The value of Provenance

[DaveTucker]

Today at work I was showing a colleague my new CW C60 and he recalled a story about an old Rolex. The story is that a customer of his had found an old Rolex while diving in the Bahamas. With a few shakes, the watch started ticking but was covered in years worth of crud. Interested to know what the watch was worth, he took it to several jewellers. The consensus was that the watch was worth about £1000 if cleaned up. So he sent it off to Rolex for cleaning, along with the story of how he found it. He was very surprised when Rolex said that he definitely should not get it cleaned and with the story of its history and evidence of its provenance the watch was worth.around £20,000. It reminded me of a quote from Indiana Jones "take a $5 watch, bury it in the desert for a thousand years and it will be priceless"

[Thegreyman]

The experts always advise not replacing dial, hands etc on vintage Rolex as it reduces the value so I get that. I’m not so convinced that barnacles on the case would give that additional authenticity and value...but then what do I know!


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[H0rati0]

Urban myth? IIRC, Rolex can identify owners from serial numbers, so in theory the original owner should be able to get his watch back, finders is not necessarily keepers.

[Soporsche]

10 years ago I received a call from the new owners of my last house 6 months after we moved out. They found a Seiko in the flower bed in back garden and was it mine (I wandered where it had gone)?
I collected it, still works and still have it but may sell for the right price, 4 figure offers accepted.

[tikkathree]

10 years ago I received a call from the new owners of my last house 6 months after we moved out. They found a Seiko in the flower bed in back garden and was it mine (I wandered where it had gone)?
I collected it, still works and still have it but may sell for the right price, 4 figure offers accepted.

How many bedrooms with that?

[JAFO]

The experts always advise not replacing dial, hands etc on vintage Rolex as it reduces the value so I get that. I’m not so convinced that barnacles on the case would give that additional authenticity and value...but then what do I know!


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What if it was bronze? Patina and barnacles.

[Bahnstormer_vRS]

10 years ago I received a call from the new owners of my last house 6 months after we moved out. They found a Seiko in the flower bed in back garden and was it mine (I wandered where it had gone)?
I collected it, still works and still have it but may sell for the right price, 4 figure offers accepted.

£18.88 secure it?

That's four figures.

Guy

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[Soporsche]

£18.88 secure it?

That's four figures.

Guy

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[/quote]

Haha, that would be pretty accurate valuation for it, despite the 'provenance