Advice for wearing PP in Europe

[soxfan39]

Summer is fast approaching and many will be traveling in Europe. For those living or traveling in cities such as London/Paris/Geneva/Zurich would you wear your PP around town?

[dardeca]

Not in London. Geneva and Zurich I've had no issues. Can't comment on Paris.

[goog53]

No way would I wear in London or Paris

[kastor77]

Not in London and Paris.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Breizh]

I'm in Europe two months every year with my Nautilus 5726, no issue whatsoever.
Most people don't know what a Patek is.
Use the same common sense you use in LA.

And remember, pick pockets target people looking like tourists first, just dress accordingly.

[rootbeer7]

I’d try it on my wrist.....

[cavallino17]

Being from Germany and currently living in London I would assume there is no definitive answer. Really depends on the city and the watch.
Just saw a gentleman wearing his wonderful 5320G in London at the table next to me, nobody really seemed to care. However, I would never wear a 5811/5711 or even a 5167 in London.
In Germany, Austria or Switzerland it is very different. Just use your common sense, do not look like a tourist and you will be fine. In Munich and Zurich you regularly see PP on the wrist, never heard that anything happened.

[Will_NL]

It depends on a couple of things:

- don't wear a Nautilus or Aquanaut at all, that's asking for trouble
- don't wear a Patek or Rolex out in the open whilest also wearing other expensive clothing brands (or even without)
- Stay out of well know bad areas and be mindfull of your surroundings

And in my opinion this goes for Barcelona, Madrid, Paris (all large cities in France), London, Rome, Amsterdam, and many other European cities. At the moment the EU is being overrun by immigrants from Romania, Poland and Africa which causes a host of problems that I will not go into because this is a watch forum

my 2 cts

[Vasco]

I would confirm Will_NL for Paris (and south of France).

[bp1000]

If you are a tourist I'd probably not bother. Just like I wouldn't take a patek to Paris, Barcelona etc.

I'm in London all the time and wear patek. But I'm aware of what's going on and my watch is strictly covered at all times.

Funny how times have changed. I use to wear some very obvious watches daily in London, travelling all over the city, in a t-shirt, did this for years and never even considered I was putting myself in danger, never had a single problem. Then in around 2018 onwards, I started hearing of watch theft then it happened to a friend of mine for a simple DJ on jubilee. All he did was get an uber into town, he went straight to a restaurant and when he left a few hours later, he walked from the door to his uber, was push into the taxi and they attempted to take his watch.

BS times. The authorities are letting us down with liberal justice.

[fsprow]

I wear Pateks - Nautilus, Aquanaut, 5170 all the time in most of the cities mentioned here. The only issue I ever had is once in the Paris Metro I had a fellow grab my wrist at a stop and try to take my watch off. I hit him hard in the face and that was that. He ran off the train. But that was a rare exception. I always wear long sleeve shirts and most of the time my watches are covered. If I was going to spend my time worrying about it, I certainly wouldn’t wear a watch or any other jewelry.

[Ashj52]

I would highly recommend avoiding wearing short sleeves in London with a Patek. Without going into too much detail, a friend of mine has suffered life changing injuries after being mugged on the street, at 7pm in central London for a Rolex submariner. He was out for dinner with friends at the time.

[Ubiquitous1984]

I live in UK and no longer wear a PP or even a Rolex in London. When we visited at Xmas I deliberately under-dressed for all occasions due to the crime in the city.

I didn't take one on a recent trip to Munich, but that was because I don't know the city well more than anything.

I wore my 5712 in St Tropez last year with so issue, although with hindsight that was a bit foolish and I won't be doing it again.

I'd never wear a PP with short sleeves in Madrid/Barca/Paris/Rome and I wouldn't do it in my home city Manchester either.

[HMHM]

If you want to lose your watch and never see it again, then sure by all means please do wear them while touring Europe…..

[strettyend]

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

[fsprow]

To add to my earlier post, if I wouldn’t wear nice watches every place I go, I would sell them and put the money elsewhere.

[cavallino17]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

South of France is especially bad. Don't wear anything north of a swatch. Friend of mine got robbed for an Omega.

[EazyE]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

Just speaking from my experience, I had no problems wearing my daydate around town pretty inebriated

[masochistsr]

I wore my 5167 in St Barths recently. Didn’t feel unsafe at all. Tons of Rolexes on wrists there.

[Divingdeep87]

I love how you Americans make Europe alot worse than the states. lol. Those Fentanyl neighborhoods you have... yikes!

I wore mine in Paris in Metro and London a few times no problem. Can be luck.

A staff member at the Patek store in London wore an Aquanaut and said he took it off on the way home though.

But London, Barcelona, Paris and Marsielle/Lyon is in Europe the only one who has a bad reputation really...

But Geneva, Zurich, Munich, Amalfi coast, Cannes, st tropez and so on you would be the only one without a pp/rolex. lol

[aa_watch]

Originally Posted by strettyend

Was going to ask about Saint Tropez and Cannes. I assumed it would be fine giving the wealth and opulence there?

Wealth and opulence are a good opportunity for robbers.
Watch thefts happens even there, I have read few stories.

[Russell996]

The answer probably depends on what you are wearing but personally I’ve never had concerns in London or indeed on a recent trip to Paris. Big cities are big cities and they all have their issues, exercise some personal responsibility and enjoy your watches.

[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Russell996

The answer probably depends on what you are wearing but personally I’ve never had concerns in London or indeed on a recent trip to Paris.

[StylinProfilin]

Originally Posted by fsprow

I wear Pateks - Nautilus, Aquanaut, 5170 all the time in most of the cities mentioned here. The only issue I ever had is once in the Paris Metro I had a fellow grab my wrist at a stop and try to take my watch off. I hit him hard in the face and that was that. He ran off the train. But that was a rare exception. I always wear long sleeve shirts and most of the time my watches are covered. If I was going to spend my time worrying about it, I certainly wouldn’t wear a watch or any other jewelry.

[adi365]

living in Switzerland, no issues

[inxs777]

In Austria you are safe too

[subtona]

The trip is only as safe as the weakest link.

Just no.

Winter w long sleeves maybe.

Summer aquanaut on the wrist…
Absolutely not

[dauster]

I was wearing my omega and pateks all over Europe no issues


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[johnpp77]

the correct answer and what you are wearing. if you use a nautilus or aquanut then Paris and London are to be avoided. if you wear a weekly calendar like the 5212a then I'd be fine�� remember that often the 'driver' of these robberies are the cars you travel in and the places you frequent which often have waiters who report customers' watches.

[Patekfinder]

Ensure your watches have full insurance coverage for market value and enjoy them. Someone walks up to you wanting to, gladly hand it over and filed your police report and insurance claim.

No one in Europe will kill you for your Nautilus or Rolex. Other parts of the world like Brazil, Mexico City, etc. are another story.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk