Olivia Gilcher, from Detroit, US, purchased a mystery bundle of old jewellery from a budget online retailer and was left speechless when she realised the treasure inside
A woman was utterly astounded when a budget mystery bundle she bought on Facebook turned out to contain a designer watch valued at thousands.
Olivia Gilcher, a savvy bargain hunter, took a chance on a bag of second-hand jewellery weighing 8lbs for $65 (£50) without any inkling of the gem it housed.
To her amazement, inside lay her “dream” timepiece, an 80s-era Gucci watch with an elegant gold bangle accented with green, a find that could fetch up to $2,900 (£2,255) if sold today.
“At first, I didn’t believe it was real,” admitted Olivia, a Detroit-based student, while speaking to What’s The Jam. “But thanks to my experience working at a luxury watch company, I knew what to look for.”
“I examined the engraved logo, SKU number, and overall construction, and everything checked out. Even then, I still couldn’t believe it, so I opened the back of the watch to check the movement, and that confirmed its authenticity.”
What Olivia found was a rare Gucci change bezel 1100L model stemming from the late 80s, making it a collector’s delight. She commented on the cost: “The retail price in the late 1980s was between $500 and $1,000 that would be equivalent to approximately $1,493 to $2,985 in 2025, adjusted for inflation.”
Opting not to keep the prized possession, Olivia has put up the watch for sale online for $550 (£427), though she confessed: “This watch is truly a dream piece for me, something I’ve wanted for years.
“But at the same time, as a college student, extra income is always tempting. I tried it on, and it was a little tight that felt like my sign that I should let it go.”
“My logic is: If I can’t stop thinking about it, I’ll buy one for myself in the future.” Olivia began buying mystery bundles after noticing them on sale at her local thrift store.
She frequently purchases these bundles and resells any standout pieces she discovers. She added: “I don’t actually make much of a profit from selling jewellery-it’s more of a passion project and a way to promote sustainability by giving these pieces a second life.
“Over time, I’ve collected way too much jewellery, so I started reselling mystery jewellery bags to share the experience with others.
“Each bag is filled with unique finds, and my goal is to ensure that every piece is appreciated rather than discarded.”
In other mystery box news, budget supermarket Lidl gave customers the opportunity to grab one last year for £20. A man named Andrew detailed its contents in a Facebook post.
The box included an electric keyboard, a digital radio, pizza baking set, and even swimming goggles and a wetsuit.
