Is It Safe to Travel With Your Rolex?

Since 2021, I have done quite a bit of traveling. Even though most of the travel has been work-related, I always bring at least two watches with me. Most of the time, one or both of these watches is a Rolex. Considering the sharp rise in worldwide watch theft, I am beginning to think twice about traveling with my Rolexes. Is it a bad idea? Before getting into the risks associated with traveling with a Rolex, let me give you a bit of background on myself and my passion for Rolex. 

My Experience Traveling With Rolex Watches

I am lucky enough to be the owner of Everest Bands and a partner at MONTA watch company. Both roles require me to meet face-to-face with suppliers, vendors, and customers (at events like WindUp). Simply, travel is a constant for me. Through it all, my wife and I have been able to see the world with our three kids. My life often feels like a montage of the 1980’s movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles. 

Sometimes while traveling, a tiny bit of fear enters my brain: “should I have left my Rolex at home?”

Things to Consider

To be clear, I don’t own a full-gold Rolex, which is much easier to spot than a steel or two-tone model (Oh! Shiny object alert!). Due to the fact that our eyes gravitate to the color and luster of gold, I don’t know if wearing a full-gold Rolex in a developing nation is the best idea. But, if you are in downtown Geneva, for example, no one may even notice.

If the question is posed, “should I wear a full precious metal Rolex while traveling?”, I think the follow-up question should be, “where are you going?”. If the location is safe, with a low crime rate like Denmark or Vancouver, you're probably all good. If the location is a bit dodgy . . . maybe tone it down and take that target off your back. 

I am a huge fan of steel Rolex watches, specifically the Submariner and the GMT-Master II. I travel mostly with a 2016 Rolex GMT-Master II LN (the all-black bezel version). I compliment it with an Everest band in black, grey, or green 100% of the time. To me, a rubber strap decreases the chance of anyone noticing it is a Rolex. Occasionally while traveling, I will head into the local watch store for a bit of browsing. Hand to a bible, the staff of the store often ask me about my experience with Everest. Sometimes I tell them my experience as the owner, sometimes I act like a customer only. Either way, they always mention how nice it compliments the watch and multiple have brought up the fact that, when traveling, it can be a layer of security.

Final Thoughts

Traveling with a Rolex isn’t an inherently bad idea. Depending on where you're traveling, it could be a total nonissue. That said, if your destination has a particularly high crime rate or history of watch theft, it might be best to keep your watch in the hotel safe, or not bring it in the first place. If you’d like an added sense of security, I highly recommend opting for a rubber strap; we offer curved-end (integrated) straps for a wide variety of Rolex references. Do you travel with your Rolex? Let us know in the comments below.