Flog It 'embarrassment' as host 'gets it wrong' over eye-watering auction price

BBC's hit series, Flog It's antique expert, David Fletcher, was left embarrassed after incorrectly pricing a Longines Aviator Watch, which had been "handed down for generations and generations". The Fine Art and Chattels valuer introduced Jane, who brought the watch that she received from her "great aunt's family".

She explained: "It was just found eventually, when we cleared the home, I have no idea who used it and why they would've had it, I just thought it was a very beautiful thing." David declared: "I love it and its quite an important thing by Longines," pointing at the watch, he added: "It had this secondary dial in the middle which is adjustable. "If you were to line up the nought there on the 12, you can record the passage of time elapsed by tracking the appropriate hand," David said before estimating its auction price at £400-£600.

"It has additional importance as this particular type of movement was invented by a man called Weem, who was an American Airman, and he specialised in developing navigation aids like this.

"It would have been used by an aviator," the expert confirmed before adding: "What I love about it is that it's almost in original condition, the case is silver Continental with import marks for 1929. The leather is original, and even the buckle has its own hallmark."

Moments before heading to action, David stated: "My view is that we should estimate it at £400-600, watches that are very similar to this have made considerably than that in the past 12 months and I'm not optimistic it will do better than that."

He added: "I think that, that is a sensible estimate," before warning: "We don't want to estimate it too high and we want people to know its for sale."

However, David was forced to eat his words as he and Jane both appeared physically taken aback after the auctioneer introduced the watch to its potential buyers.

After the expert pointed out: "It looks like there's a phone line," it was announced that there were "various bids on the book," as the auctioneer stated: "I think I can come straight in at £2,500."

As their faces dropped, Jane and David looked at each other in amazement, while the bids continued to climb until it sold at a staggering £4,100.

The guest shared she would use some of the money to repair "an old grandfather clock," as an embarrassed David remarked: "I'm going to get the mickey taken out of me, they'll all be ringing me up saying 'oh you got that wrong.'"