Senior Sergeant Nguyen Duc Hoang found the watch in the screening area on Sept. 17 and alerted his commanders, the airport's Border Gate Police said on Sept. 22. He then worked with terminal staff to put out a lost-property announcement, check security camera footage and contact the airline.

The owner was Long Jianming, a passenger on AirAsia flight AK641 to Kuala Lumpur.

He got it back as the flight was preparing to close its doors.

A Chinese passenger left this Rolex, which he valued at more than VND1.6 billion ($61,500), in the security screening area of Da Nang International Airport. Photo courtesy of the Border Gate Police at Da Nang International Airport

Long valued the watch at more than VND1.6 billion ($61,500). Police photos show it is a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 126508-0004 in 18-karat yellow gold, which retails for $55,200 in the U.S., according to Rolex's website.

A day earlier, the unit's domestic security team returned belongings worth nearly VND200 million ($7,700) that two other passengers had left behind.