kha1400
5
Stolen Langematik - The Buyer's Experience
The passionate world of watch collecting means you are usually only one degree of separation away from someone else. This turned out to be the case for the Langematik Anniversary #185 which I purchased at auction from Antiquorum, a watch I had been seeking for two years. When I received the watch, I vaguely recalled that a Lange collector I met earlier in the year had compiled a master list to see if 500 had been made. It did not take me much effort to find it online and I was eagerly hoping I could add another number to the list. In fact number 185 was on the list...but with an asterisk! One of the two listed as stolen. My stomach dropped. I trusted the list since I met the collector and immediately contacted Antiquorum (NY office) and asked them to look into the report. I could only imagine what it is lik to lose such a beautiful piece.
I locked the watch in a safe and waited for about two weeks until Antiquorum contacted me and informed that they had completed an initial investigation and that they believed it was stolen from someone in Paris. I asked many questions about who consigned them the watch, whether they check the provenance (especially with numbered watches), and what would happen in this situation. They would not provide me with the contact information for either person, which I can understand. They also were fairly vague regarding how much effort they make to check the history of their watches. The overall experience was polite but non specific.
I immediately returned the watch to Antiquorum with the assumption that they would return it to its rightful owner. This turned out to be a poor assumption. Then there was silence. I received no news for a few weeks regarding the status of the watch or my refund. I sent another message and still no contact. Note that I sent communications to both the New York and Hong Office. After at 4-6 weeks, I bumped into the Lange collector at an event who compiled the list of Langematiks who let me know that he had also been trying to determine the status of the watch and he also put me in touch with Nicolas who shard his own experience regarding with Antiquorum. It was clear that we were both receiving poor communication. I also learned that my contact at the NY office had left the company.
I felt like it was time to escalate and contacted my attorney and drafted a note to the CEO of Antiquorum. Out of courtesy, I contacted the NY office one last time and communicated my intent to an assistant and asked to speak with a manager immediately. This did not occur but I was called the next day by a new person who informed me that that they would refund me the next day, and I also learned that they returned the watch to the consignor rather than to the original owner. I had already heard from Nicholas that this was likely the case. I did ultimately receive a refund.
I tried to keep my experience as factual as possible but now let me share my personal view.
I have done some business with Antiquorum in the past and they were fine, if not overly communicative. I had no reason to doubt them before my recent experience, although I've had an overall better feel withe Christies and Sotheby's. It is clear that the NY office and the Hong Kong office are run separately. I never felt like they were working together, and the NY office had to refund me, and they told me that they would have to get their money from Hong Kong. From a customer's perspective, it was a very odd and disjointed experience. It did not help that my original contact at Antiquorum who passed me off to the Hong Kong office (who never got back to me) left the company. My advice to Antiquorum would be to focus on customer experience and trust. They should find a way to get the watch back to Nicholas. An auction house without trust is not standing on solid ground.
One lesson I've learned is to conduct my own due diligence on watches before I bid. While I think stolen watches being sold at auction is a rarity, I don't feel I can count on the auction houses as much as I used to. That's why communities like these are so important as it helps keep us connected about the real world.
I have also learned from multiple experts that you should always get a police report if a watch has been stolen and also report it to the manufacturer. Lange keeps a running list which is particularly useful if a stolen watch ever gets sent in for service.
Finally, thanks to all of you who provided advice along the way.
More posts:
Stolen Langematik - The Buyer's Experience
The passionate world of watch collecting means you are usually only one degree of separation away from someone else. This turned out to be the case for the Langematik Anniversary #185 which I purchased at auction from Antiquorum, a watch I had been seekin...
Kudos for returning the watch.
Don't know what I would have done were I in your position. I guess Antiquorum had to walk a fine line between you, Nicolas and the consigner (assuming he is a bona fide purchaser). Hence their action to return the watch to the consigner. This effectively ...
Good to Hear From You..
and hard to imagine how you initially felt when you realised what you had in your hands and also how you could do anything differently other than to return the watch to the auction house for a refund and expect the right thing to then happen and at the ve...
It is painfully clear that Antiquorum has been negligent.
And regarding a watch like that (no papers/no box???) you could almost fairly easily state that Antiquorum has been negligent on purpose? They should have known that there was something fishy (to say the least) going on with this watch. And if it really h...
Lange not only has a registry for reported stolen watches,
but they stated to me in an email that they regularly work with auction houses , and other buyers and sellers to confirm that a watch has, indeed, been reported stolen. In this case AQ seems not to have contacted the Manufacture. How can this be anything ...
Wow. The extent of the reach of PuristSPro...
Thank you for sharing your experience. I was in a battle with Antiquorum for years. And the reason why it dragged on for so long was because they were so poorly communicative and they took advantage of the fact that I did not live nearby. They ignored my ...
Never assume.
Never assume anything. I'm not old enough to have have the wisdom of experience yet. But with the little experience I have had, I do know make no assumptions and as few presumptions as possible. Never operate based on an assumption if you don't have to.
Thanks for taking the time to share your sad experience with Antiquorum about that Lange.
... Despite the painful experience of a lost dream. I feel for you. But at least your rights have been preserved. Curious to see that you had to insist. Another " funny " detail " is that, IF Aq thought that they were in their right, they would never have...
Actions speak louder than words...
I'm afraid Antiquorum's true colors are on display here. Shame on them. Nico, I hope there is a good solution, and I'm glad that this forum has provided a place where light is able to be focused on them. Systemic problem methinks...at the very least negli...
Now the only two left who still need to share their sides of this story are (a) the consignor (the current possesor of Nico's stolen watch) and (b) Antiquorum...
Thanks for posting your side of this. I truly hope that some disgruntled Antiquorum employee with a conscience will contact Nico and discreetly provide him with the name and contact information of the consignor. I also hope that you soon find a legitimate...
You will never hear Antiquorum's response
or the consignor's. It is well known that AQ have a lot to answer for as it is not the first time this has happened. Don't hold your breath waiting.
Thank you Kha1400
for sharing your experience in this matter and for being that honest and ethical guy! Too bad that Nicolas did not receive the watch back, as per your and Nicolas' thought process it would happen…
Thank you for your explanation of your actions and experience. [nt]
Now we know the plot, the storyline, and now waiting for the final chapter. I am hoping and wishing for a happy ending.
