£450K for a watch

[Redrosegirlie]

I am more than happy to go ashore wearing absolutely no jewellery if it means I am not a potential target. This is on Caribbean islands and in European cities.

Surely the advice of P&O in the Horizon is there for a reason?

[paultheeagle]

Can you get one of these 450k watches on tick?

and are they they cheaper if you get one second hand?

[oldbluefox]

Can you get one of these 450k watches on tick?

I don't think so Paul. They are all digital!!

Sorry!

[Delboy]

I have a very expensive Diamond ring which I wear all the time, I dont remove it when going ashore, don't know even know if I can get it off my little finger.

The one thing I don't do is flaunt it, the same as with an expensive watch.

What I am suprised at, are those who own an expensive canon or nikon DLSR's camera and lens, walking around with those shoulder straps, which advertise the name of the camera in large letters, showing its an expensive one.

Personally when I go ashore abroad, I wear the same as I do when I go out in the UK, but discreetly.

I do wonder at times how people manage to go out home or abroad, as they seem scared to cross the road.

[Redrosegirlie]

I suppose I am used to not wearing my jewellery on a daily basis as I can only wear a plain wedding band for work. It's therefore no hardship not to wear bling in the daytime while abroad.

[Onelife]

There are certain parts of this country where it would be unadvisable to wear designer clothes let alone expensive wrist, hand or neck jewellery...I would have thought displaying the same on some Caribbean Islands would be asking for trouble.

[JohnTheDog]

From the Foreign Office website for Barbados an island that has low crime & I know reasonably well...
"Crime
Crime rates are relatively low and the majority of visits are trouble-free. However, incidents of violent crime including murder do occur. There have been serious attacks on foreign visitors, including armed robbery and sexual assaults, as well as opportunist thefts of wallets, handbags and personal possessions. Victims of sexual assaults have criticised the Barbados authorities’ response, including the level of support received.

You should maintain at least the same level of personal security awareness as you would in the UK and make sure your living accommodation is secure. Take care when walking alone off the busy main roads and avoid isolated areas, including beaches, particularly after dark. Don’t carry large amounts of cash or jewellery. Leave valuables and travel documents in a hotel safe if possible.''
From the same source about Jamaica ....
Crime
Jamaica (particularly the capital city, Kingston) suffers from a high crime rate – including violent crime. Gang violence and shootings are usually concentrated in inner city neighbourhoods, including West Kingston, Grant's Pen, August Town, Harbour View, Spanish Town and certain parts of Montego Bay. Public order incidents and demonstrations, sometimes violent, can occur in Kingston, Spanish Town and Montego Bay.

The motive for most attacks on tourists is robbery. Although the Jamaican government has a system of mobile police patrols, there is a risk in walking alone in isolated areas or on deserted beaches even in daylight hours. Vigilance is particularly advised when drawing money from ATMs.
Most hotels and resorts are well guarded. However, robberies can occur. Hotel guests are advised to follow hotel security procedures such as using room or hotel safes, locking windows and doors and reporting suspicious activity to the hotel. Longer-term visitors and residents should ensure proper door locks and window grilles are fitted and consider employing a guard and/or fitting a house alarm. Gated/guarded compounds represent the safest accommodation in the Kingston area.

Criminals have targeted visiting British nationals and those returning to resettle permanently in Jamaica. There have been some violent incidents, including cases of armed robbery, murder and rape. Before returning to resettle, seek advice from the Jamaican High Commission in London and/or the local Jamaican Information Service.

You should still maintain vigilance even when staying with family or friends.

You should follow these guidelines:

Be particularly alert for thieves but do not offer resistance in the event of an attempted robbery.

Don’t walk or use buses at night. Only hire taxis authorised by the Jamaica Tourist Board usually operated by the Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA) or taxis ordered from hotels for your sole use (i.e. unshared).

Do not give lifts to strangers and keep car doors and windows locked.

Avoid large crowds and public demonstrations. Criminals use the confusion of such events to engage in acts such as robbery.

Do not carry large amounts of cash or wear eye-catching jewellery. Use hotel safety deposit boxes to store valuables, money and passports.

Try to vary which restaurants you use. Frequenting the same place too often might make you a target for thieves.

Unless you are fully acquainted with the route and are driving in daylight hours, you should not self-drive a car to or from Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport. Instead, take an official 'JUTA' taxi, or taxi recommended by your hotel or airport’s official taxi dispatcher for your journey to or from the airport. There have been outbreaks of violence in the Mountain View area on one route from the airport to the city. You should therefore avoid this route and use the alternative signposted Humming Bird route via South Camp Road.

