The Jaquet case stirs turmoil in the watch world

On Tuesday 7th October, Jean-Pierre Jaquet, director of Jaquet SA, a company specialized in the assembly of watch complications based on ETA movements, is arrested first thing in the morning. The reason is armed robbery, theft and counterfeiting!
A well-known figure in the watch world and collaborator with several prestigious watch companies, Jean-Pierre Jaquet is suspected of having ordered several thefts in the region: 12 kilograms of gold that disappeared from a Le Locle factory and watch cases - in particular Rolex cases - that disappeared from Miranda, a Chaux-de-Fonds company specialized in polishing.
J-P. Jaquet appears, however, to have known he was in danger since he had been carrying a weapon for some time. His family is said to have received threats, but he did not file complaint, a fact which arroused further suspicion.
The police not only arrested him, along with 11 other people, but also closed down the manufacture for 48 hours in order to carry out a search which is said to have brought new elements to light.
Behind this affair lies the suspicion of a vast network of «real fakes» for the Italian market. This is enough to cast a cruel light on Swiss watchmaking, as fears Nicholas Hayek, for whom the Jaquet case could have a «devastating follow-up». The story continues...

Europa Star
October 2003