foversta[PuristSPro Moderator]
20814
It is a pure scandal.
Dec 27, 2015,12:24 PM
And this kind of behaviour explains why the fame of Antiquorum is quickly fading.
When you lose the trust from the collectors, it is the beginning of the end.
Let's hope that you will get a positive outcome but things will be complicated.
The most disappointing detail for me is that they didn't even make a two seconds reseatch on google. A lack of professionalism.
Fx
Comments:
view entire thread
Antiquorum and stolen watches: Langematik Anniversary Nr 185 / 500.
By: amanico : December 26th, 2015-10:02
I am posting this story so that watch enthusiasts and all others may learn from my recent, sad experience. On the 25th of October, 2015, Antiquorum auctioned several watches in Hong Kong. Among them was a watch that was stolen from me on the 18th of Janua...
WOW, I'm very sorry my friend
By: Jocke - Bad Santa : December 26th, 2015-10:32
Unfortunately, similar things happening here in Sweden and it does not seem like proffessional traders need to check the origin of things anymore. It has become a frightening development in line with the lucrative second hand market. I really hope you get...
It's a tricky situation
By: Jocke - Bad Santa : December 26th, 2015-12:19
but someone have to be responsible at the company. Maybe Switzerland is easier to communicate with.
In America, You Can Get..
By: elliot55 : December 27th, 2015-17:03
... Your ass locked up for accepting and/or selling stolen property. This is nothing short of criminal behavior on the part of Antiquorum! We will take to the social media airwaves with this story. The response must be severe and unrelenting!
Really!
By: elliot55 : December 28th, 2015-08:13
It's a very serious problem here and the authorities do not like it one bit. To be sure, Antiquorum has probably broken several U.S. laws related to the acceptance and sale of stolen properly. Like I said, the social media response must be severe and unre...
I am so sorry to hear that!
By: KMII : December 26th, 2015-10:49
But would that now not require Aniquorum to hand over the details of the cosignor on police request?
Hey Antiquorum: SCREW YOU.
By: MichaelC : December 26th, 2015-10:51
I hope prospective buyers will find this story on google or elsewhere and avoid working with your company. You try to sell stolen property and then do not assist in returning it to the rightful owner?? HORRIBLE. Nicolas, so sorry you have to relive the si...
Hey Michael C - You Are SPOT ON. Please Keep Up The...
By: elliot55 : December 28th, 2015-13:33
... Social Media Pressure. Antiquorum will pay a hefty price for their obviously criminal behavior. In the end, I believe the answer to what happened to our dear Amanico's property lies with the consignor Antiquorum is protecting. I feel it in my gut. And...
Sadly not the first time I heard about this...
By: patrick_y : December 26th, 2015-11:08
This upsets me so much to hear this. And incredulously, I've heard this story from another Purist! The people at Antiquorum really are near criminals. They support criminal activity because they didn't want to ruin the relationship with the consignor. The...
The exact thing has happened in the past...
By: patrick_y : December 27th, 2015-09:07
Another Purist also had a stolen watch, saw it on Antiquorum, informed Antiquorum, and the watch was returned to the consignor. Just so upsetting.
Ufortunately, I see this behaviour in business all the time
By: NickO : December 26th, 2015-11:37
We do not live in a world that values "doing the right thing" only a world where we look to minimize our own exposure. The Antiquorum lawyers do not care about you, the Consignor, or the watch. Their sole concern is the welfare of their employer. I am sur...
Very sorry to hear this!
By: Anatol : December 26th, 2015-11:51
Nicolas, going through all this for a second time is a real torture! Unfortunately the laws applicable in such cases differ considerably from country to country. And I remember a former owner of a Ferrari Testarossa who could not re-claim his car because ...
very sad... double punishment for you
By: psfparis : December 30th, 2015-05:39
this business goes the wrong way as it is supposed to be "all about trust" i guess you ran an eye and general terms and condition of Antiquorum on HK GTC you can find "Antiquorum warrants that, upon the consummation of the sale of any lot under the terms ...
An incredible story...
By: dr.kol : December 26th, 2015-12:26
The only way to explain the action of Antiquorum is that the Consignor had a receipt of his purchase. But it is difficult to claim that he would have been Bona Fide. A sad story and I'm very sorry for you. Let's hope this ends well. Best, Kari
What a total disgrace!
By: Baron - Mr Red : December 26th, 2015-12:47
The auction house should be embarrassed. Ashamed, actually.
There's a large amount of neavou riche!
By: patrick_y : January 19th, 2022-22:41
Some people in the auction house industry call them "fresh meat." These new-to-art or new-to-watches people support the auction houses with a blind faithfulness, that really isn't justified.
Shameful behaviour by Antiquorum...
By: Dave G : December 26th, 2015-12:56
what a painful experience Nico. As noted, their customer base resides in places like this forum and their credibility is lost when we hear horror stories like these. I hope there is some leads through further police action that can happen for you given th...
