Antiques Roadshow guest gushes 'I can't believe that' as value of inherited item unveiled

Edinburgh Live

2 days ago

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A guest on Antiques Roadshow was utterly astounded by the hefty valuation given to his Rolex watch by expert Richard Price.
During a rerun of the much-loved BBC show, which aired on Sunday 8th June, Brodie Castle served as the backdrop for a host of valuable discoveries.
The episode showcased a man who presented Richard with a 1960s Rolex GMT-Master that once belonged to his uncle.
Richard, examining the timepiece closely, told the owner: "All Rolex collectors refer to these things by their reference number," and "You know as well as I do because it says so on the dial that it's a GMT-Master."
The owner shared that he had held onto the watch for about 32 years after inheriting it from his uncle, reports the Express.
(Image: BBC)
He guessed that the watch might have been a present to his uncle in the 1960s, leading Richard to investigate its provenance further.
Richard clarified: "It's the reference 1675, which is the classic GMT-Master when you said 60s, I think we could fairly safely say 1960 to 1961, so that all fits in."
Upon closer examination, Richard was delighted to discover the watch was unmodified, pointing out that many watches are often altered during servicing, which can disappoint collectors.
He detailed: "They would've changed the bezel and they would've changed the dial with an upgrade," and then remarked: "You would've had it back thinking, 'Oh, it looks like new'. Collectors hate that, it's absolutely original, spot-on."
The expert was then left a tad disappointed after inspecting the watch further, noting that it sported a jubilee bracelet rather than the original oyster type.
He informed the downcast owner: "It's a Rolex product of course, but it says 'Made in the USA'. So perhaps he specified that he did not want the oyster bracelet, he wanted a jubilee bracelet and they put this one on for him.
"Which sort of detracts from it a little bit, probably detracts from it by a couple of thousand pounds."
(Image: BBC)
The guest's spirits dipped further when Richard valued the watch at what would have been £300 to £350 in the early 60s.
Reacting to the valuation, the guest said ruefully: "Wish he bought more." However, Richard had some uplifting news, announcing that the Rolex is likely worth £12,000 to £15,000.
The guest was left utterly gobsmacked as applause erupted around him. Visibly moved, he uttered: "I can't believe that, can't believe that."
Antiques Roadshow is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.