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A hard-up former SAS soldier is trying to sell a special regimental Rolex for £20,000, reports the Sunday People.

Just 100 of the watches were made for the elite force in 2012 and sold for £5,500 each.

The highly-decorated soldier hopes its rarity and engravings will make it worth another £14,500.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II has the regiment’s name, 22 Special Air Service, and famous winged dagger badge on the back and the unit’s “Who Dares Wins” motto around the outside.

The Swiss timepiece is on sale in the Watch Club shop in Bond Street, Central London, home to some of the world’s most expensive jewellers.

It has never been warn and comes with case, tags, labels and specially printed warranty card which also contains the soldier’s name.

Watch Club describes the timepiece as an “exciting little investment” and suggest that it might be the next Rolex “Sommozzatori”.

The Sommozzatori was another special edition Rolex, commissioned for the 50th anniversary of the diving corps of the Italian state police in 2008.

Only 79 were made and are now regarded as one of the rarest and most collectable watches in the world.

One recently sold at auction for £55,000.

A members of the staff said: “The soldier who is selling it was a senior rank and highly decorated.

"He is selling it because he needs the money.”

But the decision to flog it has angered senior SAS members who believe the soldier only bought the watch to make a quick profit.

One SAS soldier said Rolex only agreed to produce the watches because of the regiment’s reputation and not as a means for soldiers to make money. He said: “The watch has never been worn. It is in mint condition.

“This guy bought it, held on to it for two years and now wants to make a huge profit.

"Guys were queuing up to buy these watches but only 100 made and it was done of a first-come-first serve basis.

“A squadron in Afghanistan and others on operations or training when they went on sale completely missed out.”

But an ex-SAS officer, who also owns one, said the soldier was doing nothing wrong.

He said: “Some of the lads wanted to buy two watches – keep one and sell the other. He’s done what others wanted to do.

"Good luck to him.”