Have you ever recovered your stolen watch?

[689maple]

I bought a SS oyster Date in 1983. The watch was stolen in 1993. I kept the box and papers and about once a year would go to all the area pawnshops with the serial number to make sure they had it on their lists. The police here don't keep stuff on their lists that long but it was entered into some data base somewhere and with Rolex. The watch was found in early August but the dial had been changed to a refinished dial in what in NC is referred to as Carolina Blue. Even though I graduated from Wake Forest the elation over getting the watch back was not subdued over the horrible color dial- I just decided to chage it. Has anyone else had a watch stolen that was recovered years later? I am sure glad I kept all the boxes and tags. When I get the dial changed I plan to put it into rotation.

[BarkMaster]

WOW! That's great! Your diligence really paid off!

[snowbird]

Wow, that's an amazing story, getting your watch back after 17 years.

[thirsty5]

Wow, great story!

Never had a watch stolen, and hopefully it'll stay that way.

[Kanger]

we sure do got some passionate Tar Heel fans. Go Heels.

[InVision]

I have recovered 3 Rolex watches with my underwater metal detector, but no thief was involved just stupidity.

Mike

[Zed Homme]

I've only had one watch stolen. I only kept the paperwork long enough to file my ins claim. I don't expect to ever see it again but since it was horribly unreliable I didn't mind it being gone. I don't want it back, now the thief can have it serviced every three months...

[Andrés G]

My GP Seahawk was stolen 8 months ago by some construction workers that were fixing a window at my house. I hope to find it someday.

[bodybump]

DANNGGG..so how did you know did somebody called you from NC??

[Dr. Robert]

No, my stolen sub was never recovered.

[Speed]

Good for you Russ. Someone was looking out for you.

[dgr8dude]

I've just recovered my Sub LV after being stolen for 2 months...by my wife...

[2brothers]

Originally Posted by InVision

I have recovered 3 Rolex watches with my underwater metal detector, but no thief was involved just stupidity.

Mike

3 of your own??

[Yazo]

Glad to hear you got it back

[harry in montreal]

pretty awesome tale. if it could talk, that watch would have a real good story to tell. however, most likely some crackhead sold it for a fraction of what it was worth and then it changed hands over the years.

i love the story though. if you are interested, this is also a great story of a dude who's father lost a 1971 dodge to theft. his diligence led to a complex recovery 28 years later.

http://www.dodge-nitro.com/forums/f9...28-years-4365/

[Boopie]

Great story.

In around 1984, my father-in-law's house was burglarized, and he lost several valuable items including a Patek Philippe he had purchased in Europe in the 1960s, a Vacheron Constantin watch, one other valuable watch, jewelry (including an irreplaceable ring from his Bar Mitzvah, which occurred during WWII), and my mother-in-law's wedding ring. He did not keep the serial numbers or papers his watches (although we have a close-up photo of the PP), so we just presume they are gone forever.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by 689maple

I bought a SS oyster Date in 1983. The watch was stolen in 1993. I kept the box and papers and about once a year would go to all the area pawnshops with the serial number to make sure they had it on their lists. The police here don't keep stuff on their lists that long but it was entered into some data base somewhere and with Rolex. The watch was found in early August but the dial had been changed to a refinished dial in what in NC is referred to as Carolina Blue. Even though I graduated from Wake Forest the elation over getting the watch back was not subdued over the horrible color dial- I just decided to chage it. Has anyone else had a watch stolen that was recovered years later? I am sure glad I kept all the boxes and tags. When I get the dial changed I plan to put it into rotation.

Amazing, Congrats on getting it back.

Any idea which low life took it?

[expensivetaste]

Great read, congrats

[erwin]

Originally Posted by dgr8dude

I've just recovered my Sub LV after being stolen for 2 months...by my wife...

How'd you do it? My wife still has mine!

[689maple]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Amazing, Congrats on getting it back.

Any idea which low life took it?

The only thing we know for sure is that it disappeared early in 93. At that time we had a new baby in the house and many people coming in and out. The only strangers around were tree trimmers cutting back trees in our dormant time. I had by that time gone to a TT datejust so the watch wasn't immediately missed. It disappeared in roughly a 2 eek period of time.
The watch was found in a pawn shop in a neighboring town. The pawnbroker thought it may be stolen when he took it in (as I say I made the rounds about once a year and the year it was made and the smooth bezel caught his attention) BUT he loaned money on it in to gain possession to check to see if it was. of course it was and he immediately called me and the police. The person who pawned it said they bought it at a yard sale. How many Rolex watches do you see in a yard sale?? Needless to say I gave the pawnbroker back his money and enough for a nice dinner for he and his wife for doing the right thing. There are many good people in the world who will do the right thing when the opportunity arises. I haven't had the back off yet ( I don't know how or have the tools anyway) so it will be interesting to see what if anything has been done service wise. I reported it to Rolex as stolen oh so many years ago and it will be interesting to see if it ever had service at a RSC. I am betting that it didn't. Although it was many years ago, it seems I remember the RSC saying they kept a list of serial numbers of all watches reported as stolen and always check when watches that come in for service. Anyone know if they do this or still do this?

[jets]

That's amazing!

[Gerardus]

My Tag Heuer SEL was stolen about 10 year's ago and disappeared like snow.
But then with a blue and purple dial.

[lolo96706]

Glad you got your watch back. It is good to see people who do the right thing.

[Art 1]

I had a somewhat inexpensive watch stolen years ago, never saw it again.

[harry in montreal]

awesome move by the pawnbroker. great that you made him whole - everyone wins. one big loser is the dude "who bought it at a garage sale". whatever. risk versus rate of return i suppose. harry

[dmentzer]

A couple of years ago 3 kids broke into my house in broad daylight and stole my GMT and platinum wedding band among other things. The cops knew who they were as my house was the 7th house broken into that day and there were witnesses from one of the other break ins. When they finally caught them, one of the juveniles had been wearing my watch to school. He bragged on the bus about his Rolex and none of the kids believed it was real. When the cops informed me that they had recovered the watch, I pleaded with them to please take care of it until it could be released to me. Once I got it back, the insurance company paid for the factory service and it came back looking like new. The only problem was that the polishing was a little aggressive with a few soft edges. I could never stand that and have since traded the watch in at my friendley AD on a Daytona. I miss the GMT but not with the soft edges. No more factory polishing for me.