I guess not
By: Arie - Mr Orange : December 26th, 2015-15:43
Otherwise he/she/it would have done so by now.... The only thing is for sure: the current holder (not owner) knows without any doubt he/she/it has a stolen good in their hands/safe. Un sellable Personal note to you Nico: this sucks!! I can imagine the ang...
Absolutely unacceptable!
By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 26th, 2015-13:41
This is completely disgraceful, shameful and unprofessional from Antiquorum Can hardly believe such conduct from world known auction house As you know better than me you have many points for legal actions against them question is if you have time and mone...
Nicolas I am sorry to hear about the theft...
By: watercolors : December 26th, 2015-13:52
my take on the situation is as follows. Hong Kong is not a jungle and I am sure Antiquorum contacted the local sheriff's department before returning it to the seller. I am sure it is only a matter of time before you receive your Lange back. All the best E...
Done.
By: TheMadDruid : December 26th, 2015-14:38
Good luck.
Yes, Timezone is a commercial forum
By: NickO : December 26th, 2015-21:52
That accepts money from different site Sponsors (ADs) and other institutions associated with the watch industry. if you make a post criticizing one of their business partners, it will be deleted. As Nicolas pointed out, I believe Timezone has a relationsh...
Agreed.
By: TheMadDruid : December 27th, 2015-07:47
Nicolas, maybe you have already stated this somewhere within this massive thread: did you report the theft to Lange back in 2011? Or any time since up to this past summer? I think you know where I'm going with this. If a "reputable" auction house was pres...
What a story, and sorry for your loss...
By: Clueless_Collector : December 26th, 2015-14:04
maybe if it shows up again we can collectively bid it, buy it and request to meet, chat with the mysterious "owner", see if there are any more interesting pieces he/she "collects". Can you inform all other auction houses to let them know? Rgds Raymond
Which horror mess
By: ninolitaliano : December 26th, 2015-14:12
If the sender is honest, he will contact you and so the investigators will can perhaps the track. Whith you, nino
It is a real scandal ...
By: Chrisparet : December 26th, 2015-14:41
I do hope you will recover your watch Nicolas I think we cannot trust auctionners ...I have read lot of problems with fakes , watches serviced but out of order and so on...experts selling through auctionners... Cheers Christian
I feel your pain Nico
By: NT931 : December 26th, 2015-20:39
And those AQ auctioneers are totally without conscience nor scruples. I made a little picture in support of you , paraphrasing one of my favourite comedians, Russell Peters. Shame on you Antiquorum! This message has been edited by NT931 on 2015-12-26 20:4...
I had a single experience with AQ (their HK & NY branches)
By: NT931 : December 27th, 2015-00:17
... and it wasn't fun either. Almost got hit by some extra charges which they didn't mention, and had lackadaisical customer support when I emailed. To top it all off, they Fedexed to the WRONG address. I would almost have lost the watch if not for an hon...
Well said Luis!
By: NT931 : January 1st, 2016-23:49
The thread you started over at WUS has also garnered several new AQ horror stories. If we hyperlink all the horror stories across different watch fora, hopefully potential AQ customers will see these stories and walk away.
I too have a negative experience with AQ as a buyer(still ongoing)
By: YHWH : January 4th, 2016-21:54
Just signed up to share my own story here. Similar experience here, basically, they're just being unenthusiastic and has always been showing a lack of interest in customer support when it comes to dealing with the mess they created. Coming from my experie...
Exactement!
By: elliot55 : December 28th, 2015-13:57
Those bastardos had a chance to show the class we all believed they had by returning your property. And yet, they chose another path. Shameful. - Scott
I already asked ..
By: bimbeano : December 28th, 2015-15:13
.. if by any coincidence they had a Langematik for sale ... and posted your complete thread in their 'anouncements' .. somebody else did so as well. Have you googled Antiquorum / payments / problems ? Heard that before, but they even wait months and month...
Yes ... but ...
By: bimbeano : December 28th, 2015-15:20
... if the buyer doesn't pay within let's say 2 weeks (if i bid on something i'll make sure i have the cash ready) .... they cancel the deal and send the watch back to the owner ... hmmm, the rightful owner ;-) . I've read about people (and heard from a U...
Nico- Sorry to hear this sad story.
By: descartes1 : December 26th, 2015-14:46
You are such a gentleman that it pains me that you had your watches stolen, and now this. If I may add some perspective from U.S. law, I am sorry to say that there are scenarios under which the "consignor" could have good title to the watch, even though i...
Agreed.
By: descartes1 : December 26th, 2015-15:11
Proving BFP status is not easy and the seller bears the burden of proof. Also, if the seller did buy from a dealer, state law usually has strict requirements which dealers must abide by to ensure they are not selling stolen goods. If the dealer fails to d...
It is outrageous.
