An Antiques Roadshow visitor was stunned to learn the worth of a brooch passed down through her family.
On Sunday’s programme, expert Joanna Hardy examined a gold and silver bird brooch and provided an astounding estimate of its value.
‘This is a very special jewel and I wasn’t disappointed when I opened the box to see this. But also it’s a very special occasion I hear,’ she said to three generations from the same family, including a baby girl.
The guest’s daughter told how her grandmother gave the brooch to her mother when she was born, and how it was passed down to her when she had her own daughter.
‘And to think that this brooch has been passed down through these generations, that is what jewellery is all about,’ Joanna replied.
‘I love it because it is everything that I look for in a jewel, it is beautifully crafted. Everything you see has been hand done and handmade.’
She pointed to the ‘yellow diamonds’ and the animal’s head made of ‘pure white diamonds’ and a ’emerald eye’, which looked far better than a terrifying bird valued at an exceedingly high price in another recent show.
She added: ‘And what I love to see, you might not see the other eye but they have always paid attention to the reverse and you’ve got it sitting perched on a line of baguette diamonds and then you’ve got these three Marquise cut sapphires.’
When it came to the valuation, both guests were noticeably surprised by Joanna’s estimate for the item.
‘I mean, it really is absolutely superb,’ she said. ‘And if you were going to buy something similar, you would probably need to spend about £25,000 and £30,000.’
‘No,’ the elder guest said with her hand to her mouth, telling her daughter: ‘Look after it!’
She later said: ‘I am delighted that it is so valuable because it is such a special thing to hand down.’
Meanwhile, one viewer remarked that the brooch might not be passed down to the next generation because of the price.
They quipped: ’30k. The kid won’t see the kingfisher brooch ever again. #AntiquesRoadshow’
Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays at 8pm on BBC One.
Source My Celebrity Life.