The pre-owned luxury watch market is booming—offering everything from rare collectibles to better prices on iconic timepieces. But a new global study suggests there’s a serious risk buyers aren’t paying enough attention to: you could unknowingly be buying a stolen watch.
According to research by The Watch Register, stolen watches are not rare exceptions—they are routinely circulating in the legitimate resale market.
One in five (20%) dealers said they are approached several times a week with watches they believe could be stolen, while the vast majority (a further 71%) report encountering such situations several times a month. Only 2% said they are never faced with this issue.
The findings highlight the persistent and widespread nature of luxury watch-related crime, with stolen timepieces continuing to circulate through legitimate channels and placing pressure on retailers to strengthen due diligence processes.
“Our research shows very clearly that the issue of stolen watches for retailers is persistent and global. The fact that so many businesses have experienced financial losses highlights the sophistication of criminal networks and the challenges of identifying stolen goods in an increasingly international market,” said Katya Hills, Managing Director of The Watch Register.
In 2025 The Watch Register reached a landmark 5,000 lost and stolen watches identified since the service was founded more than a decade ago. In the past year alone, stolen watches identified by The Watch Register have been traced across 34 countries spanning North and South America, Europe, Asia, North Africa, Australia and the Middle East, underlining both the global scale of the problem and the reach of the platform.
How common is the problem?
The numbers are striking—and directly relevant if you’re planning to invest in a pre-owned luxury watch:
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71% of retailers say they encounter suspected stolen watches several times a month -
20% say it happens several times a week -
Only 2% say they’ve never faced this issue
In other words:
If you’re buying pre-owned, there’s a real chance your watch has passed through questionable hands at some point.
Why this matters for your money
Luxury watches are increasingly seen as:
Investment assets
Status symbols
Collectibles that can appreciate over time
But buying a stolen watch can completely destroy that value.
Here’s what can happen:
You may be forced to return the watch to the original owner
You could lose your entire investment
There’s often no legal protection or refund chain clarity
And it’s not rare—53% of retailers say they’ve suffered financial losses after unknowingly buying stolen watches.
Even more concerning:
Dealers report buying stolen watches four times on average in three years
That means even professionals get caught—so individual buyers are even more exposed.
The biggest myth: “Box and papers = safe”
Many buyers assume that:
If a watch comes with original box and papers, it must be legitimate.
That’s not true.
One-third of stolen watches are sold with full documentation
Paperwork can be forged, transferred, or reused—making it an unreliable safety check.
Why stolen watches are so hard to detect
The luxury watch market has gone global:
Watches move across 34 countries
They pass through multiple owners and dealers
Issues often surface years later, when a future buyer runs a check
By then, the financial liability can travel back through multiple sellers, creating a messy chain of disputes.
The industry’s response—and its gaps
There is some progress:
78% of retailers now promote database checks to build trust
The number of database checks has grown 29% year-on-year (2024–2025)
But there’s still a major gap:
Only 32% of retailers check every transaction
Most checks are still selective, meaning risky watches can slip through.
What smart buyers should do
If you’re putting serious money into a pre-owned watch, treat it like any other financial asset.
Before you buy:
Always run a check through a stolen watch database
Ask the seller for:
Serial number
Ownership history
Purchase documentation
Don’t rely on:
Brand reputation of seller alone
Box, papers, or certificates
Verbal assurances
Red flags:
Price significantly below market value
Seller unwilling to verify serial number
Pressure to close the deal quickly