Veteran Faints After Finding Out His $345 Rolex Watch Is Worth Over $500k On Antiques Roadshow

The latest episode of the popular antiques show on Monday in Bonanzaville, West Fargo, N.D witnessed a rather strange instance: An Air Force veteran was literally knocked over on learning the estimated value of his antique Rolex watch – a whopping $400,000!

The video, which amassed over thousands of views soon after it surfaced online, captured the unnamed veteran collapsing after this discovery—leading to him falling down in shock. But, hold your horses. The estimated value was the amount quoted on underselling it.

The appraiser, Peter Planes is seen reiterating that the vintage watch in question was worth between $500,000 and $700,000 at auction. The officer had shelled out a reasonable $345.97 for the watch in 1974, when he was stationed in Thailand. But, never in a thousand years had he envisioned the watch to amass the value it did over the years.

Despite having bought it for scuba diving, it was so special that he often left it treasured and unused. So much so, the watch was barely taken out a couple of times in the 30-40 years of its possession. “I looked at it, and I said, ‘You know what this is really too nice to take down in salty water. I just kept it’, “reminisced the veteran.

While the watch’s impeccable condition is what added to its value, there were several other reasons that added to it: The model in question bore an eerie resemblance to the watch that Paul Newman sported in the “Winning,”. The watch also featured a rare “Oyster” label. Plus, in all these years, the veteran had all the original paperwork and the watch was in fine working condition.

The ending seemed as surreal as the whole experience. And justifiably so, because nobody expected the watch to rake in such a fortune at the show. The state of disbelief was evidenced in Planes’ reaction, but he wound up the appraisal without making his excitement a little too obvious—at spotting such a vintage piece—and offered the veteran exactly what it was worth.