By: Mark in Paris : December 26th, 2015-15:27
I know that you're already doing what has to be done and I can't give you wiser advice, especially knowing that dealing with such matters must really not be something "pleasant" for you. All I hope is that your watch (via this thread) becomes the most pop...
Very sorry to hear this story Nicolas...............
By: TonyR : December 26th, 2015-16:07
It would be a highly unlikely event for me to ever buy or sell watches at Antiquroum, this story just re-confirms my feeling. Years ago a friend of mine bought two watches there at an auction. I know they recommend a full service on every single watch the...
22 watches were stolen to you
By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : December 26th, 2015-16:15
Did you check the past auctions? Did the thief (or thieves) steal other LE? I think this could be a good clue to find out what happened to you. We, as collectors and aficionados, should follow an ethical code and avoid stolen watches...but we are not the ...
Nicolas, as all posts stay in internet in this web site, I suggest
By: patrickh : December 27th, 2015-02:19
you to post 1 specific post for each one of your stolen watches, with ref in the title and a photo (just indicating your are always owner of all papers and boxes) On IWC, Panerai, JLC and VC fora. and also add the police declaration with date (paper?) So ...
My idea was
By: patrickh : December 27th, 2015-02:42
to post on each individual WatchProSite forum: IWC, Panerai, IWC, JLC 1 individual post by stolen watch with a number and a photo. So at each search on internet, everyone could be informed.... Patrickh
I THINK this would be New York law in this case...
By: CR : December 26th, 2015-20:19
The buyer, who is in the US, returned the watch to Antiquorum's New York office, and the proof of ownership/theft that Nico provided to Antiquorum was also sent directly to the NY office.
Watch stolen in France
By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 27th, 2015-06:39
Sold in HK by company that have HQ in Swiss and NY Sound like international crime to me
Now is better thime than never my friend
By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 27th, 2015-06:44
I must say that Arie has strong point here Putting this post on FB & Twitter of AQ for no matter how short time would have HUGE impact Trust me 100X more people in couple of hours will see it than here in week Not to compare but I was nearly screwed by on...
I would fight this to the end Nicolas!
By: fernando : December 26th, 2015-17:59
Even if you have lost favour with the watch, it's the right thing to do and a matter of principle. You can do whatever you want with your watch after regaining rightful possession. You have all of us here to back you up if need be. I am not a lawyer but I...
Unbelievable Nico!
By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : December 26th, 2015-20:03
This is outrageous! How can an auction house like AQ not understand the law and rules of engagements in the watch trade?! I have informed my collector friends and some of them started sharing your story on their social media accounts. Let\'s fight this to...
I like your line of thinking Robin
By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 27th, 2015-00:49
This is war indeed We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender
You have many supporters Nico
By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : December 27th, 2015-19:31
The Resistance armies are formed and fighting the war now Cheers Robin
Yes Damjan!
By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : December 27th, 2015-19:30
The war has started!! Many PuristS have joined the Resistance against the Dark Side. Check out various Facebook and Instagram pages! The banner is raised! The flags are flown! Join the Resistance! Cheers Robin
So so wrong!!!! Unacceptable!
By: exigesc : December 26th, 2015-22:45
What is wrong with these people from Antiquorum auction??!!!! These losers just wanted to get rid of the watch as soon as possible & not wanting to have anything to do with it whatsoever!! The worse part was that they were using the document from the orig...
Opinion from HK police!
By: exigesc : January 1st, 2016-10:18
Hi Nicolas! Happy New Year! Wish 2016 will be a wonderful year for you & your family! some of this past issue will get resolve soon!!! I went to the HK police & explained your situation. Here is what they said: 1.) They think the auction house should not ...
Exigesc, thank you so much for your time and efforts.
By: amanico : January 1st, 2016-10:53
1/ Yes, Antiquorum should have waited for an official legal advice ( police or court of justice ), and THAT is a big mistake. 2/ There is a proof of criminal act, since I have a police report ( parisian police ) about a BURGLARY, which is a crime. 3/ To k...
Terrible
By: DaMctosh : December 26th, 2015-22:54
Horrific that you have to relive your loss again when it appears AQ was just going to focus only on its relationship with the consignor. Nothing at all came out of your provision of the relevant papers to them. Stupid, asinine request (sorry but cant thin...
Antiquorum organiser of the auction
By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : December 27th, 2015-01:14
.......acts as an agent only and is not liable for any default(s) of purchaser(s) and/or vendor(s). Neither Antiquorum acting as agent only nor the vendor accept any responsibility whatsoever for any defect or deterioration of any lot nor for any precisio...
That type of "logic" always escaped me.....
By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 27th, 2015-07:02
we are selling your watch that was stolen from you and you have proofs that was yours and stolen but don't write against us cos we will sue you!!!??? That type of law and logic is why this world looks like it looks In short justice is on your side but law...
better a ship than a lion
By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : December 27th, 2015-07:28
AQ returned the watch to the consignor, is not their duty to pursue him. It's called LAW, not logic or even justice. I'm not saying is right, this is a matter for POLICE (and lawyers). If there is no global database for stolen watches, probably it's becau...
