Paranoid watch collecting

Sell the watches that scare you, and come back to the normal world. 

If a luxury item gives you anxiety, sell it. 

Well let me throw this into the discussion - a conversation my wife and I have had to have, as well as with several family members in the last few weeks... not just an increase in random robberies, but brazen attacks in broad daylight, including one earlier this week where a woman was literally run over by a car over a Rolex watch. This is not hearsay, but an actual attack of a woman coming out of a jewelry shop in downtown LA. One of many growing attacks on people wearing expensive  jewelry and watches across Los Angeles:

ktla.com/news/local-news/woman-run-over-while-fleeing-robbers-in-downtown-los-angeles

Don't you have home insurance? They should covered all those luxury items.... Plus you can invest in high Tech home security if you want to.. 

I have a bank safe deposit box. I go there once a month or few months. I take out a few watches to keep at home, and it gives me piece of mind, but also forces me to wear my watches for longer than usual and it's helped me appreciate them more. Oddly it's also helped me streamline my collection. The watches I don't want to put in the safe have attained keeper status, and watches that I rarely take out or reach for are on the chopping block. 

Other than the practical solutions offered what sort of things were you hoping to cover?

If you don’t want to have something of significant value on wrist then the simple answer is not to purchase it. If you are uncomfortable having numerous watches of value at home then don’t have them at home and look at secure off-site storage, as inconvenient as that may be. I think there is no one-size-fits-all answer here, and there are other outside factors to consider, as well as your levels of comfort. 
 

What is the most expensive level of watch you personally feel comfortable wearing - and therefore are you willing to change your collection and buying habits to suit? I feel slightly aware with more than £5k on the wrist, but equally I do not want to wreck or lose anything over £100 either. Perhaps consider a homage version of your watches for daily and wear the genuine for best? It’s not really cheating…
What style of watch do you wear, does it draw attention? Gold and diamonds are going to be a draw, as is something like a Rolex or a Bubble (for good or bad). A AP or PP will possibly be recognised now by opportunists. Perhaps look at more demure, classier models that wouldn’t necessarily get noticed.

How bad is crime in your area? Are you overthinking this? Are they insured?
 

If watches give you more anxiety than pleasure in the long run then it defeats the purpose of ownership.

watch collection shouldnt make you feel uncomfortable. well i got a solution for you, safe a few luxury pieces in deposit box, sold some of the pieces, buy an affordable collection for everyday use

When you start collecting on a serious level like this, common sense with regard to protecting your collection is imperative, and in my view there are things to avoid.

From my own 1st hand experience with break-ins, safes are a very bad idea. It tells anyone trying to rob you that 'everything important is right here.' and even if secured in the wall,  if you are away for a longer period, they can just take all their time and haul the safe away in one piece to open it later.

I do not want to give you very exact instructions here online, because thieves also read these postings 😅. (No joke!) But here are a few general tips that really work based upon my personal experience; for the details use your nugget:

The way to go - by far - really is the clever use of secret places in your home. So, obviously NOT in the famous hollowed out book, in the baseboards of the kitchen, directly under the sink (Breaking Bad), the refrigerator or in that large jar of protine powder or cookies....I mean smart places. Preferably places that are right in front of your face.

Nothing is 100% foolproof. But thieves generally do not have a sea of time to search every single nook and cranny in your house. If you sequester your watches away so that they could not be found within a two hour period of the trashng of your home, then you will likely be quite OK.

its A problem, but no more than ladies wearing diamond rings.

unfortunately wearing a Rolex particularly a submariner , sea dweller or Daytona you may as well walk around with ten grand hanging out of your wallet these days….. eyes are everywhere 

Without doubt, a "hiding" spot. And I say that in quotes because, given enough time, and enough snooping, an intruder could probably find any number of things in my house. I'm not paranoid to have everything under lock and key buried 12 feet underground, or something. But that said, if they were to come in, have a quick look around, and just grab random "stuff" with a view to leaving the scene reasonably quickly, my watch collection would be nowhere near being found that fast.

Put them at home in a shabby box that says "my wish.com fakes".

Unfortunately Most standard home insurance policies have limits on watches and jewellery. You might get $5k total. You can add riders to cover a specific watch or watches (the item is specifically named), which is pricey but gives peace of mind. Alternatively, a popular watch website and online retailer has insurance for watches too. 

I don’t know about home owners insurance, but most basic renters insurance have caps/max on differeent categories. My watches and computer are outside of my renters insurance; they’ll pay a small portion of the value. Moral of the story, double check those details on your insurance so you don’t have a false sense of security like I did. Hopefully yours does cover it 🙂.

