The Most Dangerous Places to Wear a Rolex

There is so much to love about the world of horology and luxury watch collecting in general. The history, the style, the mechanics and engineering, the feeling of snapping the clasp on a piece of faultless, functional industrial design. With arguably the sole exception of high end car collecting, it is one of the most rewarding experiences going and in many ways outshines it. An elite level watch is far easier to show off in more places than a classic Porsche or Ferrari. 

Unhappily, however, therein lies a very real problem, one which seems to be getting more severe as time goes on.

A beautiful timepiece is meant to be worn and exhibited. But doing so can land you in all sorts of unfortunate and potentially serious trouble.

Why is Watch Crime on the Rise?

According to The Watch Register, the world’s largest database of lost and stolen watches, the number of timepieces recorded on its platform has risen by about 300% over the last decade. In 2025 alone, more than 10,000 models were reported lost or stolen, equivalent to roughly one an hour. By the end of the year, their catalog contained more than 114,000 watches with an estimated combined value of $2.3 billion. The question is; why?

If you actually stop and consider it for a moment, a luxury watch is the perfect target for the more nefarious element around the world. 

The market for fine timepieces has never been stronger, leading to massive resale prices for the most in-demand pieces, often far exceeding the original retail cost. 

A watch is also highly portable in a way few other stolen goods are, making it a relatively simple matter for international networks to funnel them to hubs like Dubai or Romania. 

People’s use of social media can shoulder some of the blame too. Public check-ins online, along with geotagging, are often used by criminals to pinpoint exactly where a valuable model might be and when. And the huge flow of easily accessed information allows ne’er-do-wells to identify the most profitable examples. Well organized gangs now have squads of spotters out in the wild, marking targets for their associates, and they can operate in the most unexpected places. If you’ve ever wandered unaware into a strip club (it happens, so I’ve been told) you’ll know those ladies can recognize a fine watch from across a darkened room. 

Additionally, and far be it from me to bring the mood down, the current economy has created the ideal conditions. The enormous upsurge in wealth inequality and social decay has led to the rich being seen as legitimate quarry by those facing daily struggles. 

In fact, the problem has become so widespread that in some places watch crime is becoming more lucrative than drug dealing.

How is it Happening?

There are a number of methods used by criminals to relieve the unwary of their prized watches; some violent, others sneaky, but all somewhat heartbreaking.

Most common is the street robbery, which can take several forms. The thief might directly confront the wearer and demand the watch, oftentimes at knife or gunpoint. Other times, the piece is grabbed suddenly straight off the wrist before the owner has a chance to react, the robber either on foot or, increasingly, on a motorbike or moped which then disappears into a city’s heavy traffic. Or it might be two or more thieves working together, one creating a distraction such as asking for directions or spilling something, while another takes the watch.

Then there’s straight up burglaries, with high value collections targeted during a break-in of someone’s vehicle, house, hotel or office. Or there’s the particularly disturbing ‘follow-home’ robbery, when a criminal identifies someone leaving a restaurant or club wearing an expensive piece and follows them to another location before mugging them.

Of course, a theft doesn’t have to be directly confrontational. There’s the dreaded airport security checkpoints where you place your watch openly in the plastic tray, send it through the scanner and it’s gone before you get to it the other side, the property now of an opportunistic traveler or corrupt worker. And sometimes a theft doesn’t involve a watch at all. Buying through a fraudulent dealer can result in fake sales, forged identities and other scams. 

The Worst Places for Watch Theft

Luxury horology platform WatchDNA published its WRI (Watchwearer Risk Index) last year, listing the top 10 cities where you are most likely to get your watch stolen.

What can we take from this list (other than to stay the hell out of South Africa?)

Well, many of the entries are recognized as treacherous places to begin with, naturally leading to a much higher than average crime rate overall. Pietermaritzburg, for instance, is rated as the most dangerous city on earth, with the other South African towns along with Caracas and Salvador all making the top 10. Memphis is ranked the number 1 most dangerous large U.S. city. 

Of the others, London, Barcelona and Ibiza, they are all major tourist hotspots and therefore catnip for light-fingered watch thieves. 

In somewhere like London, criminals will habitually station themselves in the swanky parts of town; Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington and the like, with spotters looking out for valuable wrist attire and passing the information along to accomplices to strike. Similarly, I’ve never met anyone who has walked along the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona, the city’s main vacationer area, who doesn’t have a story to tell of a mugging or attempted mugging. 

As for Ibiza, that one’s pretty self-explanatory. As a former resident, I can attest to much of the place being explicitly designed to land you in the sort of condition where you can barely walk let alone fight off a thief intent on larceny.  

How to Avoid Being a Victim

So this information is all well and good, but the million dollar question is, how do you avoid becoming a statistic?

Well, some of it comes down to common sense, but some is down to attitude.

Like I suspect many of you, I resent not being able to wear my favorite watch wherever and whenever I feel like. However, I do have the privilege of being a big, ugly 6’6”, with perpetual resting p****d off face which has (so far) been enough to deter any would be Johnny Scofflaw. The fact I couldn’t actually fight my way out a wet paper bag is something we can keep between you and me. 

But it’s a salient point. As with anyone else, a watch thief prefers doing things the easy way, given the choice. If a potential target looks as if they might cause a significant headache, chances are they’ll move on to someone else. I’m not saying you should cultivate the most aggressive, come-at-me-bro expression you can muster, but similarly, you should try and avoid looking like a sitting duck. If you’re visiting an unfamiliar place, move with purpose and maintain situational awareness. Crims love a distracted target. If you’re in a high risk environment—luxury shopping mall, nightclub, busy tourist thoroughfare—don’t be studying your phone for long periods and be cautious when admiring the architecture.

Obviously the type and style of watch you wear is critical. Rolex accounts for anywhere between 41% and 55% of global timepiece thefts every year. That’s not to suggest you shouldn’t wear your Rolex, but it is certainly worth considering leaving the most noticeable ones—Pepsi GMTs, yellow gold Daytonas, etc.—at home and opting for something a little more under the radar. 

One tip which crops up often is to shy away from metal bracelets. A high end piece on a leather or rubber strap attracts less unwanted attention than one on an Oyster or Jubilee.

As gangs get more organized, the likes of Patek and AP are coming under greater threat now too. Where once a Calatrava might have passed unnoticed, now a more educated thief could well make a beeline for it. And thanks to the superstars of world sport, a Richard Mille is like wearing a big neon ‘rob me’ sign.

Perhaps the best attack is defense in these situations. Keep your watch, whatever it might be, covered up when you’re in unfamiliar places. Hide the piece under a long sleeve shirt or jacket and be mindful when reaching out for something, like the bill in a restaurant. Thieves can’t steal what they don’t know you have.

And the final two pieces of advice tie in together. The first is to always have your collection insured. Not only is that just a sensible suggestion in general it also means that should the worst happen, an aggressive or god forbid armed attacker demands your watch, you can just give it up. We all love watches, but I’ve never seen one worth losing my life over. If some scumbag wants it, here, enjoy. I’ll go home to my family.