I don't like that policy I like....
By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 27th, 2015-07:49
Seriously You don't ask I don't say is something that one would not expect from "Antiquorum, The World's Premier Auctioneers of Modern and Vintage Timepieces, is proud of our fine reputation and the industry knowledge of our internationally recognized sta...
Agree...
By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : December 27th, 2015-08:00
But even if we would have expected a different behaviour, right now this is the sad truth. AQ could change his mind and try to fix this issue. As i type above, this is just the iceberg top, if we think that this lange is 1/22 of stolen watches.
What a horror story, Nico! [nt]
By: sery.vlk : December 27th, 2015-01:38
You are right saying that you feel burglared twice. Sadly enough, the second time by a company engaged in a business we collectors love so much. And the feeling of frustration when you could only witness their course of actions, without a chance to interf...
Incredible!
By: Speedie74 aka Mr. Torquise : December 27th, 2015-01:54
If I were you, I would report about the case at the police, where you originally made the file! And I would also contact with a local lawyer colleauge from Hong-Kong, what is the local law in this issue. Anyway, the situation is not so simple: there could...
Feeling for you
By: dedestexhes : December 27th, 2015-01:58
It would be extremely difficult to keep my calm in such a situation! Hope everything ends well. br, Dirk
Incredible
By: keks : December 27th, 2015-02:10
Stunned at reading how this is unfolding. Lack of communication and them making decision to return to consignor is flat out disgusting. Shows they are in it for a quick dollar and do not see how they are hurting themselves. Makes me want to draw blood. I ...
why not a petition?
By: ninolitaliano : December 27th, 2015-03:08
He would be maybe sensible to make a petition in Antiquorum, by saying that we shall not participate anymore in their auctions, as long as this affair will not be solved?
Glad you like it as I
By: keks : December 27th, 2015-06:23
Would not imagine this to be very hard to execute. Lot of these publications have dedicated writers on watches and jewelry and often cover the large auction offerings. This is such an obvious story that getting it out there should make auction houses pay ...
Bloomberg ran this a few months ago...
By: keks : December 28th, 2015-06:30
www.bloomberg.com - I would send the author, Stephen Pulvirent, a note and describe what happened and suggest he follows up on the article "Fifteen Watches With Bragging Rights From Antiquorum's Fall Auction" with a story called something like "St...
It STINKS.........
By: Sandgroper : December 27th, 2015-03:41
I am dumbfounded at Antiquorum's attitude. This is not a matter of simple "misjudgement", in my opinion it is a flagrant case of dishonesty. To receive and accept stolen goods is a very serious crime in the majority of countries. It is difficult to believ...
In one way or another it will.....
By: Sandgroper : December 28th, 2015-14:47
...it always does! The Universe works in mysterious ways. I am not Madame Soleil but I can feel clearly that some sort of "understanding" will be forthcoming. Very few creatures would indulge or blossom living in the darkness of a toilet hole and generall...
Hvala Damjan.
By: Sandgroper : December 28th, 2015-15:30
Sretna Nova godina to you and yours dear Damjan. Jedan zagrljaj Francois
:))) [nt]
By: amanico : December 28th, 2015-23:56
Sad news in a way....But on the other hand
By: beejo : December 27th, 2015-04:12
I have a feeling that you are getting a step closer to your beloved watch,I hope the auction house to get what they deserve as well..... I will make sure to spread the word in my social circle Best, Ahmed
Incredible!
By: samwan : December 27th, 2015-04:27
And totally unacceptable of Antiquorum! Just a thought Nico - did you try referring the case to the Police (with whom you filed the stolen report) so that they can go after Antiquorum (instead of you)? Since the watch is part of the loot, the consignor an...
Absolutely appalling....
By: Rhyzen : December 27th, 2015-05:01
.... The way Antiquorum handled this is at best unprofessional, at worst outright criminal. We are definitely behind you on this. I personally will not participate in any of their auctions till there is a satisfactory outcome from this fiasco. Please keep...
Simply APPALLING....
By: KIH : December 27th, 2015-06:56
... as I had my TWO Lange stolen, I may have to deal with these situations..... Antiquorum has been my least favorite auction house - based on experience dealing with them, even when I won.... Sorry to hear that and I hope my Lange be not auctioned at Aut...
Shocked but not entirely surprised
By: ianny : December 27th, 2015-08:04
I've heard or read one too many dodgy stories about AQ. These guys are glorified crooks. For what it's worth: If I am not wrong, HK laws and legal system are similar to Singapore's (a former British colony and a member of the Commonwealth). Singapore has ...
Terrible news my friend.
