A high-value watch recovered from Istanbul Airport and handed over in Istanbul
A watch worth around €1,600, a reference number, an owner already back in Greece, and a choice between shipping it abroad and delivering it to someone he trusted in the city. The proof the airport asked for, and why the local route won.
What happened
A traveller contacted us after leaving his Hamilton watch at Istanbul Airport. The watch was registered under a reference and was being held in the landside lost-property office. He had already returned to Greece, so he needed someone to manage the collection on his behalf.
The value — around €1,600 — shaped the whole case. Shipping it internationally raised three questions at once: insurance for that value, the possibility of import charges at the destination, and how the airport would satisfy itself that it was releasing the watch to the right person.
What we did
We went through the return options with him. He decided that delivery to a trusted acquaintance in Istanbul would be safer and simpler than a shipment, and that she would carry the watch to Greece herself.
We helped him with the authorisation the office required, attended during its collection hours, and when the office asked for further proof of ownership we supplied what he had given us — including photographs of him wearing the watch. Once we had it, we confirmed its identity with him, held it securely for two days, and delivered it by courier to his contact in Istanbul.
The airport decides what proof it needs and when it releases an item. Our part is to know what to ask for, to have it ready, and to be there when the office is open.