Army Veteran Passes Out After Learning The Value Of His Rolex From 1975

U.S. Army Veteran David brought his 1971 Paul Newman Rolex Daytona to the Antiques Roadshow in Fargo, North Dakota and was left shocked after learning about its value. He bought the Rolex for $345 in 1975 and decided to try his luck by showing up for the PBS series.

He recalled how he admired the Rolex watches the pilot would wear during his time in Thailand and hoped to get one for himself.  He eventually got one within his budget but could not wear it for years.

The value of his 1975 Rolex

After his time in Thailand, David was transferred to another base, where he often scuba-dived. On learning that Rolexes were safe to scuba dive with, he got one but was too scared to ruin it with salty water and simply kept it in a safe for about four decades.

David was so meticulous about his watch that he preserved it despite not wearing it. He even kept the outer and inner boxes, the order and final receipts, the unfilled warranty certificate, and other necessary documents, which the vintage appraiser said could go for $2,000.

The roadshow expert noted that David’s Rolex is an Oyster model, which is a better option than most other waterproof types thanks to its screw-down buttons. Apparently, the watch is a collector’s gem and is just as special as the model Newman wore in 1969’s Winnings, which has the highest amount for an auctioned watch at $17.7 million.

Upon hearing that his watch could be auctioned for up to $400,000, David fell to the ground in shock, not knowing there was more surprising news. The appraiser explained that it was still good as new, with all documents and packaging— even the foil sticker with reference number, present; hence it could go for as high as $700,000 in total.