- Invest in quality travel cases and be mindful of how you pack your luxury timepiece to avoid damage while travelling.
- Keep your watch in sight at the airport, use hard-shell cases, and store it in hotel safes when not in use for optimal security.
Ensure your watch is insured and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to it, especially in high-traffic areas, to minimize theft risk.
When I pack for a press trip or holiday, I’m certainly guilty of leaving everything to the last minute, furiously stuffing clean clothes, toiletries and chargers into my carry-on. But when it comes to travelling with a prized timepiece, I’ll go to great lengths to ensure that my watch and its safe passage is taken care of – any misstep could be a costly mistake.
For the best kleptomaniacs out there, flaunting a high-end piece of horology on your wrist is like a magpie spotting a shiny spoon. Take, for instance, the case of an $840,000 Richard Mille being swiped straight off the wrist of a Japanese businessman in Paris. Even worse, a €275,000 EUR (~$460,000 AUD) Richard Mille was stolen from Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz walking the streets of Milan.
So what steps do you take to ensure its safety? Not only does it need to be protected en route to your destination, but it needs to be kept safe when you get there. Fortunately, with luxury timepieces being recognised as items of high value, ensuring they survive their trip is surprisingly easy.
In this Guide To Travelling Safely With Luxury Watches article.
Which Watch To Take
First of all, you need to decide which pieces from your burgeoning collection are going to be accompanying you on your trip. Watches of Switzerland argues: “Do you need different watches for different purposes (casual, swimming, formal, second time zones, etc) or one watch for all purposes?”
If you’re travelling for business, then taking one of your fancier models is perfectly acceptable. It could finally be a chance to show off your new Rolex Submariner after enduring months on the waitlist. Of course, if you’re going to take advantage of the long weekend for a walking holiday, then perhaps a more modest timepiece that can withstand the inherent demands of the great outdoors will be more suitable.
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Whatever watch you take, you’ll want to make sure that it’s protected from any potential damage and unwanted attention from opportunists – and that starts with the packing.
Pack With Purpose
Luxury timepieces are expensive investments and how you choose to pack them can make all the difference when you’re travelling. Imagine dropping a few thousand on your favourite watch, only to chuck it lazily into your bag to go through security. You’ve already come this far; one more purchase won’t hurt.
“If you are travelling first class with a trunk, you can afford to stow a multiple watch winder.”
Watches of Switzerland
“If you are travelling economy, you will probably opt for a lighter watch carry case. The objectives in choosing the best option are to protect the watches from impact, scratches, dust, humidity and heat,” WoS continued.
Invest in a quality travel case or watch roll specifically designed to provide the best protection for your watch. These cases can vary in size from a singular pocket to four watches across, providing cushioned compartments that prevent scratches and damage from impact. Ensure you carefully pack your watch to avoid any unnecessary damage.
What To Do At The Airport
When you arrive at the airport, it’s not just a case of walking through security. Your watch can be susceptible to all manner of damage risks, so there are a few things you need to do to avoid them.
Firstly, don’t put your luxury timepiece in your checked baggage, as it’s out of your sight and if anything were to happen to it during transit, you won’t know about it until you reach your hotel. The safest option is to wear it on your wrist, or at the very least put it in a protective case in your carry-on luggage.
As for security, the debate as to whether you should take it off for screening is as old as time itself. To avoid the risk of being strip-searched by an officer with hands large enough to rival a goalkeeper’s, consider putting your watch underneath your bag in the tray, to help minimise the magnetising effects of the X-ray machine.
Some watch enthusiasts argue these machines have little to no effect on watches, at least those of the mechanical ilk, but it’s always better to be safe than to have a watch that’s inaccurate by a few seconds.
Hard Is Better Than Soft
When it comes to cases, we’d highly recommend investing in a hard-shell case. Soft, fabric watch rolls look cool and have protective qualities, but they’re no match for a hard counterpart. Yes, it might take up a little extra space in your bag, but if it’s the difference between a damaged and undamaged watch, we’re sure you’ll be more than happy to forego that extra pair of shoes.
Watches of Switzerland sums it up perfectly: “When your selection of watches gets above a certain value, it is worth investing in the best quality of travel cases available.”
“[We] recommend Scatola del Tempo, the company which invented the first portable consumer watch winder in 1990.”
Watches of Switzerland
“There are portable models of Scatola del Tempo watch winders capable of maintaining the energy of one, four, six or nine watches, of any shape or size up to 56mm.”
“Likewise, the Scatola travel cases vary from the robust Viaggio or Valigetta, for one, four, six, eight or sixteen watches on strap or bracelet up to 56mm, to the lighter Pochette 4, capable of carrying four oversized watches on strap or bracelet.”
Ensure It’s Insured
We suspect you would have already thought of this if you have a watch worth four, five or six figures, but insuring your luxury timepiece is a non-negotiable when you fly. Whether you’re jet-setting for business or leisure, insurance offers vital protection in the event of theft, loss, or damage during transit. You’d do the same for your car, so why not your prized possession?
Several insurance companies cater specifically for high-value jewellery and watches, offering bespoke policies that will cater to your unique needs. These companies will ensure you’re covered wherever you are in the world, with the option of choosing the jeweller or boutique that’s most convenient for you, should you need to make any repairs while away from home. Always remember to read the fine print.
Use Hotel Safes Correctly
Most reputable hotels will come with a safe in your room as standard, offering a discreet location for you to stow away your travelling collection while you’re out seeing the sights. Even in the safest hotels, it’s better not to take chances and leave your watch in your bag, or worse, on the bedside table.
While hotel staff are trustworthy, accidents can happen, and not all environments are fully secure – – leaving a luxury watch out in the open makes it an easy target. Hotel room safes can be manually set upon entry to your room, simply follow the instructions to assign your safe with a unique code, ensure it’s locked properly and travel with peace of mind.
Don’t Flaunt It
As we alluded to in the introduction of this piece, flaunting your finest wristwear is only going to attract the attention of the kind of people you don’t want to associate yourself with. In high-traffic locations where there are thousands of people at a time, the risk of losing your luxury timepiece increases.
Of course, you have brought your watch for a reason and we’re certainly not saying don’t wear it. But pickpocketing occurs when you least expect it – it’s important to be aware of watch theft hotspots when travelling to new locations.