By: KC74 : December 27th, 2015-08:18
The watch may have gone through many layers before reaching Antiquorum. It\'s terrible to know how they handled the situation through asking for real ownership evidence of the watch and does nothing although realising they are auctioning a stolen timepiec...
Appalled to read of such conduct.
By: rnaden : December 27th, 2015-08:53
I do hope that this turns out well eventually. These guys seems to be no different from any other crook, only that they hide behind a lot of legal fine print designed to allow them to make the most money out of dubious trades. I\'ll be sure to share this ...
Case precedent
By: descartes1 : December 27th, 2015-09:10
Nico, here is a citation to a NY case where Christies was enjoined from transferring an item whose title was in dispute. Of course, it\'s possible that HK or Swiss law may apply,but there is an argument that NY law could apply, and if so, Antiquorum shou...
It is a pure scandal.
By: foversta : December 27th, 2015-12:24
And this kind of behaviour explains why the fame of Antiquorum is quickly fading. When you lose the trust from the collectors, it is the beginning of the end. Let's hope that you will get a positive outcome but things will be complicated. The most disappo...
Hoping I was of some help...
By: stevet : December 28th, 2015-08:14
I posted the link to your original post on the Purists' Patek and Rolex forums. The number of viewings nearly doubled after I did that... I'm sure there are other watch community forums besides TZ and Purists. I'd like to get this posted elsewhere, too. M...
Bright spot?
By: Park : December 27th, 2015-13:54
Nicolas, The only bright spot I can find in this entire sordid story is that someone at Antiquorum was stupid enough to do this to one of the watch world's leading opinion makers! If they have any business sense whatsoever the CEO will fly to Paris to pre...
So confounding and maddening
By: colton_d : December 27th, 2015-14:17
What an awful event to go through not once; but twice! I will refrain from restating what has already been said Nicolas, however I will follow in Robin's steps and take this fight to Twitter and IG. AQ shall feel the wrath of their shady dealings. Hopeful...
The best next step seems to be to make a police report in Hong Kong?
By: Ruffian : December 27th, 2015-15:42
And let them get to the bottom of it. I usually assume the best of people until proven otherwise. In other words, I'm assuming Antiquorum and the consigner did what they did in good faith, not knowing it was stolen. If so, once the police investigate, the...
This is terrible! So AQ while knowingly in possession of stolen property
By: watchthatman : December 27th, 2015-16:13
hands the watch back to the party that gave it to them, rather than giving it to its legal owner, or holding it until it's sorted out in a legal arena. And upon receipt of everything they asked for to prove that it is your stolen watch, they declare "ambi...
My friend I hate that you were robbed twice!
By: reintitan : December 27th, 2015-18:40
I would "lawyer up" as they say in the US and sue these guys to get your rightful property back. I would choose which ever country they have operations in and has the toughest laws on receiving stolen merchandise and sue them there.
Nicolas, I am so upset to hear this.
By: CaliforniaJed : December 27th, 2015-19:48
Please let me know (by PM or email) if I can do anything to help with this in the U.S. Best, CaliforniaJed
I can't believe it, it's beyond cynism.
By: cisco : December 28th, 2015-01:07
Hope friendship in southeast Asia and law will help here to find a solution. I wish you courage and hardcore determination Nicolas best François
Done
By: foversta : December 28th, 2015-09:31
Fx ...
Oh my god, I'm so sorry to read this Nicolas!
By: sidneyc : December 28th, 2015-03:18
This is one of the most horrible stories I've heard. Shame, Antiquorum, shame!! How is it even possible that they could return STOLEN GOODS to the consignor, and not to the rightful owner????? It's absolutely unacceptable and unthinkable. I think they hav...
AQ Scumbags
By: doublesix : December 28th, 2015-05:36
Boycott AQ and Timezone. They are all scumbags. AQ should have at least reported this to the police that they were in possession of stolen goods. This whole story makes me disgusted as I had heard over the years that AQ was sketchy from several collectors...
appalled to hear this
By: donizetti : December 28th, 2015-06:24
I hope that since you are a lawyer and famous in the watch world you will make them regret that unacceptable behavior. I certainly won't buy from them after that. Andreas
So sorry
By: nice2guy : December 28th, 2015-12:54
So sorry to hear this story. Certainly a huge response here and Antiquorum would have to be deaf not to hear this.
WHAT ABOUT THE POLICE?
By: G99 : December 28th, 2015-14:15
i know my faith in the police is biased, but there must be someway they can get a warrant to force antiquorum to divulge the sellers details and get the bastard and of course get you your watch back. i wish you the best of luck, i personally wouldnt use a...
???
By: Erik Nilsen : December 28th, 2015-14:31
This is insane. There must be someone who is liable for this insanity. Best og Luck getting Your timepeice back, and in the meantime keep up the pressure.
Shocking news Nico!
By: andrewluff : December 28th, 2015-14:43
And really pleased that the buyer did the right thing when he found out it was stolen. It all seems to be weighted on Antiquorums shoulders for doing the wrong thing... why on earth send it back to the seller? I don't think they should have sent it straig...
