Antiques Roadshow can always be counted on for quirky stories and jaw-dropping finds, but one recent episode set in Roundhay Park, Leeds, offered an especially memorable moment for watch-heads (formally known as horologists, we’ve been reliably informed…).
Rare Rolex Makes Racks
Host Fiona Bruce and her team spent much of the hour-long episode sifting through treasures as varied as a gold handbag from a mystery benefactor and a remarkable album of Antarctic photos.
However, it was a vintage Rolex that truly stole the show… and ruffled a few feathers along the way.
Richard Price, the show’s Rolex aficionado, was delighted to examine the guest’s “Double Red” Rolex Sea-Dweller (reference 1665).
As Price explained, this 1970s original marked the first of the Sea-Dwellers to feature the iconic red text, earning it the “holy grail” status among committed collectors.
The guest revealed how his brother — who had been drilling water wells in Dubai — had gifted the watch to him years ago, handing it over to save the guest the hassle of buying a new one.
For over four decades, the guest wore the Sea-Dweller almost every day but somehow managed to keep it in immaculate condition, even if the original strap eventually broke.
When it was serviced, he cannily kept the old strap safely tucked away, preserving every link and, with them, every authentic piece of Rolex history.
WATCH: Fake Rolex Watches Back In Vogue For The Wealthy
Why You Should Never Ditch a Rolex for a Smartphone
Everything seemed perfectly congenial… until the guest confessed he no longer wears the watch, finding it too heavy.
What really rubbed the expert up the wrong way, however, was the guest’s confession that he just checks his phone for the time these days.
Price’s genial demeanour vanished in an instant as he cut the guest off, insisting that everyone needs a watch, phone or no phone.
The tension quickly melted away once Price unveiled his valuation: at least £35,000 (c. $70,000) thanks to the pristine condition and original parts.
The figure left the guest practically speechless… odds are his iPhone wouldn’t fetch nearly as much.
