So, your whole defense is that you bought a stolen watch that happened to be stolen from your hub.
Ok.
Totally unknown to you...it was stolen.
Now.....believe it or not......this sounds completely possible....to me. Probable is another story.
Now, whenever I buy say, a gun from a stranger.....I run the serial number.......BEFORE I take possession and pay. I have a cop friend who does it for me. I get a bill of sale and verify their license. I know all their info. If they balk and refuse....I walk away. Simple. No exceptions.
You were in possession of stolen property......the rest is circumstantial. In the end.....if you were prosecuted and found guilty(some how) of stealing the watch from UPS......I would think your termination would stand.
But then.....could buying stolen property(whatever it could be) off company property.....cost you your job? Is this contractual? I have no idea. They have a lot to prove in my limited amount of information and guesstimating. I would imagine this happens all the time.....buying stolen property.
If on a jury, they would have to connect the dots without exception for me to convict.
If not, I would absolutely go for backpay and instant reinstatement.
Based on the limited one-sided testimony of you.....