1 00:00:02,035 --> 00:00:07,774 GUEST: I brought in a Rolex watch that I had purchased while I was in the military. I was 2 00:00:07,774 --> 00:00:21,221 stationed in Thailand from 1973 to 1975. And while I was there, I flew on Air America Airlines 3 00:00:21,221 --> 00:00:27,127 and Continental Airlines, and I noticed that most of the pilots that were flying those 4 00:00:27,127 --> 00:00:32,332 aircraft wore Rolex watches, and I was intrigued by them. I always wanted to purchase them, 5 00:00:32,332 --> 00:00:39,506 but they were very expensive. Later, when I was transferred to another base, I did some 6 00:00:39,506 --> 00:00:47,247 scuba diving, and I knew that the Rolex watch was good for scuba diving. I found this particular 7 00:00:47,247 --> 00:00:50,984 watch where I could afford it, and I never used it. I looked at it and I said, "You know, 8 00:00:50,984 --> 00:00:53,887 this is really too nice to take down in salty water." 9 00:00:53,887 --> 00:00:56,289 APPRAISER: Yeah. 10 00:00:56,289 --> 00:01:00,794 GUEST: I just kept it. After I got out of the service, I had other watches I wore and 11 00:01:00,794 --> 00:01:07,434 I just put this one into a safety deposit box. It stayed there for 30 or 40 years. I 12 00:01:07,434 --> 00:01:10,437 only took it out, like, two or three times to look at it, and that was about the extent 13 00:01:10,437 --> 00:01:12,305 of it before I brought it here. 14 00:01:12,305 --> 00:01:14,741 APPRAISER: What branch of service were you in? 15 00:01:14,741 --> 00:01:20,747 GUEST: I was in the United States Air Force. I entered in 1971. My draft number was seven. 16 00:01:20,747 --> 00:01:23,483 APPRAISER: That's a pretty low number, huh? 17 00:01:23,483 --> 00:01:25,251 GUEST: (chuckles) That's not really lucky in the, in the draft, right? 18 00:01:25,251 --> 00:01:27,754 APPRAISER: No. 19 00:01:27,754 --> 00:01:31,724 GUEST: When I found out about that, I either had to join the Air Force or another branch, 20 00:01:31,724 --> 00:01:34,027 or I was enlisted by the first of January. 21 00:01:34,027 --> 00:01:36,563 APPRAISER: And what'd you do in the service? 22 00:01:36,563 --> 00:01:41,835 GUEST: I worked in munitions, but there's, like, four different branches, and I worked 23 00:01:41,835 --> 00:01:46,339 in explosive ordnance disposal. To put it simply, I helped clear 24 00:01:46,339 --> 00:01:52,745 roads of land mines. Munitions storage areas that had been blown up or sabotaged, we cleaned 25 00:01:52,745 --> 00:02:00,086 those up. There were... multiple children and adults that were injured as a result of 26 00:02:00,086 --> 00:02:04,457 unexploded ordnance. And it's, the hazard still is there today. 27 00:02:04,457 --> 00:02:08,394 APPRAISER: You bought this where? Was it, was it at a military store? 28 00:02:08,394 --> 00:02:14,200 GUEST: I ordered it in November 1974 through the base exchange. I believe it came in in 29 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,304 April 1975. 30 00:02:18,304 --> 00:02:23,776 APPRAISER: The amount that you paid, you even got a ten percent discount. It says $345.97. 31 00:02:23,776 --> 00:02:27,981 Was that a lot of money in 1975 to you? 32 00:02:27,981 --> 00:02:29,749 GUEST: It was a lot of money for myself. 33 00:02:29,749 --> 00:02:32,152 APPRAISER: What were salaries back then? 34 00:02:32,152 --> 00:02:36,489 GUEST: It ranged between $300 and $400 a month, if I have it correct. 