For one lucky Arizona man, an unassuming $5.99 second-hand watch languishing in a thrift store has paved the way to wedded bliss. Zach Norris said he went to a Goodwill charity store in Phoenix last month looking for a golf cart, but a rare Swiss timepiece caught his eye. Norris, an avid watch collector, said he grew excited when he recognized the 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch. What a find! Zach Norris went to a Goodwill store in Arizona last month looking for a golf cart, but instead he found a rare 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch priced at only $5.99 (pictured left and right) Eyes on the prize: As an avid watch collector, Norris knew at once that the watch was worth a small fortune . There were only about 900 of the watches ever made. Paul White, vice president of Scottsdale-based Oliver Smith Jeweler, a dealer for the brand, said a watchmaker authenticated Norris' discovery. Norris shared his good fortune on Hodinkee.com, a website for watch collectors, and another enthusiast from San Francisco snapped it up for $35,000. As part of the deal, the Jaeger-LeCoultre's proud new owner, noted Rolex dealer and collector Eric Ku, even threw in an Omega Speedmaster watch worth $4,000 when he met Norris in San Francisco in late January. The Phoenix man says most of the proceeds from the sale will go toward paying for his upcoming wedding to his fiancee, Leandra Knudson. Rare: There were only about 900 of the watches ever made . Time is money: Norris was able to sell the precious Swiss watch to another collector for $35,000 . Good bargain: As part of the deal, the buyer also threw in an Omega Speedmaster watch (left) worth $4,000 . Enthusiasts: Norris, left, is pictured with the proud new owner of his thrift-shop watch, Rolex collector Eric Ku . The two have be talking about tying the knot for a while now, but Norris says now they finally can begin planning the October 2015 nuptials in earnest. He also donated a portion of the profits back to Goodwill. Norris says he was not surprised that Goodwill staffers assigned the precious watch such a low value. ‘Sometimes they just miss it, they don't know,’ Norris tells AZfamily.com. ‘It's not a very fancy-looking piece. You have to know what it is.’ Being a passionate watch collector, Norris knew at once the true value of this watch as soon as he set eyes on it. Laughing all the way to the alter: Norris, pictured here with his fiancee, Leandra, says most of the proceed will go towards their upcoming wedding . The Phoenix resident recounted how when he went to pay for it, he was too nervous to even let the cashier handle his purchase. ‘I was like, you can scan it in my hand if you want to. I just didn't want to let it go,’ he said. Goodwill spokeswoman Summer Dunham says Norris' find shows there are deals to be had at the thrift stores.
Zach Norris went to Goodwill store in Phoenix in January looking for a golf cart, but instead he found a 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch .
Fewer than 1,000 of these Swiss watches were ever made .
Norris mentioned the timepiece on a watch enthusiasts' forum, and a collector from San Francisco bought it for $35,000 .
For one lucky Arizona man, an unassuming $5.99 second-hand watch languishing in a thrift store has paved the way to wedded bliss. Zach Norris said he went to a Goodwill charity store in Phoenix last month looking for a golf cart, but a rare Swiss timepiece caught his eye. Norris, an avid watch collector, said he grew excited when he recognized the 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch. What a find! Zach Norris went to a Goodwill store in Arizona last month looking for a golf cart, but instead he found a rare 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch priced at only $5.99 (pictured left and right) Eyes on the prize: As an avid watch collector, Norris knew at once that the watch was worth a small fortune . There were only about 900 of the watches ever made. Paul White, vice president of Scottsdale-based Oliver Smith Jeweler, a dealer for the brand, said a watchmaker authenticated Norris' discovery. Norris shared his good fortune on Hodinkee.com, a website for watch collectors, and another enthusiast from San Francisco snapped it up for $35,000. As part of the deal, the Jaeger-LeCoultre's proud new owner, noted Rolex dealer and collector Eric Ku, even threw in an Omega Speedmaster watch worth $4,000 when he met Norris in San Francisco in late January. The Phoenix man says most of the proceeds from the sale will go toward paying for his upcoming wedding to his fiancee, Leandra Knudson. Rare: There were only about 900 of the watches ever made . Time is money: Norris was able to sell the precious Swiss watch to another collector for $35,000 . Good bargain: As part of the deal, the buyer also threw in an Omega Speedmaster watch (left) worth $4,000 . Enthusiasts: Norris, left, is pictured with the proud new owner of his thrift-shop watch, Rolex collector Eric Ku . The two have be talking about tying the knot for a while now, but Norris says now they finally can begin planning the October 2015 nuptials in earnest. He also donated a portion of the profits back to Goodwill. Norris says he was not surprised that Goodwill staffers assigned the precious watch such a low value. ‘Sometimes they just miss it, they don't know,’ Norris tells AZfamily.com. ‘It's not a very fancy-looking piece. You have to know what it is.’ Being a passionate watch collector, Norris knew at once the true value of this watch as soon as he set eyes on it. Laughing all the way to the alter: Norris, pictured here with his fiancee, Leandra, says most of the proceed will go towards their upcoming wedding . The Phoenix resident recounted how when he went to pay for it, he was too nervous to even let the cashier handle his purchase. ‘I was like, you can scan it in my hand if you want to. I just didn't want to let it go,’ he said. Goodwill spokeswoman Summer Dunham says Norris' find shows there are deals to be had at the thrift stores.
Phoenix last month looking for a golf cart, but a he recognized the 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch. What a find! Zach Norris went to a Goodwill store in Arizona last month looking for a golf cart, but instead he found a rare 1959 and another enthusiast from San Francisco snapped it up for $35,000. As part of the deal, the precious Swiss watch to another collector for