Shocking news, but I am not surprised by Antiquorum/Timezone...
By: mrsnak : December 28th, 2015-15:07
I remember when this and other watches were stolen from you. Unfortunately, there are others factors at work with that group that led them to disregard your undeniable proof. The seller is probably well-connected with the owners, and they don't want to lo...
Sad sad story
By: hans_jorgen_1968 : December 28th, 2015-17:10
It is a more than sad story for you my friend And looking at all the replies, there is not much to add. I dearly hope that Antiquorum gets their act together, and get the police involved to do the right thing for once. To ensure that you get the watch bac...
I'm really sad to hear...
By: i_am_Sam : December 28th, 2015-17:41
How AQ treat you with this issue .. That\'s very unprofessional of them to do so. I can only hope that the consignor would do the right thing to you. I will also share this issue to my circle of friends so that they will be aware of this issue and the unp...
So sorry.....
By: sc16 : December 28th, 2015-23:42
Hi Nicolas, I am terribly sorry to read what has happened and moreover that you were not able to retrieve your watch back. It is the nightmare of every watch lover/ collector. It makes you think what would have been the appropriate way to act once one dis...
The winning bidder, I was in contact with him AFTER he refused the watch.
By: amanico : December 29th, 2015-22:48
He did the right thing, refusing a stolen watch. He would have kept the watch, it would not have been good for him. While it would have been good for me, indeed. As he is a gentleman. But he would have been in trouble with Antiquorum. Or Antiquorum would ...
By telling your story,
By: sc16 : December 30th, 2015-18:24
this at least provides us some insight how to possibly act the next time someone would come across such a situation, as I know now much better how to respond. This is an extremely added value of the community… to not only show your pieces, but to share ex...
100% with you
By: ztirual : December 29th, 2015-07:10
Shame on Aq for not doing what a professional auction house ought to have done 1/ enquiring about this particular watch at AL&S and on the internet 2/ returning the watch to the consignor in a hurry when it knew that the watch had been stolen from you I h...
Extremely sad to read this , Nicolas
By: nitediver : December 29th, 2015-07:52
I think you mentioned in another post that some watches were stolen, but I wasn\'t aware of the extent of robbery. On top of this , the experience of your watch showing up on an auction and the very disappointing behaviour of Antiquorum. At least they cou...
What about the consignee?
By: rdenney : December 29th, 2015-14:48
It seems to me, applying logic as only a non-lawyer might, that the consignee has now been legally informed that the watch's provenance has been undermined. Having received notice of that, he has two options: Try to resolve it, or try to hide it. If he ig...
I am actually surprised
By: sc16 : December 30th, 2015-18:32
that the current owner did not come forward yet… Perhaps the feeling of losing his money, besides the watch, is weighing very heavily and therefore still contemplating…. However, I can imagine this is insured, but then again, I don’t know whether the insu...
I misused the word "consignee"...
By: rdenney : December 31st, 2015-07:43
and I meant "consignor"--the current owner who sent the watch to Antiquorum to be sold. I did not mean Antiquorum's buyer who researched it, notified you, and then returned it to Antiquorum based on what he learned--he is blameless. And I did not mean Ant...
Thanks for your thought-provoking post...
By: CR : December 31st, 2015-09:00
It's helpful to continue to think about the current possessor's position. I think there should be two foci. One is the one you describe -- on the current possessor. It would be wrong for that current possessor to hold the watch silently or to try to sell ...
Interpol
By: Elias : December 29th, 2015-15:59
Go to your local police department and file chargers against them. As the are in a foreight country I suppose that this will be taken to Interpol who will inform the Honk Kong police about the matter.
What a nightmare! :-(
By: heartbreaker : December 30th, 2015-05:34
Dear Nicolas, First of all, I want to express my deepest solidarity. I can imagine how much agonizing all of these very sad facts are for you. I'm sure you'll try in every way to promote an international criminal investigation, since the facts you've repo...
All too common
By: hashluck : December 30th, 2015-07:23
I deal a fair bit in antiques and this sort of thing is rather common in that trade and at auction (as Mark alludes to in one post above about a certain auction house). One does what due diligence one can but as a buyer one generally feels there is a leve...
Word is spreading.
By: TheMadDruid : December 30th, 2015-18:52
This has become a topic on Watchuseek and IWL Fora. It has also surfaced on TZ-UK, which I guess is separate from Timezone; the British participants seem quite critical of Antiquorum. Finally, when you google "stolen langematik anniversary watch" my post ...
FYI
By: TheMadDruid : January 3rd, 2016-04:48
I've written to the New York Times and Watchtime Magazine. Should I hear anything I'll let you know. Also, at the suggestion of our friend cee are I registered for Watchnet but my post never got aired-and I've been permanently banned from the Forum! Can y...
outrageous
By: Seeks : December 30th, 2015-20:20
dear nico, sorry to hear about this case. this is just simply outrageous ! a good citizen would just hand it over to a neutral party (eg police) to mediate until the case be resolved for the new year, I wish that the watch will find its way back to your h...
the best of luck!
