An Antiques Roadshow guest was left speechless when she discovered the incredible value of a watch her father had purchased in the early 70s.
The hit BBC antiques show took a trip to Powis Castle in Wales on Sunday night (April 2) when a woman shared a pilot’s watch used in World War II with an expert.
The woman was informed the watch has solid bars and was painted with the radioactive material, radium, prompting the expert to warn her to seek assistance if she wanted to take the item apart.
READ MORE: Antiques Road Trip presenter forced to hold back tears after brutal losses at auction
He explained those types of watches were made by various factories but revealed the one collectors “all want” is the German factory of Lange.
(Image: BBC)
The woman admitted she has never opened up the watch and therefore had no idea which factory made the vintage item.
“It makes a big difference price-wise,” he explained.
As the expert carefully opened up the watch, he said: “And joy of joys, it is A Lange & Sohne. So it’s the one they all want.”
After revealing the Lange factory was destroyed in World War II, the expert explained: “This is why this is something that collectors want – the Lange watches – because they are the rarest and the move lovely.
(Image: BBC)
“Well, lucky my dad!” the woman quipped before she was asked how her father came to have the watch in his possession.
She responded: “He got it in Weymouth in a government surplus shop in the early 70s. He was always poking around old shops, antique shops in government surplus places.”
“Do you know what he paid?,” asked the expert.
The BBC guest revealed her father paid just £20 for the watch, to which the expert replied: “Gosh! OK.”
(Image: BBC)
“Is that a good buy?” she asked as the expert said: “Erm.. pretty good buy! I think I would’ve been delighted to have paid £20 for that then.”
The expert revealed as the watch was made by “the rarest of all manufactures” and the one that collectors all want, dealers on the market are asking for between £8,000 and £10,000.
The woman was stunned as she simply responded: “Really? Wow.”
The expert then asked if her father would miss the item as he joked he would take it if not.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
