Foo - what do I do with a nice watch?

Ok, I found a watch on the ground while riding the other day. It was in the middle of the street with a lot of stores around. I posted something on craigslist saying I found a nice watch and when/where.

It's been a little while and now I guess it's mine. It's a nice men's watch (MSRP $1200, sells online for ~$7-800) with a little bit of a ding where it was dropped on the pavement. The band is maybe one link to small for my wrist and I don't know that it's worth making it bigger.

What should I do?

Put a new band on it and wear it.

keep it as a heirloom and claim that ding came from when you rescued a group of old ladies and children from a runaway school bus.

Ok, I found a watch on the ground while riding the other day. It was in the middle of the street with a lot of stores around. I posted something on craigslist saying I found a nice watch and when/where.

It's been a little while and now I guess it's mine. It's a nice men's watch (MSRP $1200, sells online for ~$7-800) with a little bit of a ding where it was dropped on the pavement. The band is maybe one link to small for my wrist and I don't know that it's worth making it bigger.

What should I do?

Did you contact your local police department to see if someone was looking for the watch? If no one has, then keep it. Craigslist is a bit obscure to go looking for your lost watch.

We are presuming you can tell the difference between a real watch and a fake since there are a LOT of counterfeits out there. If you want to do the honest thing, check with the cops and after 30 days it will be yours. Otherwise, just buy a new band and rationalize it by saying the loss won't be reported anyway (it's highly unlikely that it will).

California Law:

§ 2080.1. Delivery to police or sheriff; affidavit; charges (a) If the owner is unknown or has not claimed the property, the person saving or finding the property shall, if the property is of the value of one hundred dollars ($100) or more, within a reasonable time turn the property over to the police department of the city or city and county, if found therein, or to the sheriff's department of the county if found outside of city limits, and shall make an affidavit, stating when and where he or she found or saved the property, particularly describing it. If the property was saved, the affidavit shall state:
(1) From what and how it was saved.
(2) Whether the owner of the property is known to the affiant.
(3) That the affiant has not secreted, withheld, or disposed of any part of the property.
(b) The police department or the sheriff's department shall notify the owner, if his or her identity is reasonably ascertainable, that it possesses the property and where it may be claimed. The police department or sheriff's department may require payment by the owner of a reasonable charge to defray costs of storage and care of the property.


§ 2080.3. Advertisement; payment of cost; vesting of title in finder (a) If the reported value of the property is two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more and no owner appears and proves his or her ownership of the property within 90 days, the police department or sheriff's department shall cause notice of the property to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation. If, after seven days following the first publication of the notice, no owner appears and proves his or her ownership of the property and the person who found or saved the property pays the cost of the publication, the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of any public agency, in which case the property shall be sold at public auction. Title to the property shall not vest in the person who found or saved the property or in the successful bidder at the public auction unless the cost of publication is first paid to the city, county, or city and county whose police or sheriff's department caused the notice to be published.
(b) If the reported value of the property is less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and no owner appears and proves his or her ownership of the property within 90 days, the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property, unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of any public agency, in which case the property shall be sold at public auction.

Apparently, you must turn the watch over to police. If, after 90 days, the owner does not come forward, the police publish a notice in the paper. If after 7 more days the owner does not come forward, you can reimburse the police for the cost of the paper ad and the watch becomes yours.

If you keep it, don't forget to declare the income on your tax form next year.

keep it as a heirloom and claim that ding came from when you rescued a group of old ladies and children from a runaway school bus.

Perhaps you should use this story (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kngBtoylIVM).

We are presuming you can tell the difference between a real watch and a fake since there are a LOT of counterfeits out there. If you want to do the honest thing, check with the cops and after 30 days it will be yours. Otherwise, just buy a new band and rationalize it by saying the loss won't be reported anyway (it's highly unlikely that it will).

Many years ago, my car was broken into and the thieves stole the stereo and my rolex watch that was in the glove compartment. Why would I leave a rolex watch in the glove box?, you ask. Well, my cousin gave me the "rolex" as souvenir from Hong Kong where he purchased it for 2 dollars. Stupid punks were probably laughed at when they tried to pawn a fake rolex watch.

California Law:

§ 2080.1. Delivery to police or sheriff; affidavit; charges (a) If the owner is unknown or has not claimed the property, the person saving or finding the property shall, if the property is of the value of one hundred dollars ($100) or more, within a reasonable time turn the property over to the police department of the city or city and county, if found therein, or to the sheriff's department of the county if found outside of city limits, and shall make an affidavit, stating when and where he or she found or saved the property, particularly describing it. If the property was saved, the affidavit shall state:
(1) From what and how it was saved.
(2) Whether the owner of the property is known to the affiant.
(3) That the affiant has not secreted, withheld, or disposed of any part of the property.
(b) The police department or the sheriff's department shall notify the owner, if his or her identity is reasonably ascertainable, that it possesses the property and where it may be claimed. The police department or sheriff's department may require payment by the owner of a reasonable charge to defray costs of storage and care of the property.


§ 2080.3. Advertisement; payment of cost; vesting of title in finder (a) If the reported value of the property is two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more and no owner appears and proves his or her ownership of the property within 90 days, the police department or sheriff's department shall cause notice of the property to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation. If, after seven days following the first publication of the notice, no owner appears and proves his or her ownership of the property and the person who found or saved the property pays the cost of the publication, the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of any public agency, in which case the property shall be sold at public auction. Title to the property shall not vest in the person who found or saved the property or in the successful bidder at the public auction unless the cost of publication is first paid to the city, county, or city and county whose police or sheriff's department caused the notice to be published.
(b) If the reported value of the property is less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and no owner appears and proves his or her ownership of the property within 90 days, the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property, unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of any public agency, in which case the property shall be sold at public auction.

Apparently, you must turn the watch over to police. If, after 90 days, the owner does not come forward, the police publish a notice in the paper. If after 7 more days the owner does not come forward, you can reimburse the police for the cost of the paper ad and the watch becomes yours.



or the cop you turn it in to bypasses all the red tape and keeps it for himself.

I stopped wearing a watch when I started carrying a cell-phone that had the time on it.

or the cop you turn it in to bypasses all the red tape and keeps it for himself.

If you fail to obtain a property receipt (which I imagine they are required to give you), then that may very well be what happens.

What I might do in this case is take it to jewelry dealer to have it appraised. In damaged condition, it may be worth less than the $250 threshold. If so, the OP can avoid the whole paper advertising thing and just take the watch home after 90 days.

Post a few signs on local mailboxes or lamp posts. No calls to claim it, ebay.

thanks for the responses.

fyi, Alfster, around here (where craig lives) craigslist is the first place people go.

When I get back in town, I'll probably drop by the police, maybe a jeweler (who has a business near where I found it) first.

thanks for the responses.

fyi, Alfster, around here (where craig lives) craigslist is the first place people go.

When I get back in town, I'll probably drop by the police, maybe a jeweler (who has a business near where I found it) first.

You did the right thing by trying to find the owner. I was just pointing out that the usual method, and quite possibly the legally required method, is to bring the item to the police. It's always good to hear people still act ethically these days. Well done!

what kind of watch?

Get it appraised by a jeweler then sell it. What you need a watch for? Time is over rated.

what kind of watch?

gucci.

or cheap chinese stamped metal.