My personal opinion is that any possession that causes angst is probably a sign that one has overbought. But to be practical, unless one is in an area prone to robbery, most home thefts are the result of loose lips. This sadly means that the safe route is to keep associates and acquaintances in the dark about what you have and especially the value. Because typically neighbor mentions it to his wife, their kid hears and passes it on to his stoner/derelict friend and next time those dodos know you'll be away, score!

This is all easier to do if one has obscure brands. Any mope can spot a Rolex, and a handful of other Instagram ubiquitous brands and models. You want the hidden gem that flies under the radar.

Otherwise, slip or trap safes. Or just toss things in coat pockets and even you won't be able to find them!

Insurance and a safe bolted to the concrete floor in your master closet. 

I guess maybe different countries have different policies... In Australia, I guess if you have expensive luxury watches or jewelleries you need to declare and specified. Obviously they may cost more to your premium. If you don't declare, if anything lost, and they probably only pay you off max $1k per item. As far for limits... Im not sure... I have at least 10 declaration over $10k in jewelleries and no issues? I don't know if you have hundreds of them to declare? Maybe you need Terminator to guard your items 🤔 or maybe call Tom Cruise how to set up security like mission impossible? 

Get some watch insurance and a safe (which you can use for other items/documents as well). That is about as well prepared as you can be without going nuts. 

What shocks me is how many people (apparently) don’t have a safe in the house… surely you don’t expect your insurance to pay out for watches over a certain value with it being left outside of a safe… have you checked your T&Cs? 

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. I can’t offer you any advice outside of those already mentioned i.e. safes, deposit boxes and insurance etc. I can only offer you my own (possibly reckless) take on the being comfortable with your watch;

I would only wear what I’m comfortable with losing (that applies to everything not just wristwatches). Whilst I would take all reasonable precautions when I’m out, I refuse to let thieves/lowlifes/pond scum/desperate people change how I live my life. Watches are ‘just’ things and I would obviously give them up without a fight if my family or friends were threatened but they are also things that I worked hard for and if I were alone then I would not be so quick to give up my watch. I would fight (and risk dying) for what is right than to let someone dictate how I live my life.

I don’t condone violence and I don’t encourage anyone reading this to do the same as me but I feel it’s more important to have my (and other’s) liberty in this relatively short life we have.

Apologies if I’ve darkened the tone…maybe wear a G-Shock out??

When you own something that costs as much as a car and its just sitting there in your house its reasonable to be paranoid. 

• Limit who knows you are a watch collector
• Never show your neighbours your good watches
• Get Dogs
• Get insurance
• Get a security system

Thanks everyone for your perspective and thoughts. 

I don't have any issues wearing a watch but more so about the watches I have at home when I'm not wearing them. My watches are relatively understated and most that are not into watches wouldn't know that my Zenith has some value over my Tissot. I don't flaunt my watches and generally don't discuss watches with anyone unless they ask specifically about what I'm wearing, which rarely happens and usually only with close friends.

For sure insurance. But at best you get replacement value and some of these watches hold meaning to me that I would rather keep than be taken from me....

My issue is really one of security I suppose. A safe just seems like the first place a thief would go to...so a hidden safe?  I do have an alarm system. I do like the idea of getting dog...but presents it's own challenges too.

Anyway, thanks again for all those who responded.

Look into safes, and safe installers. You’ll quickly find most safes that are decent (not a hotel room safe) can be bolted in from the rear AND the bottom from the inside. This means that a thief can’t just pull it out, and can’t can’t pull it up, the force required is immense so good luck to them when one side is bolted into brick or concrete.

Definitely look into a safe, plus… you can stick passports and what else in there, which also makes sense… they are sensitive documents.

It's good advice. I've seen super heavy free standing safes that weigh in at 1500lb's. Could be another option. Really pricey but the cost for peace of mind has never been inexpensive.

Great advice....really like the idea of getting a dog. Need to chat with the wife about that one though.

No apology needed. My G-Shock happens to be my flashiest piece. It's the full metal square and it stands out more than any of my other watches!

It may have to double up as a knuckle duster 😂. 
You can only go so far with your security - if someone is determined to rob you they wil do it. I know that doesn’t sound very helpful for someone with paranoia / anxiety about such things. Just try to have comfort in the knowledge that for the price of an expensive service, you would have done all you can.

Hide or safe or take with you. I have watches that mean more to me than others and so will make more of an effort to protect those.

If you are in the US, Hodinkee and Wax will insure for market value.

I don’t wear my APs or Rolex’s with short sleeves and visible; under the radar all the way; wear what you live - and stay safe! ✅

It can also depend on your policy as some home owners insurance may exclude jewelry from the base policy that protects the contents of your home. Some offer a jewelry specific add-on which luxury watches falls under.