Remarkable Discovery of a Lost Rolex
In a story that seems almost too incredible to be true, a 95-year-old British farmer named James Steele has been reunited with his long-lost Rolex watch after nearly fifty years. Steele originally lost the watch in 1974, when it was swallowed by one of his cows on a freezing morning as he was taking them to the vet. Despite searching carefully, he never found the watch and eventually gave up hope.
A Fortuitous Find
The unexpected reunion occurred when Steele's son, Andrew, allowed a treasure hunter named Liam King to use a metal detector on their Shropshire farm. King was initially searching for old coins but instead uncovered the Rolex, which had been buried for decades. While the watch is no longer functional and the dial has turned greenish, Steele was overjoyed by the discovery.
A Souvenir of the Past
Though the Rolex is not in wearable condition, with half of the bracelet missing and the watch itself stopped at 12:40 p.m., Steele has decided to keep it as a cherished memento. Repairing the watch would be prohibitively expensive, but its sentimental value is priceless. Steele expressed his gratitude to Liam King for his honesty, noting that King could have easily kept the valuable find for himself. The former farmer now encourages King to continue searching their land, hopeful that more hidden treasures might be unearthed.
- James Steele purchased the Rolex in 1950 and lost it 24 years later, making the reunion with his watch a significant personal milestone.
- The discovery was described as a 'fluke' by Steele, who had resigned himself to never seeing the watch again.
- The story highlights the trust and honesty between the Steele family and the treasure hunter, Liam King, who could have easily kept the watch but chose to return it.
