Army vet on Antiques Roadshow collapses onto floor after being told how much his Rolex is worth

Sometimes things will shock us so much our reaction will be a bit more extreme than just an ‘oh wow’.

Our body might literally make us look possessed or we’ll jump back cartoon character style.

Or perhaps we’ll simply just collapse to the floor.

That’s what happened to this army veteran on Antiques Roadshow when he was told how much his Rolex is worth.

On the US version of the show, David took in a Paul Newman Rolex Daytona that he bought for just $345 back in 1974.

The US Air Force veteran explained that the watch cost him nearly a month’s salary at the time, but he’d heard it was a good brand for going scuba diving.

However, he decided the Rolex was way too nice to be dunking into salt water so instead kept it mostly in a safety deposit box for four decades.

PBS

But turns out, with his warranty papers, receipts and original box, his mostly unworn watch has been a hidden piece of treasure all this time.

In the episode, it is explained the watch was made in around 1971 and was similar to the one Paul Newman in the 1969 film, Winning.

The valuer tells David that at the time of filming those watches were going for ‘approximately $150-$250,000’ (£122,981-£204,968). But this one is worth far more.

His watch is ‘more special’, with ‘Oyster’ on it, it’s ‘extremely rare’.

“A watch like this, at auction, is worth about $400,000 (£327,949),” the valuer explained.

And in reaction, David threw himself to the ground, as those in the background laughed.

PBS

But he was warned: “Don’t fall, I’m not done yet. I said a watch like yours.”

The army vet’s watch is in such good condition, with complete documentation and could be ‘one of the very few in the whole world that still was never worn’.

And prepare yourself for this whopper: “Your watch, at auction today, $500 to $700,000 (£409,936-£573,911).”

David’s response here feels more relatable as he closes his eyes, shakes his head and simply says: “You got to be f**king kidding me,” and laughs.

The valuer calls it an ‘absolute find’ and says: “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.”

David closes with an ‘unbelievable’ as he is not-so-jokingly jokingly warned of his rare Rolex: “You can’t wear it though.”

Topics: Antiques Roadshow, TV and Film, US News, Money

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_