Metal detecting for me is all about finding history, especially something so personal and rare, that once belonged to somebody long ago. On the 12th July 2020, was my day of finding that something special. The day started off quite normal, looking for new places to detect - stopping at a couple of parks, with little luck. The afternoon went by as the rain cloud set in. Thinking, perhaps I should go home, I decided to stop off at just one more park - an old location that I had detected at before. I left and arrived at my last destination, and as luck would have it, it started to rain. But being the stubborn detectorist that I am, I decided to continue after a few minor targets. My Equinox 800 went off again, bouncing between 17 to high 20’s, yet still remaining a very clear signal. With spade in hand, I started digging carefully not to disturb the soil too much. But before I knew it, the plug I was digging, kept getting deeper. My Minelab Pro-Find 35 Pin Pointer continued to beep more loudly as I was digging closer towards the target …. and there it was! I blinked and had to look twice before I realised what I had just found! What I unearthed was a gold coloured pocket watch. As I was kneeling in the cold, wet grass, I was holding the watch, which was extremely heavy. It had no signs of rust or tarnishing. The front glass face and back was fully intact. I could not bring myself to open it. Instead, I waited a few days before I had it assessed by my local jeweller, who deals in antique watches and jewellery. My jeweller was absolutely taken back from what I had just found. He confirmed that it indeed was quite old and acknowledged that it was a watch dating back to the mid 1800’s and would have been extremely valuable in its time. He said that this watch would have belonged to a gentleman of extreme wealth. He suspects that there’s just under an ounce of 18 carat gold. My jeweller also advised me that the pocket watch can be restored, as the gold casing and face are still in perfect condition, even after all this time. However, being buried for over 150 years, the moisture in the soil has not been kind to the internal mechanisms and therefore they will have to be replaced, if the watch is to be fully restored to its former glory. Perhaps, this project is for another day, as this piece deserves to have yet another chance at again keeping time and allowing its story to continue. I have been a keen detectorist now for over 5 years and have found some wonderful treasures during this time. In my early beginnings, I started off with a Minelab Go-Find 60, but then quickly updated to the CTX 3030, which is normally my “go to” machine. However, now and again, I do like to swap between the CTX and Equinox, especially when I’m detecting inland, as they both have their strengths and are both excellent machines to relic hunt with. So far, this gold pocket watch is my greatest find as I feel so blessed to have unearthed such a piece of early Melbourne history. Happy hunting! Daniel Parma
