Stolen vintage watches, thoughts?

unxsr · May 20, 2022

I recently picked up a watch from eBay that turned out to be a stolen watch (or grey market?) from the early 60s. The serial number was scratched out and it didn’t fall under the “drilled serial number” era.

This got me thinking about the general idea of owning a vintage stolen piece. Should it be considered as junk and be tossed out? If I didn’t know it was stolen would that be ok? Where do we draw the line?

I ended up returning the item because I don't like the idea of having a stolen watch on my wrist, but I'm curious if there were any other perspectives on this subject.

noelekal · May 20, 2022

Good question.

Thanks for posting.

Can defaced serial numbers ever bode well? I can't think of a good reason to remove serial numbers.

I only barely have heard of "drilled serial numbers" and saw the reference to it here on the Forum. I'd have to ask why drilled serial numbers.

Evitzee · May 20, 2022

A defaced serial number does not automatically mean a stolen watch, most aren't stolen, there were various reasons for obscuring serial numbers in that era, usually having to do import tax avoidance or moving watches from one overseas market to another.

gbesq · May 20, 2022

First things first. Stolen and the grey market are two very different things. Stolen is illegal. The grey market is not. I would certainly return a watch that I purchased if I later discovered that it had been stolen.

unxsr · May 20, 2022

Evitzee
A defaced serial number does not automatically mean a stolen watch, most aren't stolen, there were various reasons for obscuring serial numbers in that era, usually having to do import tax avoidance or moving watches from one overseas market to another.

gbesq
First things first. Stolen and the grey market are two very different things. Stolen is illegal. The grey market is not. I would certainly return a watch that I purchased if I later discovered that it had been stolen.

I see. Is there a way to know if it is stolen vs grey market?

Evitzee · May 20, 2022

unxsr
I see. Is there a way to know if it is stolen vs grey market?

On a watch that is 60 years old, there is little way of knowing if it was ever stolen unless it was reported stolen back in the day. But even those records are probably lost to history. You really don't see defaced numbers on newer watches, it's an old practice that really isn't needed anymore, especially when serial numbers are often on the case back, lugs and on the movement seen through a clear back. Selling a newer watch with easily seen defacing is pretty hard vs. an older closed back watch where the serial number was only on the movement, invisible to the wearer.

Davidt · May 20, 2022

So do you even have confirmation your watch is stolen or are you assuming based on the serial being removed? That’s quite a jump IMO.

unxsr · May 20, 2022

Davidt
So do you even have confirmation your watch is stolen or are you assuming based on the serial being removed? That’s quite a jump IMO.

I hear you. For the watch I purchased, I came to the conclusion it could have been stolen so I don't want to deal with it.
As for the discussion, I was curious about the general thought of buying watches that could have been stolen.

Waltesefalcon · May 20, 2022

Any of my watches could have been potentially stolen at one time. I own watches manufactured from 1849 all the way up to 1969. So even my newest watch has fifty-three years of history behind it. I only own one watch that I know the complete history of and that's my great grandad's Illinois he bought new in 1917. All the others... who knows. I'm not going to start calling around to police departments looking to see if any are stolen. Even if you suspected you owned a watch that was at one time stolen how would you go about tracking down an owner or an owner's heirs? Watches are small, they travel from state to state and country to country. A watch that was stolen in 1960 in London could wind up today in Alabama. How would you ever connect the dots?

TexOmega · May 20, 2022

Sam Spade could connect the dots.

jantjewgm · May 21, 2022

Numbers can also be very faded as a result of the bracelet rubbing it for many years

Davidt · May 21, 2022

I try and avoid watches with serials removed as you simply don’t know why it was done. If I didn’t find out the serial was drilled out until after I bought it, I’d return it unless it was an uncommon dial or similar. Why bother if it’s a reference that you can replace within a few months.

Howevwr, I certainly wouldn’t jump to the conclusion it was stolen. There could be other reasons why the serial was removed.

If I was contacted by the police about it being stolen (I’ve had this previously) and it turned out to be, obviously I’d hand it over but this is just as likely with watches that haven’t had their serial number removed (again, as happened to me).

Im not going to tie myself in knots worrying about whether a watch could have been stolen 40 years ago.

Stolen vintage watches, thoughts?

unxsr

noelekal

Evitzee

gbesq

unxsr

Evitzee

Davidt

unxsr

Waltesefalcon

TexOmega

jantjewgm

Davidt

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