How To Ask Someone About Their Watch And What To Do If You Are Asked

If you are reading this you are probably into watches and you probably want to know how to ask someone about their watch, while also wanting to know what to say if someone asks you about yours.

I think it is very important to know that the context of Where, When and Who are massive in this equation. If you get this wrong it can not only be awkward, but you can scare people, which is really not what we want to do.

Why It Can Be Bad To Ask

The simple answer is fear. If you are wearing a nice watch (it doesn’t even need to be expensive) and someone asks about it, what is the first thing that is going to cross your mind?  …Robbery.

Maybe you don’t, maybe I am a little paranoid but I think a lot of us do fear this.

This is why the Where, When and Who you speak to is so important. If done in the right way it will be obvious that you are not trying to rob someone and if someone approaches you, you will be able to tell if they are a danger, or just a friendly watch enthusiast.

Sometimes it can just be more sensible and easier to admire the persons watch from a far. They don’t always need to know that you like it. Most people buy watches for themselves so do not require any validation from strangers, even if it can be still nice to hear.

(You can read more about – Does Wearing A Luxury Watch Make You A Target? (And How To Avoid It))

Talking To Strangers

Not everyone is a watch person.

I think it’s very important to make it very clear that not everyone wearing a watch cares about watches. Even if they are wearing a 10k watch, they may not be into watches. Some people are just rich and own nice things. Other people just happen to have decent watches, maybe it was a gift or they just bought it as they liked the look of it.

There is a good chance that the person you want to speak to is not into watches. Personally I would just not even try to talk to most people. I think you will get to many bewildered replies.

If a person is wearing a fairly popular/common watch, even if it’s expensive, I wouldn’t bother. If you see they are wearing a quite obscure brand, or they have a different strap than the supplied one, there is a much higher chance that they are into watches.

If you see someone wearing a nice Rolex, chances are they have probably just bought it as it’s a nice Rolex. If you see someone wearing a Vostok on a nato strap … they are watch enthusiast. No doubt.

Location Is Key

If you do decide to approach someone, make sure you do it somewhere sensible.

Think about if someone approached you on the street. You are instantly going to panic and start looking around to see where the attack is coming from.

You need the person to feel safe and secure, not threatened.

If you are at a private party, or a business meeting, it’s going to be less weird that you are talking to them; in fact it’s probably totally normal.

Just always ask yourself “if a stranger spoke to me right here, right now, would I find it strange” if the answer is even maybe then leave them alone. I am an introvert, so maybe I will always find these types of interactions strange, but if you are a bit more outgoing, just be mindful of the setting you are in.

Take a restaurant for example, walking past a table on the way to the toilet, stopping on your way back to talk …that’s weird.

However, sitting at your table and noticing the person on the next table has a nice watch is different. Especially if you politely get their attention when they are alone (say when there partner has gone to the toilet) which is totally different than just standing over them as they eat.

You are not interrupting their conversation, which is polite and you are also sat down with your own food, you are clearly not a robber or any threat to them. It is also not too uncommon to exchange pleasantries with the table next to you so it’s not super awkward.   

Think about the location and think about how you fit into that situation and what would be socially acceptable in that place. Take a shop example: talking to someone in a shop might be okay; maybe it’s a little too strange at times. However, talking to the shop staff, that’s totally normal. 

As I’ve already said, sometimes it’s better to just admire the watch from a far.

If you are the one being approached, be aware of your surrounding and ask yourself if this seems strange. You won’t actually need to ask yourself that, you will be automatically be aware if it doesn’t feel right. If it doesn’t feel right try and leave and politely decline any further conversation with the person.

What You Look Like/ Who You’re With

It is not only Where you are, but Who you are as well as what you look like and who you are with.

This is again fairly common sense, but some people forget the basics. If you are approaching a stranger, think about how you come across and what they might think of you.

If you are a big guy, wearing all dark clothing and you rush up to someone… they are probably going to panic.

You can’t really change if you’re a big guy and you have probably already left the house so can’t change what your wearing, but you can certainly still change things. Smile, look non threatening, wave at them from a far and approach slowly. Basically make yourself look a nice as possible.

If you are a business man in a suit, you are going to look less threatening to another business man in a suit as you approach him pointing out his Rolex. Imagine you did the same but you where wearing a hoodie. The guy is 100% going to panic when he sees you.

The same goes for who you are with and who the person is with. If you are in a group of lads and you all approach a lone person at once, that is going to seem threatening to them. However, if you are the one who is alone and you approach a group of people, it will be less threatening.

The same applies if you are with children for example; no one with a baby strapped to their chest is out robbing people, so you should come across a whole a lot less threatening.

