BBC Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked as broken watch given eye-watering value

One lucky Antiques Roadshow guest was left utterly speechless after he learnt the true value of his broken watch that he found in the bottom of a junk box. The BBC antiques weekend show is loved up and down the country and quickly became a mainstay following its debut in 1979.

Last year, the long-running show travelled to Powis Castle in Welshpool where expert Alistair Chandler met a man who had paid £40 for a box of junk to see what treasures he would find. The proud owner explained: “There were all sorts of bits in [the box] and there were some tools that I wanted. But in the bottom there was some dead watches, and amongst it was that one.”

The watch he had brought in featured a rectangular, square, black face and a dark brown strap. Alistair was immediately impressed by the beautiful timepiece and revealed he had “come across a jewel”.

The expert went on to tell the guest that the vintage watch was by the popular designer brand Jaeger-Lecoultre. The Swiss manufacturer was founded by Antoine LeCoulture in 1833 and was known for its expensive pieces.

Alastair claimed this particular was made back in the 1930s and that “it really does ooze style”. He continued: “I think, £40 you paid for this watch? I think in today's market, with the interest in wristwatches, and with the Jaeger, and given the Asprey retailing name... I think someone would easily pay £1,500 to £2,000 for this watch.”

As he shared the staggering value, there was an audible gasp among the spectators as the man was frozen in shock. He then gathered himself and said: “That wasn’t a bad day of shopping!”

This is the second time a broken watch has been brought in while filming at Powis Castle. In an episode which aired in 2023, a woman told expert Richard Price that the watch face she had brought in had belonged to a pilot during World War II.

But she got quite the shock when Richard told her that the pilot was likely party of the Nazi air force – the Luftwaffe – and if it could be verified as a German watch, it’s value would sky-rocket.

He added that it was the £rarest item” and a ”good buy” after the lady explained she had bought it for £20 in a shop in Weymouth, Dorset in the 1970s. Richard then revealed it could fetch anywhere between £8,000 and £10,000.

Antiques Roadshow airs on Sundays from 7pm on BBC One or catch up on BBC iPlayer.