An Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned as her heirloom was given a huge value.
The guest was quizzed by diamond specialist John Benjamin on the BBC One show, as she brought two items - one a smaller enamelled brooch in the shape of a heart whilst another beautiful item had a flower design, which contained sapphire and was surrounded by a border of half pearls. The white stones were chips of diamonds.
She explained how she had been handed the two pieces of jewellery by an elderly neighbour, who had been giving it by her aunt, who she thought might have got it from a patient she cared for.
John began by saying: "A couple of weeks ago, I was doing a valuation for a customer, and we were chatting, and she said to me, 'What's the most important feature about a piece of jewellery?' and I said 'Do you know what, It's about how wearable the item is.
"These were incredibly wearable. They were made in totally different countries and both were made around about 1905."
The guest then explained where she had inherited the luxury pieces from.
She said: "I inherited them from an elderly neighbour. She, in turn, got them from her maiden aunt, who did a lot of private nursing. If she hadn't killed anybody off in the process, they usually gave her a parting gift."
She noted that she hadn't worn it much, which John then insisted was a good thing.
"I'm glad you haven't worn it very much because it's in surprisingly good condition as well."
The pair then discussed the value of them, as the lady revealed she had taken them to a dealer who said they were worth £180.
"Well, I did take them to Cardiff and showed a local dealer, and he offered me a £180 for the both of them," she explained.
John then surprised her by telling her they were actually worth much more.
"This little sentimental sweet brooch would sell in auction for probably £250 to £300. So there's your offer on one piece. The Russian 1905 pendant at auction, you are talking about £1000 for it. You have got some super-duper little pieces of jewellery here," he said.
