He’s also my business partner. He kept his watch collection with me since his wife doesn’t allow him to buy watches and made me promise not to ever tell his wife about them. Not only because she doesn’t like it but also because she will definitely ask him to sell them and probably spend the money on clothes and traveling like she often does.
He lets me use the watches in the condition that I don’t cause any damage. But now that he passed away it doesn’t feel right any more.
His watch collection is worth about 200K$ in todays market. I think the lawful and ethical thing to do is to break the promise and tell his wife but I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do since he made me promise not to tell her.
Legally sure, but whats your president for this being the moral decision?
“He kept his watch collection with me”
“He lets me use the watches”
OP doesn’t claim to own or have been given these watches. They are not his. Purchases made during a marriage are generally considered joint property, purchased with joint funds. The widow inherits the husband’s estate, including all property and applicable debt of that estate. For all we know, the watches were bought on credit, with the debt still owed by the estate.
Good point, if OP has been given the watches unofficially by his friend what would be the moral move now?