A WOMAN was shocked to learn a pair of diamond-studded gold earrings she bought at an estate sale were worth $3,000.
The Antiques Roadshow guest admitted that she didn’t inspect the earrings very closely after purchasing them.
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She thought they would look beautiful on her daughter and bought them for just $150.
It was the last day of the sale and the price had dropped, so she decided to take advantage of the bargain.
Appraiser Michael Larsen inspected the earrings and discovered they were 14-karat gold with white gold accents, set with diamonds and a large topaz gem in the middle.
“But I found something more important there,” he said.
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“Did you see on the back that it was signed?”
The seller admitted that she “didn’t pay much attention” to the earrings as she didn’t pay much for them.
Hidden on the back of the earrings was a stamp by Russian-born French designer Romain de Tirtoff. He signed his initials, RT, in French – Erté.
He was known for the versatility of his art, which ranged from decoration to clothing and jewelry. Most parts sold by several thousand dollars.
“Beautiful earrings. I’m sure they will be a great gift for your daughter,” said Larsen.
“I believe if we saw them in a retail environment, they would sell for around $3,000.”
“Seriously?” the salesman responded incredulously.
After Larsen confirmed the amount, she joked, “Maybe [my daughter] I will not take them.”
PRECIOUS JEWELRY
Another Antiques Roadshow guest brought a jewelry collection inherited from her great-aunt to be appraised.
In the 1998 episode, the Virginia native explained that her great-aunt passed down a collection to her, including a ring, bracelet and pendant, that was given to her by her husband, a former United States congressman.
Appraiser Berj Zavian determined that the pieces were made in the mid-1920s, during the Art Deco period.
The ring and pendant had rare Burmese rubies surrounded by platinum.
The pendant was valued at at least $12,000, and the diamond and ruby ring was valued at around $80,000.
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But there was an even more valuable piece in the collection.
The bracelet featured a rare 3.5-carat Burmese ruby surrounded by at least 30 other smaller rubies.
There were also 70 baguette diamonds and 144 round diamonds, totaling 15 carats.
Zavian valued the bracelet at a staggering $165,000.
Another family heirloom that had been passed down for more than 100 years was said to be worth $28,000.
Additionally, one family discovered that their grandmother’s brooch was worth $15,000.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
