It is sometimes described as the most beautiful watch, a gift from Yoko Ono to John Lennon shortly before his assassination. The highest Swiss judicial body has definitively established that the artist and widow of the ex-Beatles was the rightful owner.
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Deputy Head of the Culture Department
About Julie HuonPublished on 11/18/2024 at 12:34
Reading time: 2 min
LThe timepiece in question is as precious and rare as its history is unique and eventful. We have to go back to October 9, 1980 and John Lennon’s 40th birthday. Yoko Ono then gave him this Patek Philippe in yellow gold model 2499 with “(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER LOVE YOKO 10-9-1980 NYC” engraved on the back.
Legal battle
After quite a few twists and turns, the Patek Philippe was then handed over to a German auction house. This is where the appeal to the Swiss Federal Court, an Italian collector, bought it in 2014 for 600,000 euros.
The same year, he entrusted it to a Geneva auction house in order to obtain an estimate. This company will contact Yoko Ono and a legal battle ensues between John Lennon’s widow and the collector who believes he is the rightful owner.
The Court of First Instance and then the Court of Justice of the Canton of Geneva ruled that Yoko Ono was the sole legitimate owner of the watch.
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