Last year in July, we came across one of the most incredible lost and found stories involving a vintage Rolex, which was initially shared by the horology-themed website Fratello. An Australian professional surfer, Matt Cuddihy, came across a watch lodged under a rock at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean while snorkeling off the Queensland coast. The barnacle-encrusted timepiece turned out to be an extremely valuable vintage Rolex Submariner. While Matt made attempts to search for the rightful owner of the watch by posting its details on his social media to more than 25,000 followers, it was the Fratello story that caught the attention of a person named Ric Outrim, who had owned the watch since he was 18 years old.
Stumbling upon the Fratello story, Ric immediately recognized his beloved timepiece. Ric “broke down and wept” when he realized that he’d be finally reunited with his Rolex, which had been missing in the ocean since 2019. It was easy for him to prove ownership thanks to an inscription on the back of the watch, which reads “R. Outrim, Presented 1971.” The Rolex was given to him as a gift at the age of 18 from his father, a sailor and former member of the Royal Australian Navy. Ric has a special attachment to the watch thanks to its connection to his father, who passed away in the early 2000s.
The timepiece also accompanied Ric on countless adventures, which included winning sailing races, backpacking across Europe, and working in Switzerland. “I am so grateful for this to be returned,” Ric said. “It’s unbelievable. You would never think this could happen. I am so emotional.”
After spending four years under the ocean, the Rolex was in a terrible state, covered in barnacles. Thankfully, the damage endured by the watch was mostly cosmetic, and the Submariner was still ticking when it was found. However, Matt helped Ric reach out to Rolex and get the highly valuable timepiece repaired. Ric requested the watch to be completely refurbished and asked for the original parts to be included with the watch. According to Fratello, only a single master horologer was responsible for the refurbishment of Ric’s Submariner.
The process took almost six months, but the Rolex was completely restored to its original condition, which included equipping it with a period-correct Oyster bracelet. Ric’s watch had a Velcro strap when it was lost. After being reunited with his freshly restored Rolex, Ric wants to return to the spot where he lost the watch and go surfing with Matt. “I’d like to have Matt as a friend for the rest of my life. He’s a person of very high caliber,” Ric said.
