Stolen watch: omega seamaster 166.024

[J!m]

I thought I was living this nightmare myself...

I shipped a watch and a pile of parts to AUS for work and it was in "purgatory" for quite a while- between "customs clearance" and "delivery".

Now, the watchmaker had to pay import duty, which I find to be criminal, since he will be shipping it all back out once sorted. But he paid that, and they still didn't deliver for several weeks. Customs told him they sent it back to me (which they never did)... eventually it was delivered safe and sound, but it was a nail biter for sure.

That was UPS. I will use DHL next time for sure.

Horrible that people are so willing to take things from others... it comes around, and usually picks up momentum on the way, but the wait is painful.

 

[Sa Calobra]

YYTIN

I am really sorry for this loss !
We will all keep an eye on the 166.024 that will go on sale in the future. I’m adding this model to my automatic search and alerting.

Regarding secursus I am not here to defend their policy but I do kind of understand why they would not cover a transfer that has not given place to a full value payment of the transaction, like for a repair. Just imagine how easy it would be then to organize a scum.

I would be interested to know if someone in Europe is having a good insurance policy/practice to recommend for those kind of things. Secursus took a place that seems to be empty (at least from where I live) to me for « full payment transaction » but when you go for a repair internationally I don’t really know a solution especially when the likes of UPS, DPD, DHL etc do not propose an insurance (it is the case between some countries).
Edit : if this is better to move the last paragraph to another or a new thread, I’ll do so.

Same here! The only 'hack' Ive found is to ship from a certain country where DHL is offering to insure at higher value. Shipping from Spain max 1000, from the Netherlands 5000.

 

[Archer]

J!m

Now, the watchmaker had to pay import duty, which I find to be criminal, since he will be shipping it all back out once sorted.

If the watchmaker has proof that the watch was returned, he should be able to claim back the duty.

 

[sheepdoll]

Still sounds like an inside job.

I sometimes open packages from the bottom. Just becouse I can.

 

[kaplan]

Sorry to hear that, a friend got a Speedmaster stolen in NL with UPS, I don't know the details but he didn't get any money

I got a 18k watch stolen in Germany with DHL

You can't catch a break anywhere in the world

 

[blubarb]

la_lusigne

Thank you.

I was using secursus and directly asked them if shipping for repair was included in the policy and the answer was no.
I will try to get ParcelPro.

Sorry that this has happened to you. Makes my piss boil when I hear these stories. Absolute anathema to me. Something similar happened recently to Victor Boyd in New York (@victorboyd on WUS). He had a Favre Leuba shipped to him in NY whereupon the package arrived empty and a week late . It’s a unique Vintage Depth Gauge Diver.

ps. ParcelPro pulled out of Australia and now there is no independent insurance company (outside of Secursus) covering items over AUD5k From Australia. DHL does but it's an exorbitant cost but they claim to be secure...There is truly a huge gap in the market with a lot of dosh to be made for someone who can fill the gap with an honest, simple and responsive insurance company that doesn't solely rely on its legal wriggle room. I was hoping that that company would be Secursus.

Edited: May 17, 2024

 

[blubarb]

la_lusigne

On a side note, is the website ups down or is it only me ?
It won't open in any browser and when I click the link, it starts a download

Maybe it was stolen...

Edited: May 17, 2024

 

[blubarb]

la_lusigne

I contacted them quite a while ago. Here is the email I got :


It translates :
“Hello,

Unfortunately, our insurance policy only covers goods that are the subject of a commercial transaction (purchase/sale).
We cannot cover items sent for repair.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any further information.

Yours faithfully”

Maybe their policy has changed since then but I didn’t check.

I didn’t use their services since then so there is no use in contacting them.

I can't help but wonder why that would make a difference. It's an item in a box. It's an item in a box that's insured. It's an item in a box that's insured and with disregard to any purpose and/or destination. Just another way the Secursus underwriter is limiting its exposure to claims. To be fair, Secursus will always be limited to the underwriter's policy as to claims I believe. Hence, take note of their special rule that you MUST put in a claim within three days of the item being late on delivery. "Clause 10.3. - Secursus applies a filing deadline for claims. In the event of an Incident, the Customer must notify Secursus without delay, and in any case within 3 days of the originally scheduled delivery date, and in any case within 14 days of shipment." Don't do this and it's tough titties for buyer and seller. That's another one you only learn about when the shite hits the proverbial wind turbine.

 

[Pastorbottle]

No wonder so many people try to defraud insurance companies, it shouldn't be a crime, it's really a public service to rip these arseholes off!

 

[watchyouwant]

blubarb

I can't help but wonder why that would make a difference. It's an item in a box. It's an item in a box that's insured. It's an item in a box that's insured and with disregard to any purpose and/or destination. Just another way the Secursus underwriter is limiting its exposure to claims. To be fair, Secursus will always be limited to the underwriter's policy as to claims I believe. Hence, take note of their special rule that you MUST put in a claim within three days of the item being late on delivery. "Clause 10.3. - Secursus applies a filing deadline for claims. In the event of an Incident, the Customer must notify Secursus without delay, and in any case within 3 days of the originally scheduled delivery date, and in any case within 14 days of shipment." Don't do this and it's tough titties for buyer and seller. That's another one you only learn about when the shite hits the proverbial wind turbine.

