Diamond & Platinum Jewelry Collection, ca. 1960
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GUEST:
I was bequeathed these by a very special aunt. And the entire collection was gifts from probably the mid-1950s, and probably the latest would be 1970. And I believed that much of the jewelry that he gifted her was platinum and diamond.
APPRAISER:
And so when you received these, were you expecting to inherit all these items?
GUEST:
(laughs) No, I... there's a small ring that's white gold or platinum and diamond, and I expected that. I never expected this collection, so this was, needless to say, a pleasant surprise.
APPRAISER:
A big surprise, I'm sure. Now, tell me about this ring.
GUEST:
This ring I had reset. That was the original engagement ring, and I wanted to wear that all the time, so I took it to my jeweler and I asked him to make a setting that was like a vintage or estate piece.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.
GUEST:
So he made that for me to wear her engagement diamond all the time.
APPRAISER:
The center stone is about 2 1/2 carats. And as you say, it's a newer mounting, but the stone looks like it was cut around the 1950s. So it's consistent with what you understand it to be. The band here with the sapphires and diamonds, also around the same time period, probably late '50s, early '60s. Very much in keeping with the time period as well in terms of what ladies would have as a secondary ring. And it's set with round diamonds and round sapphires. And the approximate carat weight on that is just about a carat and .25 in diamonds. Now, this ring here with the baguettes and the...
GUEST:
I think that's my favorite.
APPRAISER:
That's your favorite piece? Well, you've got a series of baguettes that are lined across the center here with round stones surrounding it. This is probably from the late '40s, early 1950s.
GUEST:
Oh, wow, okay.
APPRAISER:
And I estimated the total carat weight on this to be approximately six carats.
GUEST:
Oh, wow.
APPRAISER:
And then here we have the diamond cluster ring, set with pear shapes, marquise and round diamonds, and the approximate carat weight on this is around ten carats worth of diamonds.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh.
APPRAISER:
This is very much late 1960s, early 1970s.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
Then lastly, we have this beautiful necklace, and the necklace is set throughout here on the front portion with square-cut diamonds, and is completed by round and baguette diamonds. And this would date also from probably mid-1950s. The estimated total carat weight on this is approximately 30 carats.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh! 30 carats!
APPRAISER:
Yes. Now, have you ever had these appraised?
GUEST:
No, I have not.
APPRAISER:
First off, the diamond ring, in terms of auction value, I would put the ring at $25,000 to $35,000.
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness! Really?
APPRAISER:
You like that?
GUEST:
I... that's... great. Okay.
APPRAISER:
The sapphire-diamond band, in today's market at auction, would be between $2,000 and $3,000. The diamond baguette and round stone ring would be between $5,000 and $7,000.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
And the large cluster ring would be between $8,000 to $10,000.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
And perhaps the nicest piece of all that you have here is the diamond necklace. And the auction value I would put on this would be between $45,000 and $55,000.
GUEST:
Really?! (laughing)
APPRAISER:
Yes.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh! I'm shocked. Wow, wow!
APPRAISER:
Yes, great piece of jewelry. So we, in total, we have roughly between $80,000 and $100,000.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh! That's amazing.
APPRAISER:
It's a great gift.
GUEST:
That's amazing.
APPRAISER:
It's a very nice gift to have been bequeathed by a relative.
GUEST:
Wow, thank you, Peter.
APPRAISER:
You're very welcome.
GUEST:
Thank you, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
(both laughing)
GUEST:
Oh, my God! (laughing) Really?!
APPRAISER:
So you are glad that you came to the ROADSHOW today.
GUEST:
Oh, my God.
Appraisal Details
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Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
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