John Lennon’s watch to return to Yoko Ono
Photo: Collected
A Swiss court has ruled that a rare Patek Philippe watch, gifted to John Lennon by Yoko Ono for his 40th birthday, does not belong to an Italian buyer who acquired it at auction, clearing the way for its return to Ono.
Valued at $4.51 million, the 18-carat gold watch features the inscription "(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER LOVE YOKO 10·9·1980 N.Y.C."—a nod to the couple's shared song.
The watch was stolen in 2006 by Ono's Turkish chauffeur and later sold through intermediaries, including a German auction house.
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Ono learned of the theft in 2014 when a Geneva-based appraiser contacted her lawyer. The Federal Tribunal's decision concludes a decade-long legal battle, with the watch now held in Geneva pending further arrangements.