35 00:02:36,489 --> 00:02:41,694 APPRAISER: As you know, it's a Rolex. This particular model is referred to as an Oyster 36 00:02:41,694 --> 00:02:46,633 Cosmograph. They're also referred to as Daytonas. This is a 37 00:02:46,633 --> 00:02:52,539 reference 6263. You saved everything, which is really wonderful. The warranty paper was 38 00:02:52,539 --> 00:02:56,776 never filled out and was never numbered, so you have, actually have a blank guarantee, 39 00:02:56,776 --> 00:03:02,382 which is quite unusual. And even over here, this paper is blank. A blank paper today is 40 00:03:02,382 --> 00:03:07,654 probably worth about $2,000, because it can be made to match any watch and add value to 41 00:03:07,654 --> 00:03:14,360 it. You have the original Rolex brochure here for the Cosmograph. You have two receipts, 42 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:19,499 the order receipt and your payment receipt. You have the original box. Even the outer 43 00:03:19,499 --> 00:03:24,470 box here. These watches, as we've talked on "ANTIQUES ROADSHOW," have become very collectible 44 00:03:24,470 --> 00:03:29,876 and valuable. It's got a couple of very special features about it. Underneath the word "Rolex" 45 00:03:29,876 --> 00:03:35,715 and above the word "Cosmograph," it says "Oyster," and that refers to these screw-down buttons 46 00:03:35,715 --> 00:03:40,553 here. They made this version with and without screw-down buttons. The ones without the screw-down 47 00:03:40,553 --> 00:03:44,891 buttons are still water-resistant, but this was a much better water-resistant case, because 48 00:03:44,891 --> 00:03:50,296 you could lock down the chronograph buttons on it. It still has the foil sticker on the 49 00:03:50,296 --> 00:03:55,868 back with the reference number of the watch, 6263. Had it be worn, that would be the first 50 00:03:55,868 --> 00:04:01,874 thing that would wear off the watch. The date mark on the bracelet shows that it was made 51 00:04:01,874 --> 00:04:07,247 in the first quarter of 1971, and you ordered it a couple of years later. Collectors love 52 00:04:07,247 --> 00:04:12,418 this watch because Paul Newman wore it in a movie called "Winning." It wasn't this particular 53 00:04:12,418 --> 00:04:17,757 model, it did not have the screw-down buttons. The one that Paul Newman wore, currently at 54 00:04:17,757 --> 00:04:27,900 auction, those watches are going for approximately $150,000 to $200,000. Your watch is more special. 55 00:04:27,900 --> 00:04:29,202 It says... 56 00:04:29,202 --> 00:04:31,437 GUEST: You got to be kidding me. 57 00:04:31,437 --> 00:04:35,942 APPRAISER: It says "Oyster" on it. Yes. They did that for an extremely short period of 58 00:04:35,942 --> 00:04:41,848 time. We refer to that as a Mark II dial. And this particular model, being marked "Oyster," 59 00:04:41,848 --> 00:04:47,620 is extremely, extremely rare. A watch like this at auction is worth about $400,000. 60 00:04:47,620 --> 00:04:51,924 GUEST: (people laughing in background) 61 00:04:51,924 --> 00:04:54,894 APPRAISER: You okay? 62 00:04:54,894 --> 00:04:59,565 GUEST: (people laughing) (chuckles) 63 00:04:59,565 --> 00:05:04,904 APPRAISER: Don't fall. I'm not done yet. I said, "A watch like yours." Because of the 64 00:05:04,904 --> 00:05:11,844 condition of it-- basically, it's a new old stock watch: no wear on it; the original foil 65 00:05:11,844 --> 00:05:16,949 sticker on the back of it; and the fact that we have all this complete documentation here, 66 00:05:16,949 --> 00:05:21,988 also-- your watch, at auction, today, $500,000 to $700,000. 67 00:05:21,988 --> 00:05:25,458 GUEST: You got to be (muted) me. (laughing) 68 00:05:25,458 --> 00:05:27,560 APPRAISER: No, I'm very serious. 69 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,029 GUEST: (chuckles and murmurs) 70 00:05:30,029 --> 00:05:36,803 APPRAISER: It's an absolute fabulous find. It's one of the rarest Paul Newman models, 71 00:05:36,803 --> 00:05:40,340 and in this condition, I don't think there's a better one in the world. I can't thank you 72 00:05:40,340 --> 00:05:45,011 enough for bringing me one of the greatest watches to ever see on "ANTIQUES ROADSHOW." 73 00:05:45,011 --> 00:05:47,046 And thank you very much for your service. 74 00:05:47,046 --> 00:05:48,981 GUEST: Unbelievable. 75 00:05:48,981 --> 00:05:52,452 APPRAISER: You can't wear it, though. 76 00:05:52,452 --> 00:05:54,987 GUEST: (murmurs) If you wear it, it drops down to the $400,000 value.