Can Syms rescind his contract for an antique clock after realizing his valuation mistake?

In contract law, a unilateral mistake refers to a situation where only one party is mistaken about a fundamental aspect of the contract, typically related to the value of the consideration involved. In the case of Syms and the antique clock, he realizes that his valuation of the clock was incorrect after the agreement has been made. However, since this mistake only affects him and does not involve any misrepresentation or error from the other party, he cannot rescind the contract based solely on his unilateral mistake in value.

Contracts are generally upheld to honor the agreements made by the parties involved. A unilateral mistake is not sufficient grounds for rescission because it does not undermine the mutual assent that is required for a valid contract. Therefore, the correct reasoning here is that Syms cannot rescind his contract for the antique clock simply because he made a mistake regarding its value.