Latest news with #RolexOysterGMTMaster
Daily Mirror
02-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Antiques Roadshow expert leaves Rolex watch owner jaw-dropped with valuation
Richard Price assessed a Rolex Oyster GMT Master watch brought by someone to the Antiques Roadshow in a scene from the long-running BBC show that has resurfaced lately An expert on the Antiques Roadshow left the owner of a Rolex watch stunned by their valuation of the item. It came after the guest shared that they had inherited the antique, which was said to have cost around £200 decades ago. An episode of the BBC show filmed at Woodhorn Museum in Northumberland, which first aired in 2022 but has since been repeated, saw specialist Richard Price analyse the watch. He said that it was from Rolex's GMT Master range. During the segment, which has attracted attention in recent days after being uploaded to the show's YouTube channel last week, Richard said: "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." When asked who had bought the watch, the guest shared that it had been a "gift" to his dad, before telling Richard: "About five years ago he passed it to me for inheritance. 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." Speaking about the watch's history, Richard said: "The airline industry in the 40s and 50s were making much longer trips. Transatlantic, for instance." He continued by saying: "And pilots used to fly and work on GMT - Greenwich Mean Time." The specialist added: "You've probably heard of Pan Am, Pan American Airways, they were in discussion with Rolex in the mid 50s to develop a watch with an extra hand that could be set to GMT. This thing was developed, as I say, really specifically for PanAm, initially, in 1954. By 1959, or certainly just around five years later, this reference, which is the 1675, became the standard GMT Master." He went on to praise the guest for having "all the paperwork" for the antique watch that had been inherited. Richard said to him: "What is so lovely about this is you've got all the paperwork, what we call in the trade the full set." Assessing the watch, Richard said that the bezel is "original," adding: "Had it been changed, the value would have been reduced." He however said that the bracelet on the watch was "not original," having been replaced at some point. Richard said about the bracelet: "This will be what they call a service replacement." He added: "The only thing that spoils it because otherwise it's lovely original condition." He suggested that the watch would have been bought for just under £200 in 1971. He said: "That £200 fifty years ago has actually done quite well. If it had had the original bracelet, with the full set, we could have put two noughts on and made it £20,000." Richard continued by saying that the replacement bracelet had reduced the valuation. Sharing his valuation, he said: "But it's not got the original bracelet so I'm going to take it back to, in this condition, around £14,000." Jaw-dropped, the guest was visible surprised by the figure quoted by Richard. He reacted to the news: "What? Whoa! No way!" Richard asked: "You happy?" The owner responded as he laughed: "Yeah! I didn't expect that at all." The segment has attracted reaction on YouTube recently after being uploaded to Antiques Roadshow's channel last week. One person wrote in the comments section just days ago: "Love his reaction in the end." Others said they had expected the watch to be worth more. One viewer said: "I honestly thought it'd be worth a lot more than that. Hell you pay more than that for a modern day Submariner." Another said: "To be honest I thought it was worth more?"
Edinburgh Live
02-07-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Antiques Roadshow expert confesses watch could have been worth 5-figures if it wasn't for one problem
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info 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.