By: Giuseppe : January 2nd, 2016-10:21
hey sir... really sorry for what happened to you... pretty sure you can somehow sue antiquorum for this as possession and even storing stolen items knowingly (you got proof that they did after the buyer contacted them) is a crime... i read a bit about tha...
I am outraged!
By: bjacknot : January 3rd, 2016-17:28
This could have been me when I bought a UN Trilogy set through Antiquorum! I did have Antiquorum send the watches directly to UN for service, but what a nightmare that I trusted an auction house that neglects to verify ownership!
Distressing!
By: PhilippeTheSaint : January 4th, 2016-09:49
Distressing! I find this sad affair. Nicolas receive my support.
Antiquorum ...... SHAME ON YOU !!!
By: Bruno.M1 : January 4th, 2016-10:12
Good to know I hope you'll get her back one day As for that action site ..... this is VERY bad publicity
Very disappointed
By: halkcb : January 6th, 2016-23:31
by antiquorum's shoddy and totally irresponsible response to your situation. Just happened to read this posting and my sadness and disgust that you have to repeat your anguish at losing this watch again! Now that the holidays are over,i hope that things w...
Very sorry to hear this ...
By: wso : January 8th, 2016-13:51
Just came across this post. I really feel for you and I can totally understand. Hope you will have your watch back soon. I have heard other unethical stories about Antiquorum in the board room. This is another level when they actually sell stolen goods. I...
The "good" news is
By: cyrilabcw : January 9th, 2016-16:26
That your watch is back on stage! Social media pressure + finding the best way to let them understand you will not give up are key if I may. What about their credibility if such a story was ever reported on a larger scale. My best wishes for 2016...keep u...
off topic but .... this is what happens if ...
By: Bruno.M1 : January 13th, 2016-08:25
you ask a question concerning this on Timezone Unbelievable ... I am more than 15 years on that website I posted a few K posts and suddenly ....without any private message, nor warning or whatsoever I even still don't understand what I did wrong Some of t...
You are not alone, Bruno.
By: TheMadDruid : January 13th, 2016-15:38
I joined Watchnet to post about this horrific situation. My post did not see the light of day. And I was permanently banned from posting for my "prior actions".
Did the police contact them?
By: berceuse : January 17th, 2016-05:22
My friend said that the auction house should cooperate with the police, such as providing the information who sent the watch to auction. Since you\'ve reported to the police when the watch was stolen, here is the closest clue that we\'ve ever had. Hope yo...
Expectations
By: Nutellabear : January 18th, 2016-09:14
Sorry, I read this post earlier and said I must respond but then the holidays happened. But I ran across mention of the Antiquorum issue again and it reminded me. First, insofar as Timezone is concerned don\'t feel bad dropping off that list. The directio...
Valid Points
By: Nutellabear : January 26th, 2016-09:48
You brought up some valid points and some facts of which I was not aware. I agree that Antiquorum's actions appear very suspect if not outright unethical. I do maintain two two things however. First that this was an instance with internationsl complicatio...
Actually it IS unexpected that Antiquorum chose the "expedient" course.
By: TheMadDruid : January 26th, 2016-16:32
Anyone would have expected (and reasonably so) AQ to hold onto the watch until everyone with an interest in this matter weighed in. AQ not only returned the watch to someone with questionable rights to it; they did so surreptitiously. And frankly, what AQ...
Keep the emotion out of the issue
By: Nutellabear : January 27th, 2016-19:51
I understand your feelings but it needs to be kept in the context of a business decision. Antiquorum is an auction house, a business, not a judicial organization able or bound to judge a point of law. And that is exactly what property ownership is — issue...
I am curious what you think...
By: CR : January 28th, 2016-06:32
Do you think Antiquorum should disclose the consignor's identity to Nico right now? If not, then under what circumstances (if any) short of a court order do you think Antiquorum should disclose the consignor's identity, and to whom? Also, before concludin...
With all due respect…
By: sc16 : January 28th, 2016-20:21
Imho, I do believe you are missing the point here as AQ just needed to do one thing and one thing only…. Once AQ found out that the item could potentially be stolen, the only thing AQ needed to do was to contact the local police authorities and have the i...
Sorry my friend... F Antiquorum.
By: eric_s : January 19th, 2016-01:47
Ethical conduct should be one of the hallmarks of an auction house that works with valuable items and where provenance is crucial to their reputation. Clearly AQ doesn\'t give a crap about any of that. Point noted. Won\'t consign not buy from them. How do...
A precedent case in 2014...
