If you were reaching any further, you’d be touching the damn sun.

IWC for example currently have a range of “Spitfire” watches, and while they did provide some watches to the British military, they were also one of the largest suppliers to the Luftwaffe.

Most of these arrangements continued late into the war, when Nazi war crimes were common knowledge. Were some of the sales made under protest or duress? I’m sure there was an element of that; but clearly Rolex was able to say no with no repercussions others than financial.

Of the “dirty dozen” brands that supplied the British most were also able to keep their noses clean and their businesses afloat.

If you made and a knife knowing the buyer had the intention to use it to murder someone you would be guilty of being an accomplice to the crime. The watches were used as tools to commit war crimes.

For me, they just need to acknowledge their past, do something positive to atone, and move on. As you’ve identified, they’ve skipped the first two steps and just moved on.

Then make a contribution to some other charity. The key is to generate some good karma from a bad decision, no matter who was originally responsible or what their motives.

Paying these people off has been done over and over, and it only makes them greedier and more vindictive. No amount will please them.

Thanks for the feedback.

The article presents two views of Rolex and Panerai’s collaboration with the Nazis: the official line (it couldn’t be helped) and the unofficial (they had a choice). There’s no way of knowing whether or not the two companies were willing or unwilling partners. But neither participant can claim ignorance.

My father was a Holocaust survivor. The Nazis murdered most of my extended family, including both grandparents. So my bias may come through strongly. But I certainly don’t think Panerai should have remade the Nazi-era watches. That was strictly optional and totally offensive – unless they used the money to make amends.