Incredible find

[MT DFX]

I live in Kalispell, MT, but get to California fairly often for work. When I am there I like to spend some time detecting at the beach. This summer was not very productive at the beaches I go to in north San Diego county, but this last trip made up for it and then some. On Friday afternoon after leaving work I drove down by the beach to visit some family I have there. They live close to the beach, so I drove along the coast to enjoy the views. On this particular Friday there was a very low tide with the water maybe 75 yards further out than usual. I had to give it a try. I quickly got my DFX set up and was detecting shortly before the sun went down. The recent tidal activity had pulled off a lot of sand, but I was not hitting many targets even so. I have a beach hunting program for my DFX that uses the all-metal mode (Audio Discrimination off) so there is little discrimination. I found a few clad coins and the usual small pile of old nails, melted aluminum cans, and pull-tabs. About an hour into the hunt I got a very strong signal in an area of the beach that would normally be under 3-4 feet or water. It pinpointed bigger than a coin or ring but I was digging everything, so I dug down about 3-4 inches and came up with a small women’s watch. It looked gaudy with lots of diamonds, but was made of stainless steel so I just thought it was another junk watch. I threw it in my bag and kept hunting.
When I got settled for the evening I cleaned the watch and saw that the brand name was “Concord” which did not mean anything to me. It was still running, but the time was set one hour ahead, so it had been under the sand and water at least since daylight savings ended. The back of the watch said it was made in Switzerland, so I decided to research it on line. When I identified the watch it turned out to be a very good one. It has a total of 44 clear white diamonds: 22 on the bezel, 12 on the lugs, and 10 on the mother of pearl face in place of the numbers. The list price was shown as an astounding $7,890.00. I was shocked of course, but also saddened by the thought of what someone must have felt like when they lost such a valuable piece of jewelry.
The day after I found it, I did some more research and found the web site for the manufacturer. I sent them an email asking if they could use the serial number I had found on the watch to identify the owner. A couple days later they replied that they were able to contact the dealer that had sold the watch. The dealer told them that someone had come in asking for a value, apparently for insurance purposes. If they can contact the owner they will let me know and I can try to return it.
Now for the moral dilemma in all of this (there always seems to be at least one when there is a significant amount of money involved). I am more than happy to give the watch back to its rightful owner because I believe it is the right thing to do, but if the owner has already been reimbursed for the loss by an insurance company then it seems to me that returning the watch without notifying the insurance company would be like me helping to defraud it. If anyone has any words of wisdom for me on this I would appreciate hearing them.

 

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[woody50]

Hi MT, welcome to this forum. You will see that its very active....

Great find for sure. Yea, you do sit with a dilemma. In fact I guess if you DO want to return the watch to its proper owner (which would be the insurance company, if they had paid out already) you could do that. I guess really to work correctly you would have to return it to its original owner (who would be tickled pink to get it back I am sure, and you an reward), who in turn would return the insurance money to the insurance company. Then the insurance premiums we all pay would decrease at least $ 0.00000000004 cents a year which would be great. Yea, a problem. If it was a very old heirloom I would not have any problem with returning it to its rightful owner. But such a modern watch.... hmmm..

Actually something like this would have to be turned in at a local police station, then they could figure it out, and if not found they return it after a year and its yours. That's I guess the best way.

I don't know. Turn it over to the San Diego police (who could have a lost and found ticket for this watch already, most people need a police report to get payment for such a valuable item from their insurance) or wait until the dealer contacts you or them. Could keeping it be against the law? Sometimes there are funny laws running around from long ago which are still active.

Oh well, its your problem. I don't really know what I would do either. The most proper thing I guess is to return it to the insurance company, they could be the rightful owners now. (but then would it disappear and reappear on one of the top brasses wife at the insurance company?, and our premiums just increased.... who knows...)... Good luck and it would be great if you keep us informed.... would like to know the outcome....

 

[Blacksheep]

Run an ad in a local papers "lost and found" (near where you found the watch). The owner of a watch that expensive would have the serial number as I.D. . Run the ad 3 times, 3 weeks apart, keep the receipts for the
ads.

If no one can legitimately identify the watch by serial number after a fair amount of time I would say its yours,
you made the attempt to locate the owner by placing the ads. I wouldn't turn it in to the police as you may not
get it back.(some departments have strange policies even if they say you get it back after x amount of time)

In the end, do what you feel is right and keep in mind, the insurance company may want it if found, to help defray costs on the claim if one was paid out.

 

[seger98]

Hmmmm, interesting situation.... personally I wouldn't give it to the insurance company (not the way they screw people)

I'd look for the original owner & findout if they did infact get paid by the insurance company, if they did. I'd keep it if they wouldn't offer a reward!

 

[MT DFX]

Thanks for all of the good advice. This story is definitely not over. I will try to keep the forum posted as events unfold.

 

[crazyjarhead]

Thats a cool looking watch

 

[phantomfinder]

That is a very cool find, wtg

 

[MT DFX]

Not living in California I did a little research on their Lost and Found laws. Here is what they say about how any piece of recovered property should be legally handled. It is eye opening. I did not realize how much responsibility that the finder has for anything of value they find. Any TH'er could probably be prosecuted under this law if the original owner could ever identify the finder and show that he did not follow these rules.