By: Horologically_minded : February 23rd, 2016-22:40
That could perhaps explain why AQ didn't want to pursue the matter in HK=( news.asiaone.com
Sorry
By: coz : February 26th, 2016-07:09
I just read your terrible story. I'm very sorry to hear that. I hope fate turns quick and you're reunited soon.
Thumbs up!
By: kolosstt : May 22nd, 2016-23:37
I read the article few days back and truly appreciate the sites\'s contribution to bring the news and information into the watch community. IMHO there should really be more doing that. The watch world is just another business and not everything is nice an...
Antiquorum
By: Shanwick777 : March 28th, 2017-04:46
I am so sorry to hear about this, (almost a year later, while searching posts about this dubious company for my own recent post, "Antiquorum - Seller Beware". I don't understand how they can continue to operate with so much disregard for the people who ha...
support
By: Gelato Monster : March 29th, 2017-17:06
Wow. I am so sorry for your loss. May you blessed with more beautiful watch as a replacement I will definitely not buy/supported antiquoxxx any more
Beware of Antiquorum-
By: HansL : May 27th, 2017-09:38
Hello Nico and all, I did not aware of this post before otherwise I will stay away from Antiquorum in the recent Geneva auction on 14th May 2017. I was looking for Langematik Anniversary a while and noticed that Antiquorum 14th May 2017 auction has one, I...
Ridiculous behavior
By: Alex25 : May 28th, 2017-02:58
It is a pity when you buy a product worth of a car and receive utterly poor service. Did you sign a contract on the purchase? As for me you can sue them.
If I may give an advice
By: Alex25 : May 28th, 2017-02:16
Your story is sad and full of ignorance from the Antiquorum. I suggest you write an e-mail to the head of Antiquorum with a description of the problem. The management is unlikely to be willing to bear reputation risks so it might actually move forward you...
I mean the head of Antiquorum (CEO), not managing directors.
By: Alex25 : May 28th, 2017-14:35
As my experience suggest any major problem that is not solvable with regular employees shall be escalated to the top. In such case your issue will be likely solved or you will receive a definite negative response.
Seems like there is no more flow up or update from them
By: HansL : October 22nd, 2017-09:04
Even though they keep promoting heavily, updating the new structure of having the new team, I will definitely stay away from them cos the M.D. is the same guy from Switzerland. Really disappointed about Antiquorum! Nico, any news from you? Still no respon...
Support of Nico
By: HansL : October 23rd, 2017-06:09
Definitely I think there is a need to have a board to keep reminding all users to avoid this auction house. To me, I hope that i can create more noise and awareness about this auction house practice...very unprofessional and unethical.... Regards Hans
I'm sorry to hear your story Nicolas!
By: Langeholic : October 22nd, 2017-09:24
Shame on them, what a poor excuse for an auction house. Unfortunately they have been on the decline for sometime, but your story is very upsetting and displays the unprofessionalism of some brands. I for one will not use them again.
Im sorry to read this. I never knew antiquorum
By: JLG22 : May 19th, 2018-05:27
Did such things. And i'm sorry you lost 22 watches on the same night. That must be painful. You didn't keep them in a safe? Was your story on the news?
Oh that's sad.
By: JLG22 : May 20th, 2018-10:37
So the thieves must have known you brought them home. In all cases now that you know your watch is with antiquorum, can't the police trace back sold it to antiquorum and how this person got it etc in a way to climb all the way to the orignal thief. Ne ser...
Deplorable behavior
By: Pedro_Ramos : May 19th, 2018-06:56
Thanks for advice, will not do business with this people
Me too! Not to mention disugsted!
By: patrick_y : April 15th, 2020-10:52
These auction houses, especially this one in particular, really help facilitate all of this! They want the consignment so bad that they'll do it even if it hurts the industry at a whole. Selfishness at its finest!
Hey!!!
By: TheMadDruid : November 17th, 2019-13:49
You're still behind!
;)
By: amanico : September 4th, 2021-21:56
F-- F-- F--- Antiquorum!!!! This makes me sick!!!!
By: Mostel : September 2nd, 2021-08:21
F them Nicolas. I will NEVVVVER deal with them or buy from them. This makes me SO ANGRY AND FURIOUS!!!! You are an ICON of the watch collecting community. How can they disrespect and ignore you like this?? It makes me LIVID!!!! Who could possibly have mor...
My thoughts as well!
By: patrick_y : September 3rd, 2021-19:38
When I called Antiquorum with my problem, eventually they started to recognize my phone number and they just stopped picking up the phone. Very unethical people at Antiquorum. And honestly, it's not just Antiquorum. It's any dealer, any auction house. The...
Man this post has legs!
By: TheMadDruid : September 2nd, 2021-11:52
People are still discovering it years later. And you were right-you surpassed the number of views with your posts. It's time for you to get a job.
Good.
By: TheMadDruid : September 4th, 2021-16:26
Lucky we live in an area right between two parts of New Jersey that were hit hard by Ida and her aftermath. Good luck job hunting.