Edinburgh BBC Antiques Roadshow guest 'staggered' at huge value of damaged item
An Edinburgh BBC Antiques Roadshow guest was left "staggered" by the value of his damaged Rolex.
The owner took his Rolex Sea-Dweller, that was badly scuffed from a near death experience involving a bike, a hill and a punctured lung, to see expert Richard Price while the much-loved show was visiting Edinburgh's Botanic Gardens.
In the programme, which aired on Sunday, July 6, he told Price how he was encouraged to buy the top of the line divers watch by his late brother-in-law.
He said: "I was aware that Rolex made the best watches. My brother-in-law, who's now passed away, had a Submariner, and he said 'If you're going to buy one, buy the Sea-Dweller.'"
Originally bought in 1982 for £483, the watch has sat in a drawer for 30 years and other than a significant scratch on the glass, appears to be in decent condition.
The owner continued: "I was out cycling with my daughter and I was going downhill... too fast. Came off and it caught on the gravel. I ended up in hospital for a week with a punctured lung. It survived, so did I."
And now, despite the damage, the watch has been valued at £18,000 to £20,000.
Reacting to the news, he laughed: "Unbelievable!
"Yeah, that's amazing! I'm absolutely staggered."
Also featured in the episode was a Marconi Crystal Wireless radio from 1910, a collection of medals belonging to diver Verrall Newman, a unique silver trophy from an 1897 one-mile bicycle race, a botanical sample gathered by none other than Charles Darwin, and a traditional Norwegian bridal brooch.
Catch Antiques Roadshow on BBC Two, Sundays at 8.05pm.
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