Travel Question

For me, I be pinpointing the type of watch I’d be comfortable wearing based on what I plan to be doing. I guess if I was going to a place rampant in crime/thefts… I‘d play it safe and just pick something I still love wearing that I would be also comfortable losing and replacing. I am not a big G-shock guy myself but thats a good example. Or maybe an Orient or Timex watch? Price point would be subjective to the owner - my BB58 would be chump change to someone who can afford a collection of Pateks.

That’s a great question. For me, something that is relatively inexpensive, flies under the radar, and totally willing to hand over at gun point:

Yeah, I'd probably just wear a Casio Royale or something.

No PP in my watch box but agree with the thinking. 

Given that my most expensive watch costs about $1400 CAD, that's my maximum right now. 

That said, it really depends on where I am going. In some places a shiny but cheap watch could get you targeted just as easily as an expensive one. 

When I was in Mumbai, walking around just outside the docks my ship was at, I wore a Timex digital on a cloth strap. Had no issues anywhere I went, but I also wasn't going to take a chance on attracting more attention that I already was as an obvious outsider in a non-touristy part of town.

If I’m honest I’d be willing to hand over any and every watch at gun point

I usually travel with 3 watches of various style and price (dress, diver, & field.) If I am going out for the evening, taking taxis, and dining in a higher end area, I wear what I want.  If I am going out to bars to see live music, taking the subway, and maybe not the best side of town, I keep it under $300USD. Also... I tend to wear watches with straps, rather than bracelets, where I don't want to draw attention. 

Straps definitely tone down the "flash" of even a more expensive watch. 

My DS30 on a MN looks less flashy than my old Citizen Eco-Drive on a bracelet, but costs three times as much. 

It also depends on the weather of the destination as it's easier to be discreet with a nice watch, under a shirt sleeve or jacket in Edinburg than it is in the Bahamas, for example.

I’m normally a pretty careful guy when it comes to security.  However, I worry more about physical damage than I do about theft.  Being forced to toss my watch in that gritty TSA bowl with other items, whacking my watch on an airplane armrest or lavatory door handle, etc.  Thus, I fly with a g-shock.  In my carry-on, I have individual padded watch “bagels” with a few nicer pieces.  Once I get there and have a feel for the place, I might be comfortable enough to break out a Citizen, or a Seiko, or even a Sinn…probably nothing too much nicer that that on travel.

I think the location does matter. Do you know the place? Are you going or staying with friends? Do you speak the local language?

While traveling to Costa Rica I brought and wore a few watches. Some we're discreet some weren't.

It depends....on the last trip I took my GBDH1000 and an Edifice....both solar...the combination was ok....one for the night.... other for the day...

I would take two Seikos. SARB035 and SPB143. Covers all situations (for me).

i would take my Doxa everywhere 😍

Usually I travel in my faithful Talis Skin Diver, and have the G-Shock Gulfmaster as a diver / backup for worldtimer functions, so <£500. I’m often off-grid, so I don’t need a dress watch. If I hammer duty free, I usually come back with something much more expensive than both.

Any digital watch sold at Wal-Mart will do. I wouldn't want to lose a precious F-91W. But seriously, having had to fight off a string of muggers before, I really don't take anything that looks flashy or is of value. (I once made it home with the clothes I was wearing, my wallet and the Vostok I had at that time. The rest was gone, meaning that my luggage and everything in it didn't make it home, either.)

Small world. Costa Rica is the destination I’m planning for. Thanks for sharing your experience 

2 awesome pieces for sure

Whoa bummer

Yep, that happened at a typical tourist destination. (Prague) Ever since then I travel only with possessions that are expendable. 

I don't wear expensive watches anyway, but going to a slightly dodgy place I'd only wear a watch that also looks cheap to the uninitiated, and that rules out my mechanical ones. I have an old infantry watch that needs a new battery and which looks just like a $20 watch should after 5 years of use.

Oh man, that totally depends on the occasion and destination for me. For national business travel, I take my #orient dress watch. For the leisure trip to a country in southern Europe, I slap my #vostok #amphibia on my wrist as if I only live once :)

I feel like whenever I’m in an airport now I take more notice of what people are wearing and I’ve seen more Rolex than any other single brand. Maybe it’s just what I notice more 

I have never been in situation where I felt in danger of getting robbed. I am in the US and in the last 25+ years I have travelled to more than 40 countries, Europe, Asia, Central America. The most adventurous was a month long backpacking trip through India and Sri Lanka and 3 weeks traveling through Vietnam, wearing my JLC Navy Seals limited edition. I have worn my watches on all of my trips and never had any issues. If you are wearing a blinged out gold Rolex then maybe you are asking for it. People all over the world are just like you and me, but take precautions and avoid known trouble spots, if you ask the locals they will tell you places to avoid. Also, nothing good happens at night so you should be in your hotel room chillin. One thing about well known brands like a Rolex, Omega, Cartier etc brands that are internationally recognized as luxury will take away any haggling power that you might have with merchants. In Asia they will say it to your face, you wear a Rolex and you haggle over 20 bucks.