Patek Phillipe Skeleton Watch

It’s no secret that theft is not the only type of art crime. Art Recovery International is often called upon to assist victims of fraud in the world of art and collectables.

In 2020, a watch collector from Saudi Arabia purchased this Patek Phillipe Skeleton watch from a well-known online auction house. After paying for the watch, the collector applied to the manufacturer, Patek Phillipe, for an “Extract from the Archive”. This request was denied after confirming that the movement was not an original Patek Phillipe movement. This process took all of nine days.

The collector attempted to return the watch to the auction house who refused to accept it relying on their “eight-day return policy”. The collector was then forced to deal directly with the Consignor. The Consignor agreed to accept return of the watch only if the collector obtained a written “Denial of Certificate” from Patek Phillipe.

However, Patek Phillipe does not provide such denial certificates and will only issue an extract for original Patek Phillipe timepieces. Faced with an impossible task, the collector contacted Art Recovery International who managed to put enough pressure on both the Consignor and auction house to reimburse the collector in full.