2023-12-06 18:58:23
It’s rare to see a prefect open an auction. However, this is what happened this Wednesday, during a very exceptional sale of luxury watches organized directly by the State in Besançon (Doubs). Although the auction room was full for the occasion, nearly 40,000 potential buyers and curious people had also registered to follow the sale on the web!
“This is the first time that we are organizing a sale of this type exclusively devoted to luxury watches,” explained Alain Caumeil, director of the National Directorate of State Interventions. We had already organized sales of confiscated or seized goods, but these were general sales. »
162 lots were thus offered. In the catalog, the most prestigious names in watchmaking. We could thus acquire Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet or Cartier watches. But it was Rolex that took the spotlight with 66 watches up for auction. “It’s obviously the favorite brand of criminals,” said one of the officials responsible for organizing the sale. In any case, it is considered a safe investment. »
A Patek Philippe went for 81,200 euros
All the former owners of these watches have been convicted or prosecuted in criminal proceedings for various trafficking, mainly narcotics. The law now provides the possibility of selling confiscated and seized property without waiting for the end of the procedures. “It may happen that the person is finally released. In this case, we pay him the amount of his sold property,” adds Alain Caumeil.
The sale of Besançon was more than a success. Many estimates were greatly exceeded, with several Rolex models easily exceeding 20,000 euros. The sale record is for this Patek Philippe “Aquanaut Travel Time” in pink gold which was sold for 81,200 euros. The money collected from this sale will be paid directly into the state budget, which wanted to remind us on this occasion that “ill-gotten goods are never profitable”.
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