a non gold calatrava.

From personal experience, not a single person has ever given a second look to my JLC.  

Yeah I agree. London is a different story though, as there are dedicated gangs of watch spotters who hang around wealthy areas specifically to target high end watches, and I believe LA is going the same way. 

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great choices.  I never Have pulled the trigger, but have been very close on the GO Panoreserve. 
 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DBe_3cuo5YQ&feature=share&si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ

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Grunka_Lunka

It is quite plain but still ‘Rolex-y’ and likely to attract attention. It’s too close to several other models to fly under the radar.

When I think of what Rolex I’d like, the Rolex doesn’t come to mind….and that’s probably a good thing :)

I am intrigued now as to the Rolex you like..! 

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jagwar.jim

I am intrigued now as to the Rolex you like..! 

Personally I like classically elegant ones like the Datejust (non fluted bezel) or the OP.

It‘s moot since I can’t afford ones that are available :)

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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.