Man Buys $6 Watch At A Yard Sale, Has No Idea It’s Actually Worth Thousands

Usually he’d walk away empty handed, as the watch collecting business is a competitive one. It’s rare to spot a valuable deal that hasn’t already been bought by some other discerning consumer.

Zach knew the ups and downs of the hobby. He bought a vintage Enicar Sherpa ultradive for a little over forty-one dollars, which ended up being worth an impressive one thousand dollars. He also had some disastrous finds.

To his great disappointment, the valuable specimen was nowhere to be found upon his return. Someone else had jumped on the offer before Norris could. He learned his lesson that day never to miss out on a great deal.

But by far the best find of Zach’s life came on a day when he wasn’t even looking for a watch at all. It all goes to show, the best things in life happen when you aren’t expecting them.

It was a hot day in Phoenix, and, to stay out of the sun, he decided to take a visit to his local Goodwill. Zach was searching for a good deal on a golf cart, something he’d been needing for a while.

Unfortunately, he didn’t find any carts that were to his liking and was about to leave empty-handed. On his way out of the store, however, he noticed a box of loose watches and decided to take a look, just for kicks.

According to Norris, most of the watches were “Fossils,” a relatively cheap brand, and were priced at about 15 dollars. Then, one particularly special specimen caught his eye.

The keen shopper turned the watch over, and, to his shock and amazement, immediately recognized what it was: a LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm. To a watch collector like Zach, this find was incredible. He knew all about its history.

The LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarms or DSAs for short, are a rare line of luxury watches. So rare, in fact, that less than 1,000 were manufactured for sale in the US. But even more impressive than their scarcity is their unique functionality.

DSAs were among the first watches made for deep sea divers to be able to use alarm technology underwater. Zach was overjoyed; he had found a true treasure. And to make matters more fortuitous, Goodwill was selling the piece for only $5.99!

Zach walked out of the store, thrilled with his purchase. But he still wanted to take it to a watchmaker, just to make completely sure he was correct about its true value. This would lead to an even more incredible discovery.

A jeweler in Scottsdale confirmed the watch was a genuine DSA, and, based on its slight weathering and its serial number, it was likely made in 1959 — the very first year these watches were manufactured! The question remained though: just exactly how much was it worth?

Norris ran to the vintage watch groups on Facebook and posted about his find. Immediately, he was inundated with offers of people willing to buy it for thousands of dollars. Deep down was conflicted.

On the one hand, the DSA was incredibly special to him. But at the same time, Zach knew that the money he would make off it could also change his life. The decision weighed on him.

Then, like magic, Norris found the perfect buyer that put his worries to rest. Eric Ku wasn’t just any watch collector; he was a revered Rolex dealer who Zach himself deeply admired. The two quickly got into negotiations.

Eric explained that he already owned a DSA, but his was in such perfect condition that he didn’t feel comfortable wearing it around in public. He knew Zach’s slightly less pristine edition would be just what he needed. Still, the seller had some stipulations.

For one, he wanted an Omega Speedmaster Professional Watch from Eric — along with $36,000. But, more importantly, he wanted to deliver the precious watch in person. He met his idol in San Francisco, where he received another huge surprise.

Not only did the two make the deal, but they also became good friends, spending the day together and eating lobster rolls at the Old Port Lobster Shack. Zach told his new friend what he planned to spend his money on.

His upcoming wedding! That was his first priority. And as for the rest of the 36 thousand? He put it towards buying yet another luxury watch, as well as improving his overall quality of life. Yet, not all who come across valuable items decide to sell them.