Are you the kind of person who buys something because your friends or family recommended it? That’s what this man did. However, he never expected that something he bought a few decades ago could be worth way more than he expected, years later.
Little did the veteran know that he would be in for a shock years later on knowing the price of the watch.
In 2016, Peter Planes from Antiques Roadshow appraised this rare model and told him it was worth way more than what he bought it at. “I’m very pleased to tell you that this watch today at auction is a very, very collectible watch. Just the watch on its own merit would be worth today between $35,000–$45,000.... but...” the valuer told him. “That’s not all.”
The valuer continued, “This watch is worth much more. Because you saved the box and all the paperwork for it. Easily, today, it’s $65,000–$75,000. Probably more than a month’s pay in the military right now.”
When he bought the watch, he ended up spending $120, almost equal to his one month’s salary, and he never expected that one day his purchase would be one of the most valued collectibles. “My Sergeant recommended it before I came back to the States—buy a Rolex watch. He thought that was the best watch ever made and he said ‘make sure you get one before you go home’ and this is the one I liked,” he said.
Peter asked him if he knew about Rolex, to which he replied, “Not before that, no. I'd never heard or seen one before. I just took his word that it was a great watch and it is.”
This explains why he was speechless to hear the price. “Wow, I had no idea. I’m speechless. If you would have told me 1500 I would have been happy.”
The veteran also revealed to Peter that he doesn’t really wear the watch that often, and it was more of a keepsake. He said, “I wear a cheap watch now and this is my dress watch.”
Peter also shared some incredible facts about the watch that the veteran hadn’t heard about before. The one-of-a-kind watch was the “first GMT master model that Rolex ever made.”
He even mentioned that the veteran had changed the bracelet of the watch once at some point but had also preserved the original bracelet that was in the box. The bracelet was made in the first quarter of 1960.
Upon watching the video, one user commented: “He took care of the watch all his life, now the watch going to take care of him.” While another user wrote: “The look of disbelief on this man’s face when he tells him he has a $75,000 watch is wholesome.”
Indeed, this was one prized possession.
