Federal Court Court confirms Yoko Ono's ownership of Lennon's watch
A federal court has ruled that Yoko Ono is the rightful owner of a watch that was given to John Lennon shortly before his death. A collector who had acquired the watch in Germany failed with his objection.
14.11.2024, 13:28
14.11.2024, 13:29
SDA
Yoko Ono has the right to own a watch that was given to her by John Lennon two months before his death. The Federal Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a collector against a ruling by the Geneva judiciary in 2023. The collector had bought the watch in Germany a decade ago, but the court made it clear that Yoko Ono, as Lennon's widow, was the heir after his murder on December 8, 1980.
The Geneva judiciary had established that the watch was stolen by a former chauffeur of Yoko Ono. There was no indication that Ono would have given such a personal object belonging to her husband to the chauffeur. Since the watch was stolen, the collector could not legally acquire it, the Federal Court ruled. Under German law, which was applied in this case, the good faith of the buyer is irrelevant.
The watch, a Patek Philippe chronograph with moon phase display, was purchased in New York in 1980. On the back is the engraving "(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER LOVE YOKO 10-9-1980 N.Y.C". Yoko Ono gave it to John Lennon for his 40th birthday on October 9, 1980.
After Lennon's death, the watch was kept in Ono's apartment and became part of the musician's estate. It later came into the possession of a man who worked as Ono's chauffeur between 1995 and 2005. A third party gave the watch to a German auction house, where the collector bought it in 2014 and later had it valued by a Geneva auction house.
When Yoko Ono learned that the watch was no longer in her possession, she resisted the collector's claim to establish ownership. Both the Geneva court of first instance and the High Court of the Canton of Geneva confirmed that Yoko Ono was the rightful owner of the watch. (Judgment 5A_520/2023 of September 13, 2024)
