Richard Mille RM011 Bronze

Rare Watch Stolen by ‘Reindeer’ is Recovered in Switzerland

LONDON, 15 DECEMBER: An ultra-rare Richard Mille watch stolen in Northampton, UK, and valued at over £125,000 ($165,000) has been recovered in Switzerland by Art Recovery International – an early ‘Christmas miracle’.

The watch was reported stolen in 2018 following a water leak in the owner’s home. The owner had removed the watch from his basement safe and placed it on a table in his garden overnight to dry.  The owner told the police, and their insurance company, that the watch was taken from the property by a ‘reindeer’ attracted by the shiny object.  The UK deer population is on the rise and has become a particular problem in Northampton where residential development is encroaching upon the animals’ natural habitat.  Deer have been known to find their way into residential flower gardens where they enjoy eating various plants and flowers, but this may be the first reported case of jewellery theft.

Christopher A. Marinello, a lawyer and the CEO of Art Recovery International, who led the recovery operation, said:

“It’s fitting for Christmas, but I don’t buy this reindeer games theory. Whoever, whatever, took this watch ended up fencing it in Dubai where a Hong Kong-based watch dealer bought it not knowing it was reported stolen. It wasn’t until the watch was sent to Switzerland for service that we were able to confirm the match via the serial numbers. High-end watches are no different than fine art.  Thefts should be reported to the police and fine art databases like the non-profit Artive Database (artive.org).”

Art Recovery International handled the delicate negotiations which resulted in the unconditional surrender of the stolen timepiece. Richard Mille watches are among the finest timepieces in the world and are known as “the secret billionaire's handshake.”  The brand is largely known only among the billionaires (and the occasional multi-millionaire) who can afford them.  Some models can sell for over £1.6M ($2.2M).

Christopher A. Marinello is one of the world’s foremost experts in recovering stolen and Nazi-looted works of art and has recovered nearly £400M ($510M) worth of fine art and jewellery.