Veteran nearly in tears after discovering what his $120 Rolex is worth today

A Veteran found himself nearly in tears after discovering what his $120 Rolex is worth today when he took it to PBS’s Antiques Roadshow to get it appraised.

A former US Army serviceman brought a Rolex GMT Master as a gift for his father more than five decades ago while stationed in Germany.

He paid $120 for it at a military PX just before returning stateside, which was more than a month’s salary following a sergeant’s advice to buy a Rolex before heading home.

After he spoke to the appraiser, the valuation left him stunned and close to tears.

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This whole appraisal was a surprise

This veteran decided he was going to take his classic Rolex watch to Peter Planes on the Antiques Roadshow to get an appraisal.

The veteran explained he purchased the watch in Zweibrücken, Germany, when he was serving overseas.

At the time, he had never heard of Rolex, but his sergeant insisted it was the best watch ever made and told him to pick one up before going back to the US.

So he bought a Rolex as a gift for his dad.

Over the years, the watch became less of an everyday item and more of a keepsake.

He said he does not wear it often anymore, saving it mainly as a dress watch while relying on a cheaper Casio watch day to day.

That decision to preserve it, along with a little luck, turned out to be a big deal.

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He was almost in tears when he learnt what his $120 Rolex is worth

The appraiser immediately recognized the watch as a Rolex GMT Master, and not just any version.

It was identified as the early GMT Master reference 6542, described as the first GMT Master model Rolex produced.

The expert also pointed out something rarely seen with vintage pieces: the owner had kept nearly everything.

Alongside the watch were its original box and paperwork, including the sales receipt showing an April 1960 purchase date.

Even though the bracelet on the watch had been replaced at some point, the original bracelet was still in the box, dated to the early 1960s.

The paperwork pile was impressive too, featuring a chronometer bulletin tied to Geneva testing and original tags and brochures; in the world of collectible watches, that kind of complete set can push value dramatically higher.

Peter Planes estimated the watch alone could bring $35,000 to $45,000 at auction.

But, with the box and full set of papers, the value jumped to roughly $65,000 to $75,000 in today’s market.

The veteran was nearly speechless, and in a shaky voice, he told Planes that he would have been thrilled with a value of $1,500.

There’s nothing as wholesome as someone who has carefully cared for something for many years, finally seeing all that hard work pay off.