Advice for watches stolen in a robbery

[WheelsUp]

Dear Panerai Friends, our home in Los Angeles was recently burglarized and amongst the many valuables stolen were several watches. My husband's Panerai 10 Day Power Reserve is especially heartbreaking since it was a sentimental one, and as you know, Panerai does not make them anymore. Our Panerai sales associate has flagged the serial number in case it ever comes in for authentication or repair. Does anyone have any advice as to what else I can do or look to help my small chance of finding the watches? Also any stories of people successfully reuniting with stolen watches would give me some hope. Thank you!

[DONAG1]

Casually check out pawn shops. Crooks like to fence stuff and pawn shops are the best place to sell them

Problem is. If you don't look the type to be looking in pawn shops your going to stand out and seller might be wary of you. There are upscale ones, but crooks aren't pawning stuff there (well not these ones)

Probably got a lot of them there

Good luck

[WheelsUp]

Thanks for your suggestion. Indeed, I have never been to a pawn shop so would certainly stand out. What does it mean to "fence stuff"?

[DONAG1]

Thanks for your suggestion. Indeed, I have never been to a pawn shop so would certainly stand out. What does it mean to "fence stuff"?

Fence - Sell

Just wear casual clothes. Jeans, sweat top. Watches have serial numbers, so you can email the company with the information. Anyone sending the watch in for service will have it seized.

[peezie]

I would also advise putting out notices to any and all grey market internet sellers you can find, such as Govberg, Crown and Caliber, Jomashop, and other places where you can sell watches without proof of ownership. There are plenty -- email them all with your information.

[WheelsUp]

Thank you, this is just what I needed. If you can think of any others, please let me know. I don't know how fast these watches resell, but I will still try. I just can't understand why people who want these types of watches would buy them without any certificates, knowing it is from dubious origin, and knowing they could never authenticate or service it by the watchmaker.

[PaddyC]

Look on Craig’s list, eBay etc.
generally thieves don’t sell online but their buyers may.
Thieves don’t get watches serviced either. Don’t be afraid to ask a wearer of that model where he bought it from. Don’t give up. Let the police know you would like to inspect their stolen goods retrievals. Just thinking out loud. Your watch will still be in your area I would bet.

[wiseman]

I'd advise to publicise the watch model number and serial number to as many places as possible - also any specific marks/signs of wear on the case to make it identifiable. Panerai are easier (still tough!) to recover as they are not lost amongst the 1000s like a Rolex/AP.

[peezie]

Thank you, this is just what I needed. If you can think of any others, please let me know. I don't know how fast these watches resell, but I will still try. I just can't understand why people who want these types of watches would buy them without any certificates, knowing it is from dubious origin, and knowing they could never authenticate or service it by the watchmaker.

Actually, it is getting harder to sell Panerai even to grey market dealers without box and papers. Sadly, fakes are getting good enough for places like that to avoid them entirely. That said, the more information you can get out to potential destinations the more your odds increase.

[Stratos]

You can register your watch as stolen on an online platform such as The Watch Register.