Antiques Roadshow expert left unimpressed by 'one thing' on 'unusual' valuable watch
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WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest valued a late friend's watch for thousands but "one thing" was bothering him.
BBC specialist Richard Price was on hand at Hampton Court to examine the timepiece inherited by a guest.
She shared her story: "It was left to me by a very dear friend. I actually used to work for her and her husband was a buyer at one time in Harrods, a jewellery buyer for Harrods. And when she died, she gave it to me."
In response to whether her friend wore the item often, she said: "Yes, she used to wear it nearly every day on her suit lapel.."
Price praised: "That's a lovely story and I'll tell you something, it is in absolutely exquisite condition.
'There's not a chip out of that enamel anywhere.'
(Image: BBC)
When the guest admitted she didn't know what period it was from, Price elaborated: 'Well these flowers, the petals, leaves, the enamel, it's very sort of art nouveau in style, isn't it?
'And just looking at the general shape and size of the piece, I'm quite happy to say it's about 1905 to 1910.'
Price went on to demonstrate how the watch works, rotating the bezel to wind it and then using a thumb piece to turn the clock's hands, stating that it 'does everything it should do.'
It wasn't an entirely rosy appraisal though as he added: 'But there's just one thing I'm not entirely happy with.
'The little rose diamonds around the bezel of this watch just don't have quite the same style and class, if I can use that word, of these brilliant cut ones here.
'Do you see how that's just a little bit nicer than the watch itself', with the guest agreeing.
Opening up the watch to show off the mechanics, he described it as 'absolutely typically Swiss' and half the size of his fingernail.
'It is an exquisite thing. Wonderful quality.'
(Image: BBC)
'I'm not sure that the pendant actually went on with the watch when new.
'But the colours are so good that it doesn't really matter.
'It blends extremely well, because this is an unusual quality of enamel and it's an unusual colour because you've got the dark reds and you've got these lovely almost corally petals.'
Then came the moment of truth for the valuation: "Well you're never going to replace it, because you'll never need to."
But for those curious minds, "But if you went to look for one, I think that's going to cost you an absolute minimum of £6,000 to £7,000."
The revelation made the guest's face a picture of surprise as she exclaimed: "Oh goodness! Oh goodness me! Thank you, that's wonderful."
With a playful suggestion, Price said: "Next time somebody takes you out for a lovely dinner, pop it on", eliciting a chuckle from her as she responded: "I'll tell him!", hinting at her partner off-screen.
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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