Antiques Roadshow expert confesses watch could have been worth 5-figures if it wasn't for one problem
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An unsuspecting Antiques Roadshow guest was astounded to discover that a watch that had been living in a drawer was actually worth a considerable sum.
The beloved daytime programme made its way to Northumberland, where filming took place amidst the stunning backdrop of Woodhorn Museum.
There, BBC expert Richard Price encountered a guest who brought in an especially striking timepiece.
Price began his appraisal by saying: "So, Rolex collectors obviously know what this is and this is a Rolex Oyster GMT Master. And they refer to everything by the reference number. In this case, it is the reference 1675.
"It's also here on the bill of sale which I see is from a Hong Kong retailer in the early part of 1971. It's obviously not bought by you so who bought it in 1971?"
'It was basically a gift to my dad and about five years ago he passed it to me for inheritance', the guest explained.
'He's still alive but he just thought give it to me to see what I want to do with it and it's been in a drawer ever since.'
(Image: BBC)
Price further explained the historical significance of the watch, noting that it was during the 1940s and 1950s when airlines began undertaking much longer flights, requiring pilots to operate on GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).
It was in the mid-1950s that Pan American Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, approached Rolex to create a watch featuring an additional hand that could be set to GMT.
"By 1959 or certainly just around five years later, this reference, which is the 1675, became the standard GMT master," Price elucidated.
"And what is so lovely about this is you've got all of the paperwork, what we call in the trade, the full set."
Delving into the details of the timepiece, the expert observed: "Things to point to, the bezel is original. Had it been changed, the value would have been reduced."
Yet, not everything was perfect as he noted: "The bracelet is not original. This will be what they call a service replacement.
"The only thing that spoils it, because otherwise it's in lovely original condition."
(Image: BBC)
Originally bought for £1,040 Hong Kong dollars, roughly under £2
00 at the time, the watch had appreciated significantly.
"That £200 50 years ago has actually done quite well," Price remarked, but with a tinge of disappointment, he added: "If it had the original bracelet with the full set, we could have put two noughts on and made it £20,000."
The owner could only muster a "wow" upon hearing this, but Price had more news: "But it's not got the original bracelet so I'm going to take it back to, in this condition, around £14,000."
Overjoyed, the owner couldn't believe it, exclaiming: "What? Woah! No way."
His happiness was evident when asked if he was pleased, replying with a content: "Yeah. I didn't expect that at all."
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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