[Onelife]

If I find myself being stalked by would be jewellery snatchers I just shout “Bid up TV” which in any language means I’m wearing Cr*p.

[JohnTheDog]

If I find myself being stalked by would be jewellery snatchers I just shout “Bid up TV” which in any language means I’m wearing Cr*p.

Isn't that like saying " this van has no tools left overnight''
I bet people have been robbed even though they are wearing a fake watch..the mugger doesn't know nor care.
I say why take the risk, you are on holiday.

[Delboy]

Did not realise we were talking specifically about Jamaica or the Caribbean, I just thought we were talking about abroad in general.

Have never been or likely to go to Jamaica or the Caribbean, so as I have no experience of those places, as such my comments were not aimed at them.

[Dark Knight]

maybe JTD has specific experience of this part of the world in relation to problems with personal safety
I was generalising about the way some people are frightened of wearing anything valuable in case they are targetted by ruffians and ne'erdo wells

[oldbluefox]

Isn't it all a matter of common sense? If you go flashing your expensive watch, gold chains, diamond necklaces and expensive camera equipment down some dark alley off the beaten track anywhere in the world aren't you asking for trouble?
You take sensible precautions without going OTT, avoid back streets off the beaten track and stay aware of who is around you and what they are doing. After that you may still get mugged, wherever you are in the world but then you are just unlucky. By taking sensible precautions you reduce the risk to yourself and hope the would be thief/mugger/pickpocket turns to easier pickings elsewhere. The alternative is you would never go anywhere or do anything.

[JohnTheDog]

Someone brought up the Caribbean & I used the examples I found I could easily have picked another place. I used two places I have some knowledge of & are different in crime rates & reputation.
Not likely to visit the Caribbean Delboy? don't fancy a nice little cruise round trip no flying?

[Delboy]

Someone brought up the Caribbean & I used the examples I found I could easily have picked another place. I used two places I have some knowledge of & are different in crime rates & reputation.
Not likely to visit the Caribbean Delboy? don't fancy a nice little cruise round trip no flying?

I may, but my wife would not, the Caribbean I am sorry to say, does not attract her at all.

Don't mind flying, we have already done a fly cruise.

[Dark Knight]

Agreed Foxy
not everywhere is a hot bed of crime and a bit of common sense goes a long way wherever you are

[JohnTheDog]

Hmm.. would ''a bit of common sense'' include not wearing obviously expensive looking jewellery in relatively poor countries, when any local villains can see a huge white ship disgorge thousands of potential targets?

[wolfie]

Agreed Foxy
not everywhere is a hot bed of crime and a bit of common sense goes a long way wherever you are

Common sense and a lack of paranoia.

[JohnTheDog]

Common sense & being aware of where you are, which is common sense....

[Kendhni]

I don't wear any jewellery apart form a watch (I never bought into this metrosexual concept) ... on holiday I would usually take the cheapie from Argos with me. Julie would not wear any jewelry if she goes ashore.

I have heard of some muggings taking place but generally they have all been when the tourist has ventured off the beaten track. While there are some headline grabbing stories the majority of muggings in any country are opportunistic and involve snatch and grab or intimidation ... and the best advice is to simply hand the stuff over. On one cruise a man had his camera bag stolen and (or so he claimed) it had a few thousand dollars and his credit cards in it (what idiot carries that amount of cash when he is ashore) ... on another occdasion I heard (laundry room gossip so may not be reliable) a woman was mugged and had several thousand pounds worth of jewelry stolen.

Muggings can happen anywhere but when in poorer areas of the world I don;t think it is advisable to flash around too much wealth. Why take the risk?

[Manoverboard]

We never wear expensive watches or jewellery when we are walking about like a couple of tourists in any Country, including the UK ... what is the point ?

We are certainly not paranoid about it even though we have personally had two experiences of being threatened and/or of being mugged when we did wear such items including a CANON camera strap, as mentioned by Delboy. Once in Paris and once, ironically, in Jamaica.

We are also aware of dozens of cases where fellow travellers have been parted from their wallets and purses etc and they all had the one thing in common in that they were flaunting their relative wealth.

It does not follow that everybody doing so is in any danger but it does, imo, increase the possibility that it could.

[Silver_Shiney]

Is it naughty of me to wish I could walk through an area known for its pickpockets with an obviously heavily laden wallet pocket, only for the pickpocket to find out it was actually a loaded mousetrap?