Man gets Rolex Oyster watch his father gifted him valued and is left stunned by how much it's worth
Published on Jan 10, 2026 at 2:25 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jan 08, 2026 at 4:39 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This man was left speechless after a TV valuation revealed the true worth of a Rolex Oyster GMT-Master that was gifted to him by his father.
The watch had been bought in Hong Kong in 1971 and was originally gifted to the man’s dad.
After owning it for several decades, the father passed it on to his son as an inheritance.
When the son appeared on an episode of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow with the watch, he wasn’t quite prepared for the valuation.
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The Rolex was bought in 1971 for around $270
For those unfamiliar with Antiques Roadshow, it’s a TV show where members of the public bring their antiques and collectibles to be valued by experts.
On an episode from 2022, this British man went along with a Rolex Oyster GMT Master.
Expert Richard Price explained the origins of the watch, revealing that during the 1940s and 1950s, airline pilots flew on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
So, in the mid-1950s, Pan American Airlines had been in discussions with Rolex to create a watch that had a separate hand that could be set to GMT.
The model brought to the Antiques Roadshow was a ‘1675’ and was the ‘standard’ Rolex Oyster GMT Master from around 1959 onwards.
As well as the watch, the man also had all the original paperwork, including the bill of sale, which showed that the original buyer parted with around £200, about $270.
Although the watch was in good condition, Price noted that it no longer had its original bracelet, which would impact the price.
Had the watch been intact, with the original bracelet, the expert said it would be worth £20,000, around $26,950.
However, in its current condition, it was still worth an impressive £14,000, about $18,858, which was more than enough to leave its owner in shock.
“What? No. No way. I didn’t expect that at all,” he said after composing himself.
It’s not the first time a Rolex Oyster has been given a large valuation
This isn’t the first time a Rolex Oyster has popped up on an episode of Antiques Roadshow.
A few years back, an army veteran appeared on the US version of the show with his Rolex Oyster Cosmograph he’d bought 40 years ago for just $345.
The vet was left speechless and actually dropped to the ground on his knees after being told his $345 investment was now worth a staggering $400,000.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
