Swiss court rules Yoko Ono rightfully owns stolen $4.5M John Lennon watch

On Thursday, a Swiss court ruled that a rare Patek Philippe watch Yoko Ono gifted to John Lennon for his 40th birthday in 1980 — just two months before his assassination — rightfully belongs to her, not the Italian man who bought it years later.

The 18-carat gold watch, engraved with the message “(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER LOVE YOKO 10·9·1980 N.Y.C,” was stolen in 2006 by Ono’s Turkish chauffeur. It resurfaced in 2010 after passing through multiple countries and eventually being auctioned to its most recent owner. Ono only discovered the theft in 2014 when a Geneva-based firm alerted her lawyer during an appraisal.

Following years of legal battles, the Federal Tribunal’s ruling aligns with previous decisions from 2022 and 2023, marking the conclusion of a decade-long dispute. The watch, currently valued at $4.51 million, is currently being held in Geneva pending its return to the 91-year-old artist.