The number of lost and stolen watches has tripled in the last year according to a recent report by The Watch Register. This global database counts over 100,000 missing timepieces in its records and has become a vital source of information to fight watch crime and return stolen property to its rightful owners.
The booming vintage watch market is largely to blame for the increase in watch crime as watches can be easily and anonymously sold online. So, short of leaving your watches in a safe cemented to the floor, how do you avoid it? We have come up with 8 top tips to keep your timepieces as safe as possible.
Out on the Town
With summer almost here in the Northern Hemisphere, the warm weather means short sleeves and all eyes on your beautiful wristwear. Be selective about where you wear your watch in public and keep your eyes open for anyone looking suspicious around you – this includes mopeds, strangers asking you what time it is, and people bumping into you in the street.
Take a Pouch
If you do start to feel unsafe, don’t hesitate to remove your watch and put it in a pocket or purse out of view. I recently went to an event in London and witnessed countless guests putting their watches on when they arrived and removing them when they left. It is unfortunate, but it works. For the ladies, you can also consider wrapping a scarf around your wrist (thanks to @perpetual.girl for this tip)!
Clasp Locks
There are solutions to lock your watch to your wrist by blocking the clasp. These are great against pickpockets, but honestly, if anyone is threatening your life, give it up, it is just not worth it, unless of course you are an MMA fighter, and then by all means have some fun bringing justice to your neighbourhood!
Social Media
For watch enthusiasts who love to post wrist shots of their latest acquisitions, make sure to never tag your location in real-time. It doesn’t take a super sleuth to track you down fast. You may want to consider a different social media handle too so thieves can’t find your address.
Watch Shopping
This seems an obvious one, but how many people do you see leaving watch boutiques swinging a fancy branded bag with a spring in their step? Don’t do it! Put the watch in your pocket and ask the boutique to post you the box.
Home Security
Keeping your valuables locked away at home in a safe is a good way to foil burglars, but make sure that it is installed with discretion. A friend of mine once bought a particularly large and heavy safe, which wouldn’t fit through the front door. The company brought a crane and hoisted it through an upstairs window for all to see. Needless to say, he was burgled three times.
Keep a Record
Keep records of all your watches with serial numbers and photos. This will make things so much easier if ever you do fall victim to a crime as you will all the information necessary to file a claim. Solutions such as Watch Certificate allow you to create passports for all your watches, which can also help you the day you want to resell them.
Insurance
And last but not least, for added peace of mind, don’t forget to insure your watches. Just knowing that they are insured will reduce the worry of anything bad ever happening. And, in my opinion, it is a bit like the old proverb: “Take an umbrella and it definitely won’t rain!”
