Which watchband is more secure from theft?

[HDFan]

I had been looking at the Milanese Loop as it just closes with a magnet. Standard buckles and the hassle of threading through the clasp and then fitting the pin in the hole is just annoying. It is a bit more difficult for me as I have large wrists and often (as with my Garmin 310XT) only have 1/2 inch on the other side of the clasp. However I'm rethinking this after talking with someone who just returned from overseas.

Walking downtown in the middle of the day in Rio De Janeiro in a tour group a pick pocket put his hands in one of the tourists front pocket in order to steal his wallet. Luckily he sensed it and the thief ran without anything. In public transit there I'm told you are told not to wear watches or carry cameras with neck straps. Evidently there were too many people who got broken limbs or fell as thieves went after their booty.

As several times a year I'm in poorer countries overseas, I suddenly realized that the Milanese Loop might not be a good idea. Very conspicuous, and all a thief would have to do is grab the end of the loop and the watch would be his.

So are there (illogically) any watches that are easy to put on, but would be more difficult for a thief? Or am I stuck with a standard buckle ...

 

[megatron2000]

Get an extra sports band for crappy areas.

 

[Roessnakhan]

I would say the Sport Band, Classic Buckle, Modern Buckle, and Link Bracelet would be the most secure as they attach in holes and/or have a mechanism more than magnets. Anything that attaches solely with magnets (Leather Loop, Milanese) would be less secure.

 

[Wallabe]

Don't wear it. Just as you don't want to wear a Rolex and a suit in Rio, you may not want to wear or show off your latest iPhone.

Buy a cheap Casio watch for the visits.

I'm certain thieves already know the Apple Watch is coming and it's a hot item. A tourist visiting the area with an Apple watch would stand out very quickly.

 

[Patriot24]

Rio and São Paulo are great places to take absolutely nothing other than a few bucks and an ID in a money belt. Don't make yourself a target.

 

[Night Spring]

Rio and São Paulo are great places to take absolutely nothing other than a few bucks and an ID in a money belt. Don't make yourself a target.

I've been wondering if someone would make a lanyard with an adapter that will slide into the band attachment mechanism of the watch, so you can hang it from your neck, and wear it inside your shirt. That way, you could still get notifications and have the watch track your activity, while keeping it secure from theft. Of course, it would make it harder to look at the watch for time and reading notifications, but it could be a solution if you want to use the watch in theft-prone areas.

 

[Armen]

I had been looking at the Milanese Loop as it just closes with a magnet. Standard buckles and the hassle of threading through the clasp and then fitting the pin in the hole is just annoying. It is a bit more difficult for me as I have large wrists and often (as with my Garmin 310XT) only have 1/2 inch on the other side of the clasp. However I'm rethinking this after talking with someone who just returned from overseas.

Walking downtown in the middle of the day in Rio De Janeiro in a tour group a pick pocket put his hands in one of the tourists front pocket in order to steal his wallet. Luckily he sensed it and the thief ran without anything. In public transit there I'm told you are told not to wear watches or carry cameras with neck straps. Evidently there were too many people who got broken limbs or fell as thieves went after their booty.

As several times a year I'm in poorer countries overseas, I suddenly realized that the Milanese Loop might not be a good idea. Very conspicuous, and all a thief would have to do is grab the end of the loop and the watch would be his.

So are there (illogically) any watches that are easy to put on, but would be more difficult for a thief? Or am I stuck with a standard buckle ...

Something tells me that the act of yanking the band would make it get caught at the threading slit at the watch and not just fly off your wrist easily. I'll have to wait and see when I get mine if that's true or not.

 

[dacreativeguy]

I've been wondering if someone would make a lanyard with an adapter that will slide into the band attachment mechanism of the watch, so you can hang it from your neck, and wear it inside your shirt. That way, you could still get notifications and have the watch track your activity, while keeping it secure from theft. Of course, it would make it harder to look at the watch for time and reading notifications, but it could be a solution if you want to use the watch in theft-prone areas.

Some third party likely will.