Finders, keepers! That is not a mantra Australian pro surfer Matt Cuddihy believes in. A month ago, the world-ranked surfer from Australia found a vintage Rolex Submariner while snorkeling at Noosa Heads, a coastal town in Australia. A rare Rolex Submariner ref. 5513. certainly wasn’t the treasure he was expecting. Considering the ceaseless craze around Rolex watches, one might expect Cuddihy to keep the watch he found. Instead, the man shared the exciting story of his Rolex discovery on his social media, ultimately going viral. Media outlets and major European newspapers covered his story, making it easy for Cuddihy to get in touch with the actual owner.
Ric, the owner, encountered this story and immediately recognized his long-lost watch. Ric wrote to Cuddihy, “Hey Matt. If that watch has a special inscription on the back, it is mine. I contacted the police after I lost it and Rolex to see if it was found and cleaned up. I might be able to get it back because it has very special memories for me. Ric.” As fate would have it, the Rolex, indeed, was Ric’s.
In 1971, an 18-year-old Ric received the most incredible gift from his dad for winning a local sailing race. The Rolex was Ric’s partner on several adventures, and it was during one such adrenaline-rushing day in 2019 Ric lost the watch while surfing in Noosa. Thanks to good-hearted Matt and the undeniable power of social media that makes the world a smaller place, Ric and his Rolex were reunited after nearly four years.
“It’s all pretty incredible,” Ric said. “There are great people still left in the world.” Cuddihy shared, “The only thing I wanted was to reunite it with the owner. I wasn’t ever going to sell it. I knew it meant a lot to someone. There is so much history there.”
[Read the incredible story on Fratello Watches]