§ 2080. Duties of finder
Any person who finds a thing lost is not bound to take charge of it, unless the person is otherwise required to do so by contract or law, but when the person does take charge of it he or she is thenceforward a depositary for the owner, with the rights and obligations of a depositary for hire. Any person or any public or private entity that finds and takes possession of any money, goods, things in action, or other personal property, or saves any domestic animal from harm, neglect, drowning, or starvation, shall, within a reasonable time, inform the owner, if known, and make restitution without compensation, except a reasonable charge for saving and taking care of the property. Any person who takes possession of a live domestic animal shall provide for humane treatment of the animal.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3. Amended by Stats.1998, c. 752 (S.B.1785), § 9.)

§ 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.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3. Amended by Stats.1992, c. 138 (A.B.2457), § 1.)

§ 2080.2. Restoration to owner
If the owner appears within 90 days, after receipt of the property by the police department or sheriff's department, proves his ownership of the property, and pays all reasonable charges, the police department or sheriff's department shall restore the property to him.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3.)

§ 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.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3. Amended by Stats.1970, c. 260, p. 524, § 1; Stats.1971, c. 1254, p. 2465, § 1; Stats.1977, c. 250, p. 1136, § 1; Stats.1992, c. 138 (A.B.2457), § 2.)

§ 2080.4. Local regulations
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2080.3 or Section 2080.6, the legislative body of any city, city and county, or county may provide by ordinance for the care, restitution, sale or destruction of unclaimed property in the possession of the police department of such city or city and county or of the sheriff of such county. Any city, city and county, or county adopting such an ordinance shall provide therein (1) that such unclaimed property shall be held by the police department or sheriff for a period of at least three months, and (2) that thereafter such property will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, with notice of such sale being given by the chief of police or sheriff at least five days before the time fixed therefor by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county, or that thereafter such property will be transferred to the local government purchasing and stores agency or other similar agency for sale to the public at public auction. If such property is transferred to a county purchasing agent it may be sold in the manner provided by Article 7 (commencing with Section 25500) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code for the sale of surplus personal property. If property is transferred to the local government purchasing and stores agency or other similar agency pursuant to this section, such property shall not be redeemable by the owner or other person entitled to possession. If the local government purchasing and stores agency or other similar agency determines that any such property transferred to it for sale is needed for a public use, such property may be retained by the agency and need not be sold.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3. Amended by Stats.1969, c. 857, p. 1689, § 1; Stats.1983, c. 878, § 1.)

§ 2080.5. Authority to sell
The police department or sheriff's department may sell such property by public auction, in the manner and upon the notice of sale of personal property under execution, if it is a thing which is commonly the subject of sale, when the owner cannot, with reasonable diligence, be found, or, being found, refuses upon demand to pay the lawful charges provided by Sections 2080 and 2080.1, in the following cases:
(1) When the thing is in danger of perishing, or of losing the greater part of its value; or,
(2) When the lawful charges provided by Sections 2080 and 2080.1 amount to two-thirds of its value.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3.)

§ 2080.6. Public agency; adoption of regulations
(a) Any public agency may elect to be governed by the provisions of this article with respect to disposition of personal property found or saved on property subject to its jurisdiction, or may adopt reasonable regulations for the care, restitution, sale or destruction of unclaimed property in its possession. Any public agency adopting such regulations shall provide therein (1) that such unclaimed property shall be held by such agency for a period of at least three months, (2) that thereafter such property will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, and (3) that notice of such sale shall be given by the chief administrative officer of such agency at least five days before the time fixed therefor by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which such property was found. Any property remaining unsold after being offered at such public auction may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by the public agency. In a county having a purchasing agent, the purchasing agent may conduct such sale, in which case the provisions of subdivisions (2) and (3) of this section shall not be applicable. Such sale shall be made by the county purchasing agent in the manner provided by Article 7 (commencing with Section 25500) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code for the sale of surplus personal property. If the public agency determines that any such property transferred to it for sale is needed for a public use, such property may be retained by the agency and need not be sold.
(b) "Public agency" as used in this section means any state agency, including the Department of General Services and the Department of Parks and Recreation, any city, county, city and county, special district, or other political subdivision.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3. Amended by Stats.1969, c. 857, p. 1690, § 2; Stats.1988, c. 1282, § 1.)

§ 2080.7. Abandoned property
The provisions of this article have no application to things which have been intentionally abandoned by their owner.
CREDIT(S)
(Added by Stats.1967, c. 1512, p. 3601, § 3.)

 

[woody50]

Yes MT DFX this is true, almost all lands enforce such laws, and the most people don't know about the laws. That was what I was trying to say in my post. The only way to get around those laws is that you must prove that a object was abandoned, or thrown away. That is why if something is valuable you should always make a report it to the police and get the report registered. As a finder I would think most objects would not cause a fuss at all, and of course coins are outside these laws ( I would not think you would find a coin worth $100 on the beach, but who knows).

It is difficult to know what to do. The time period seems to be 90 days, not a year, which is not bad at all, before you get the title to the object. I guess that would be the best bet.

 

[PaulaHouston]

Great find there. Concord is a fine watch brand.

Basically you have found something that would not have been found for a very long time, probably. Heck, Concord may want you and your metal detector for a commercial with the original owner and you showing the watch fresh from the water looking fantastic and still running. Testimonials like that don't happen every day.

I wouldn't go the police route. They are not the local "Lost and Found" dept. They solve crimes.

Try to find the owner if you feel the need to do that. You know they filed an insurance claim on this. If you did return it, I'd think they'd probably give you a reward as they probably had a deductible on the claim.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[allen]

beautiful watch...