There’s nothing more entertaining on TV than watching someone find out a treasured item is worth a motza on ‘Antiques Roadshow’ (or alternatively, learning that antique they spent a bomb on is a fake).
But a US man has captured audiences’ hearts worldwide after discovering a rare Rolex he’d never worn was worth up to AUD$1 million.
The vet had bought the Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Reference 6263 in 1974 after noticing commercial airline pilots wearing the brand for around AUD$512 to use for diving – splurging his entire monthly pay packet on the timepiece.
However, he then decided it was too nice to wear underwater (no surprises here) and ended up keeping it locked away in a safety deposit box.
Seems like a waste – but because the watch is in mint condition with its packaging and paperwork intact, the Antiques Roadshow appraiser estimated it could be worth anywhere from AUD$700,000 to the million-dollar mark.
You can see his reaction here (skip forward to the five-minute mark if you don’t want to watch the whole clip).
We imagine he’s likely recovered now – and setting himself up for a nice retirement.
