Gold Jaeger Le Coultre Watch

The first ARI recovery of 2021! Stolen from a London based jeweller in 2011 whose car window was smashed by thieves. Jaeger-LeCoultre watch, box, and papers were stolen, and then fenced through pawnbrokers and two auction houses before being recovered by ARI’s Chris Marinello.

Shockingly, not one, but BOTH UK 'provincial' auction houses returned the stolen watch to their consignor AFTER being informed that the watch was stolen property and that it must be held by the gallery pending a civil resolution or law enforcement involvement.

Despite this misbehaviour, the watch was recovered from the cooperative pawnbroker who should have done some due diligence before taking the watch in and selling it on. One of these days, this provincial thinking by provincial auction houses is going to be reported as a crime.

Some auction houses panic when stolen items show up in their salerooms and they parsimoniously try to get rid of the item even if they are breaking the law. The Trade should consider this a warning. Without naming names (today, anyway) I will say they were not very nice Fellows.