I notify them always about that within 3 days. No big deal; stolen or not. Everything did turn up later so far. Except one and Secursus settled that. Just take pictures with the watch in clear sight on top of the parcel with writing/addresses visible.

 

[theluckyluke]

blubarb

I can't help but wonder why that would make a difference. It's an item in a box. It's an item in a box that's insured. It's an item in a box that's insured and with disregard to any purpose and/or destination. Just another way the Secursus underwriter is limiting its exposure to claims. To be fair, Secursus will always be limited to the underwriter's policy as to claims I believe. Hence, take note of their special rule that you MUST put in a claim within three days of the item being late on delivery. "Clause 10.3. - Secursus applies a filing deadline for claims. In the event of an Incident, the Customer must notify Secursus without delay, and in any case within 3 days of the originally scheduled delivery date, and in any case within 14 days of shipment." Don't do this and it's tough titties for buyer and seller. That's another one you only learn about when the shite hits the proverbial wind turbine.

I have not much idea on this topic but I guess having a sale transaction makes it easier for the insurance valuation.

 

[la_lusigne]

Thank you for all your messages
From what I’ve came up to, the only options left are DHL, parcel pro and some other specialised offers like Ferrari group.

I’ll see what the home insurance can do but I don’t expect much.

 

[WatchPer]

la_lusigne

I will try to answer to the previous messages here :

I tried to think about what could have happened. The probable scenario would be that the theft happened at the beginning of the shipment. Someone who would know where the package comes from.
Otherwise, it would be very random that someone down the line opens the package and closes it back.

As I was told by the watchmaker, the watch was wrapped in a cloth and then put in a plastic pocket. Then the pocket was placed in a small box. That small box was placed in another bigger card box and finally there was the outerbox.
So the watch was buried within 4 different packages.

I received every box but no watch. The plastic pocket was opened and the cloth was out of it.

You are correct about the watchmaker. He will post the watch and serial number on his social medias.

I always took care of the shipping and never had an issue until now. I am not sure if he provides insured shipping.

I will contact UPS to know more about what happened potentially.

you case is solved man.? . Terrible I use UPS but never got that issues!

 

[kcsf]

la_lusigne

Thank you for all your messages
From what I’ve came up to, the only options left are DHL, parcel pro and some other specialised offers like Ferrari group.

I’ll see what the home insurance can do but I don’t expect much.

I've had a very similar experience and my homeowners covered it. Worth the shot!

 

[STANDY]

Have read the whole thread….and followed it.

I will say it has been known for a long time from being on forums.
Italy has always had a bad name when it comes to watch theft through mail and parcels in transit. This isn’t the first thread. ((Just pointing this out for newer collectors that may not have known))

 

[steversaurus]

As someone who has had a watch lost in transit, sorry for the loss. It's a pretty stressful and heartbreaking ordeal.

 

[mseamaster]

Davidt

FedEx in the UK are average at best. DHL much, much better.
I had a £6k parcel left with a neighbour, even though I was in when delivery was ‘attempted’. It was shipped international priority and needed a signature from the recipient.

DHL is different in every country I think. They never take my signature, they just give me the package and the write an X as my signature. I can view on their website.... When I press proof of delivery, I see an X written by the courrier in place of signature.

That being said, they dare not leave stuff with neighbors or in front of buildings. If they do, all hell would break loose.

 

[moorey]

la_lusigne

Hello,

It has been some time since I have posted on the forum. I am back with bad news

My seamster 166.024 is missing/has been stolen. I shipped it to my watchmaker in italy for a relume, everything went fine and it was ready to be shipped back where I live in France.
I received the package undamaged but there was no watch in it.

I had a discussion with my watchmaker and the inside of the box was not as it was when shipped.
The watch was wrapped in a white cloth inside a plastic pocket. I didn't find it this way.

Strangely the outerbox was clean and properly taped. No sign of effraction. So it was probably carefully re-taped.

I don't really know what to do. The insurance that I use only covers shipment for sale reason and not repair. So it wasn't insured.
I have heard of thewatchregister.com - I think that I will report it there.
Please tell me if I should do anything more.

Regards

I'd definitely go with thewatchregister.com and once in a while scroll through sales sites for your watch, you'd recognise it, telltales like the nick in the case back at 6.30 and degraded lume on the hour hand. Good luck, I'm still searching for a Rolex GMT swiped off my wrist in Palma Mallorca.

 

[Socks]

Any luck with claiming on your house/contents insurance La_Lusigne? Loosing a watch like that it a real shitter. My heart goes out to you. The whole posting of something like a valuable watch has always troubled me. So far I've only done it once, sending a Tag Heuer CS3111 to Singapore from the UK. It got there okay but it was a nerve-wracking 10 days.

I know you didn't insure it but on the subject of Secursus I tried to insure a Tudor Ceramic going within the UK and they wouldn't cover on the grounds of 'Its a Private sale' sold on an 'online marketplace'

 

[Clelow]

M moorey

I'm still searching for a Rolex GMT swiped off my wrist in Palma Mallorca.

How did this happen?