I know this all sounds very shallow, but this is the reality. People are easily spooked and quick to draw assumptions. It shouldn’t really matter how someone is dressed or who is with them, but I can guarantee you they will act differently to people approaching them dependant on how they look, regardless if they want to talk about your watch or not.

If you are being approached, you will quickly feel if the person has good intentions or not, as always be aware of your surroundings and if you are not comfortable, try and leave. It should be fairly obviously if someone is sinister or not after a few seconds.  

Identify Yourself As A Watch Enthusiast

This is the single most important thing you need to do. Most people will not have had someone comment on their watch before and will automatically start to panic, the quicker you can explain why you are interested in their watch, the quicker they will realise you are harmless.

Simply complementing someone on their watch can still panic people. If they have a couple of grand on their wrist they are going to worry that you now know this and instantly start to wonder if you are eyeing it up.  

The best way to portray that you are a watch enthusiast is to use your own watch as conversation starter.

It doesn’t matter what watch you have, you can still use it.

Say “excuse me” and then say something like:

“I just want to say that’s a nice Rolex, I’m still rockin a Casio at the minute” …then raise your wrist to show them and smile.

Or “I see you have a Rolex as well, they are great aren’t they” …raise your wrist and show them yours.

“Can I just ask, are you wearing a …? They are so cool, I’m wearing a…” …raise your wrist and show them.

You have very quickly shown you are interested in watches and you will also very quickly be able to tell if they are into them too.

Well, I should say, you will very quickly be able to tell if they want to talk to you about watches or not.

You will probably get a polite reply and a thank you, or you will get the start of a crazy watch conversation. If the person isn’t interested in talking, that’s fine. Just leave them alone.

If you are approached by someone doing this you feel they are a watch person, talk to them, if you are a bit shy and awkward like me. Just say, thanks, smile and carry on with whatever you were doing, you don’t have to talk to people if you don’t want to.

If they do want to talk to you, you need to follow some simple courtesy rules. You may both be watch fanatics, but you are still strangers.

Don’t Ask To Touch/Wear It

You shouldn’t ask to touch or wear a strangers watch, that is sending major “I’m going to steal this” vibes to them and it will freak them out. You also shouldn’t offer your watch up to anyone. They may seem nice, but you’ve just met them, so you never know.

The only time this may be acceptable is if you are at some sort of watch event or watch club. I’ve never been to one of these, so I can’t say exactly, but it should be a little safer than a random interaction on the street.

Don’t Ask About Money

It is rude to ask and it is equally as rude to tell when no one has asked. You shouldn’t talk about money unless you are trying to sell the watch, then that is a different situation.

However, I doubt you are going to start talking about selling the watch to a random stranger, so there will be no need to talk about money.  

Don’t Ask If It’s “Real”

If someone does show you their watch, don’t ask if it’s real or fake. That is straight up rude. I am sure you can decide for yourself if it is or not, you don’t need to ask and you don’t need to voice your opinion.

Maybe the person doesn’t know or is just lying, either way it doesn’t matter, just don’t mention it.

If it’s your watch you are showing, you don’t need to mention it. You know where you got it from and what you paid. My hope is you are not lying to yourself with fake watches, but if you are going around showing people, they will know your secret, you don’t need to tell them, they will already know. So, you can just have a quiet word with yourself after.

People You Know

If you know the person the rules are totally different, although still pretty similar.

Basically the main difference is that if you know them, you shouldn’t think they are robbing you and hopefully that is the same whenever you ask someone you know.

It also doesn’t really matter to much about When or Where you ask them as you don’t need to build that level of trust and safety with them (since you already know each other).

After this, it’s pretty much the same.

You can either approach it softly by complementing the watch, or you can just straight up ask about it. This will obviously depend on who you are asking and what your past relationship is like. Only you can really judge that but it should be less awkward than talking to a stranger.

I still wouldn’t talk about price. We all have google, you can investigate that later, privately if you want. I also wouldn’t ask if its fake, as that is straight up insulting.

If you are being asked about your watch you shouldn’t volunteer that information it just looks like you are showing off if you start throwing the price around.

The same goes for asking to touch it or wear it. I would not ask this, even if it’s your family member. It could be very personal to them, so don’t put them in that situation to have to tell you no.

If you are being asked about the watch and are happy to let the person touch it or wear it, take it off and offer it up to them.  

Conclusion

If you do get stopped by someone and they are not a robber, hopefully you can have a wonderful chat about watches.

If you try and follow what I’ve said above you should hopefully have less awkward and fearful interactions with people about their watches.

Honestly, sometimes it is better to just admire the watch from a distance and say nothing, which is kind of sad.

However, there is the internet and you can easily find super watch nerds from all over the world on social media who are going to be more than happy to talk to you about watches compared to some stranger on the street.

(You can read more about – Will A Watch Impress People?)