Today's My Lucky Day ...

Have you ever heard about a friend's friend or maybe a brother-in-law of a cousin or some other obscure person who went to a flea market and bought a $2.00 painting that turned out to be worth $20,000? Or, how about the woman who bought a piece of costume jewelry that turned out to be real diamonds? The finder is always someone remote. It always happens to someone else - never you or me.

Then one day, I got a call from a buddy who was a little short on cash but had assembled quite a collection of high-end watches. He had to sell them off quickly. He said I had my choice of Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Hublot, Omega, Piaget, or Corum. He claimed his favorite was a Rolex Daytona and he would let me have it for $500. The year was 1985. $500 for a watch (of any kind) was way out of my league but he was desperate and I wanted to help him out.

I soon became the proud owner of that Daytona. But, I didn't treat it any differently than I would a Timex. Sometimes I'd forget and even wear it while I was playing hockey.

One day I visited a jewelry shop on an unrelated issue and the guy behind the counter saw my Daytona. He said, "Hey, those things are worth a lot of money".

And, with that, he disappeared to his back office and returned with a flyer from a vintage watch company in Dallas.

The flyer mentioned how valuable my watch model was ... "Call Me Now"! It said,

"We Have Buyers Waiting" the flyer screamed.

I phoned as soon as I was able. I assumed my watch was even more valuable -- I'd just had it cleaned and tuned up for $265.! That same week, I'd had a car tune-up --

it didn't cost $200.

I photocopied a picture of my watch and the tune-up receipt and forwarded it to Texas and waited for a callback. The news was better than expected. I was offered $2,000. US dollars and, according to my buyer, "I'll send our US cash in hundred dollar bills to your Toronto address, by personal courier, in three days".

The message was great news but maybe not great enough. I was suspicious.

I told him, "I'll think about it".

He called first thing the next morning and the morning after that. His excitement of the pending deal only made me more suspicious. I managed to use my time between calls with him to investigate. It was a pre-Google search timeframe but I did find that actor, Paul Newman, favored the Daytona -- a gift from his wife in 1968 with an original purchase price of $200. She inscribed the following message on the back ... "Drive Safely, Me". It would go on to sell at auction for $17.7 million.




I hadn't quite reached Newman's level of popularity but I did discover my watch was way more valuable than my Dallas dealer said. Everybody apparently wanted one and my brushed silver model was rare. I called him back.




I conjured up my best poker face (even though I was on the phone) "Here's my deal and I won't negotiate", I said.

"I want $4500. in US hundred dollar bills, delivered by courier this Saturday and I want a brand new, Rolex submariner (in the original box with all the papers).



This particular Rolex, the submariner, was made famous by Ian Fleming when the writer mentioned that his super spy, James Bond's, everyday spy equipment included a Rolex submariner. At the time, it was being sold at Toronto Rolex stores for $6500 CDN. (remember it's the mid-1980s)






He didn't flinch at my demands. Done! He said.

So, I got $4,500. US cash plus a brand new $6,500. Rolex watch for my original $500. investment. Remembering my first offer from the Texas vintage timepiece company was only $2,000.

Sweet!

I now was part of that special group of finders/keepers that I always wanted to be a part of ... people who discovered diamonds that others thought were glass and colorless etchings that were real masterpieces.

Anyways, I wore my brand new submariner for a few years and was driving one day when I noticed it on my wrist. What am I doing with this expensive submariner watch? ... the only time I ever spent at sea was on a cruise ship. It had to go.

On my next trip to Florida, I checked into a Rolex dealer to see how much I could get for it. The counter lady took it into the back room while I cooled my heels in the store. "We'll give you $2,000 cash right now for your submariner," after consulting with the boss, she said.

"Thanks" and I made my way to the door. I really just wanted a ballpark figure that I could use for a quote at the next Rolex store.

Wait! She said. Isn't that a good price?

I said no, and I'm going to try another store.

Long story short, this price dance with her went on for several more tries when I finally agreed to $4800 USD. cash for a watch that I again wore when playing hockey and originally cost $6,500. CDN. when it was brand new in the box.

I wanted to donate the money to a charity that Lorraine and I have supported for a few decades, Canadian Food for Children. So, when my $4,800 USD was converted to CDN funds it became $6400. CDN.

The charity, created by world-renowned, Dr. Andrew Simone, who was a disciple of Mother Theresa, told me he could feed 20 children for one dollar. So, theoretically, that day, 125,000 meals were served courtesy of my Daytona.

Good story.

Happy ending.

But, it's not about the donation.

Quite simply, it just felt silly wearing an expensive watch.

But, I should have waited just a little while longer.

Today, a silver Rolex Daytona -- my watch -- regularly sells for $24,000.

$32,000. if it had a tune-up.