How to Report a Stolen Watch

Registering your stolen watch in a global database is one of the most effective steps you can take towards recovery. The sooner your watch appears in the system, the sooner any professional who handles it can identify it as stolen and alert authorities. This guide walks you through exactly how to report a stolen watch on StolenWatchCheck.

What You Will Need Before You Report

To register a stolen watch, you will need:

• The watch's serial number (found on the case back, between the lugs, on the warranty card, or on your purchase invoice)
• The brand and model reference
• The date of theft or loss
• A police crime reference number (highly recommended — required for insurance purposes)
• Any photographs of the watch you have available

If you do not have the serial number immediately available, do not wait — file your police report and notify your insurer first, then return to register on StolenWatchCheck once you have located it. Even a partial serial number is better than none.

How to Report a Stolen Watch on StolenWatchCheck

1. Go to the Report a Theft page on StolenWatchCheck
2. Enter the watch's serial number, brand, model reference, and date of theft
3. Upload any photographs you have — including the watch face, case back, and any identifying marks
4. Add the police crime reference number and any additional details about the circumstances of theft
5. Submit the report — your watch will appear in our global database immediately
6. Share your confirmation email — it contains a unique report ID you can use for insurance and police follow-ups

The Stolen Rolex Database — How Does It Work?

Our database is searched every time someone runs a serial number check — whether that is a dealer verifying a trade-in, a pawnbroker checking a piece before accepting it, an auction house running pre-sale verification, or a private buyer checking before purchase.

When a match is found, the checker sees a flag indicating the watch has been reported stolen. Many recovery stories begin at exactly this moment — a professional refusing to proceed with a transaction and contacting law enforcement. The more watches registered in the database, the more effective it becomes for everyone.

After You Report — What Happens Next?

Once your watch is registered, our system actively monitors for check activity on that serial number. If someone runs a check on your watch's serial number, you will receive a notification alert. This is often the first indication that a stolen watch has surfaced.

We recommend also notifying your insurer, local dealers, and relevant online marketplaces — the broader the alert network, the faster recovery becomes. Our data shows that watches reported within 24 hours have significantly higher recovery rates than those reported weeks after the theft.