Vintage Cartier watch found in a charity shop sells for nearly R213k!

Vintage Cartier watch found in a charity shop sells for nearly R213k!

Do you think that perhaps they didn't know the value before donating?

Gold Cartier watch on display
Gold Cartier watch on display/Instagram Screenshot/@BBCNews

When you think about donations, you automatically associate it with items that still have some life to them. 

But very rarely would you think that those items are elite watches from a popular design brand, such as Cartier. 

That's what happened at a charity shop in London. 

The Tank Française yellow gold model watch, which is 18-carats, broke records for the auction sale held by the British Heart Foundation. 

"After 46 bids, the 18-carat gold watch sold for £9,766 (R208,454.29). It was found at a branch in Hounslow, and verified as a real Cartier product at the BHF's eBay warehouse in Leeds." (BBC)

Kama Villiers, enterprise customer success manager at Shopiago, the BHF's online shopping partner, said:  "When you consider the average value of an item donated to a charity shop is less than £5, finding a Cartier watch is like striking gold and winning the lottery at the same time." (BBC)

We somehow have to agree with her. As much as this was for an absolute great cause, we have to wonder...

Did the donation happen intentionally or by mistake?

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Villiers thanked the anonymous donor, saying that this contribution would do wonders in fighting heart disease. 

This is the highest amount received in any auction conducted online for the charity. The BHF's online charity shop on eBay does list some other designer brands such as Gucci and Burberry. 

So, perhaps it wasn't a mistake, but a good deed gone right?

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