
The Watch Register is a database storing the information of more than 50,000 stolen watches.

Retailers, auction houses and law enforcement -- as well as private citizens -- can use it to check if a watch in their possession is stolen property.

A five-minute check against the Watch Register prior to purchase helps ensure a watch is free from claims.

The Watch Register also registers the serial numbers of watches that have been reported as fake or with fake parts so that it can alert clients to possible risks and advise when thorough checks into authenticity are necessary.

The Watch Register advises that buyers check all watches, whether or not they come with box and papers, as these can be stolen or faked to give the impression of legitimacy.

This Rolex GMT Master "Eye of the Tiger" watch, valued at £13,500 ($17,593), was stolen during a smash-and-grab robbery on Jan. 6, 2016 from a London watch shop. It was identified by the Art Loss Register, the stolen art database that runs the Watch Register, when offered for sale by Nadeem Malick to a dealer in March 2016.

This Omega watch, valued at £3,800 ($4,952), was stolen in Oxford, England on Dec. 31, 2015. It was seized from Malick on the day of his arrest.

Malick had 27 other watches on him at the time, including this Rolex Submariner Watch, valued at £5,300, ($6,905), that was stolen from a London gym. In June 2017, he was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment.



