Is violence or 'making his life suck' the only solution?

Heres the story. I stay in a dorm at my university. I lost my watch so reported it to the cleaning staff and office person to see if they had found one. The answer was no, they had not found one.

After a couple of months and during the next semester i saw this guy wearing the exact same watch that i had. He stays in the dorms as an RA. I asked him if i could have a look at the watch and he said yes. It was the exact same one but unfortunately i hadnt put my name on it to identify it. I gave it back to him. A couple of days later saw him again and he said that watches were like t-shirts - many people have the same shirts. I walked away quite livid. I think he thinks im some kind of shy dude who wont do jack. I was wondering whether i should 'lay the smackdown' on him or make his life crap.

But tonight i have an idea, and that idea is, i will ring my mum up who works in a jeweller and ask if there is some sort of code on the bottom of the watch that is unique and is also on the packaging for the watch which i still have. The records for that watch should still be at the jewellers so i could also ask her to look it up. Man, i so cant wait unitl i see him in the dining room again so i can tip his drink in his food, or do some other mean thing. Like ruffel his stupid combed hair.

Anyway, i was wondering what your guyses opinions are. If you have some ideas on ways to make him suffer, please do tell. Some stealthy ones would be good. Should i 'waste' him?

I think you need to take stock of the situation before you rashly act, just because you lost your watch and someone else has the same watch doesn't mean they stole your watch.

Get the serial number from the jewelers and ask the chap politely if you can check the serial number on his watch if your wrong apologise no end to them and maybe offer the good old "let me buy you a drink to show I acted wrongly".

If the serial number is a perfect match however then you can confront them peacefully and explain the situation and ask for the watch back. If they refuse mention you'd be more than happy to ask the authorities for their opinion on the issue.

The moment you start to use violence or get him back in a petty manner is the moment you lose the high ground.

I'd do what you want to as far as getting a positive ID on the watch, as long as you have it back who cares about him? What would you gain by harassing the dude? Sounds at best a temporary satisfaction to you and at worst completely wasted effort that will only blot your record. Solve the problem and channel the effort you would put into any kind of vengeance into your studies instead. You don't have to be "some kind of shy dude who wont do jack" for that, just someone who solves problems in their life and moves on leaving such petty people behind you. Our time on this earth is limited, don't waste it on him. If it is your watch and you get it back you've made him look foolish enough.