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Air Force Vet Paid $346 for a Rolex Daytona. It’s Now Worth $700,000

Take that feeling you have when you find cash in the pocket of a jacket you had stored away and multiply it by a million times. Now you know how one Air Force vet felt when he found out the real value of the Rolex he bought back in 1973.
Rolex Oyster Daytona in excellent condition discovered by chance 6 photos
Photo: YouTube / PBS
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona (ref. 6239)Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona (ref. 6239)Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona (ref. 6239)Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona (ref. 6239)Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona (ref. 6239)
The latest episode of Antiques Roadshow on PBS features the heartwarming story of a man from West Fargo, North Dakota, who served in Thailand back in the ‘70s. He showed up with a watch he bought then, to have it appraised, and suffice it to say that, while he must have guessed his Rolex was worth a lot of money, he probably didn’t expect the amount he ended up hearing.

During his time in Thailand, the man noticed that commercial airline pilots were all wearing Rolexes, so he assumed it was a “respectable” brand. He didn’t have the cash for it, though, so he couldn’t buy it right away. Some time later, he was looking for a watch to use while scuba diving and he recalled his previous infatuation with Rolex.

He ended up buying an Oyster Cosmograph for $345.97 after a 10 percent discount, which may seem like a steal today but was an entire month’s of pay for him. Still, he couldn’t use it, either for diving nor otherwise, because he found it to be too pretty.

So he stored the watch in a deposit box for the next 4+ decades, together with all the documentation (including a blank warranty) and the original boxes. He only took it out a few times to admire it, but never wore it. So it still has the original sticker on the back, with reference number 6263.

This Rolex is also known as a Daytona, or a Paul Newman Daytona, and is a rare collector’s piece. The fact that it’s an Oyster edition and especially that it’s brand new (as in, never worn) drives its price even higher.

When the appraiser informed the gentleman that his watch could easily fetch between $500,000 and $700,000, he was floored. Literally.

“In this condition, I don't think there's a better one in the world,” the appraiser told him. “I can't thank you enough for bringing me one of the greatest watches to ever see on Antiques Roadshow and thank you very much for your service. You can't wear it, though.”

If you’re feeling down, here’s the heartwarming story in full to pick you right up.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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