This week, a Tampa Bay retiree brought in a terrific Cartier watch the likes of which I’ve never seen. He’d taken it to the Antiques Roadshow; they estimated it would retail for $8,000 to $10,000.
It was a showstopper: his grandfather’s Cartier pocket watch in pristine condition, 18K gold with a massive blue-enamel monogram across the front. With a slight squeeze, a double aperture slid open, revealing the watch dial — a little mechanical magic that made my heart skip.
I offered a respectable $7,000, making sure he knew I was in love with it but I couldn’t resist noting that big monograms often make resale tricky … unless, “your grandfather was someone of note.” He smiled. “Yeah,” he said. “He was.”
Naturally, I asked his grandfather’s name and gave it a quick Google. And then, OMG. Turns out “Doc Strub” wasn’t just anyone. His Wikipedia page reads like a Hollywood script:
- Built and owned Santa Anita Park racetrack.
- President and partner of the San Francisco Seals baseball club, and once owned Joe DiMaggio’s contract before selling it to the Yankees.
- Business partner of famed filmmaker Hal Roach.
- Made the racehorse Seabiscuit the national hero. (Doc was played by Ed Lauter in the movie).
- Nearly bought the NY Yankees, but was blocked by baseball commissioner Happy Chandler who didn’t like Strub’s horseracing ties.
- Oh, and when the 1939 NY World’s Fair was about to go bankrupt? Strub bailed it out.
Whew. Talk about a résumé! With my interest now fully piqued, I sweetened the deal: $10,000 cash or a $10,000–$25,000 auction estimate.
He thought for a moment, smiled, slipped the watch back into his pocket, and said, “I’ll think about it.”
Part of me was devastated … but another part of me rejoiced in just holding that piece of history. We all know the feeling: the thrill of discovery, the rush of connection, and the quiet ache when the one that got away walks out the door.
