Antiques Roadshow guest clasps hand to mouth and gasps ‘I don’t want to swear!’ as she struggles to contain shock at value of record-breaking brooch
As a dedicated follower of Antiques Roadshow for decades, I’ve witnessed countless heartwarming and jaw-dropping moments, but few have left me as stunned as this one. The story of the woman who inherited her grandmother’s seemingly ordinary blue brooch has become one of my favorites.
A guest at Antiques Roadshow, surprised by the astonishing worth of her grandmother’s brooch, exclaimed, “I don’t wish to curse!”, covering her mouth in disbelief.
The visitor found it difficult to conceal her astonishment and elation upon discovering the high cost of her exceptional brooch, a trinket she had believed to be merely an ornamental accessory.
In that breathtaking episode held at the enchanting Piece Hall in Halifax, I found myself on the edge of my seat as one special guest received a life-altering revelation, leaving an indelible mark on both their journey and mine.
During the BBC show, the on-site expert John Benjamin was intrigued by the guest’s beautiful blue brooch, as it turned out that this piece of jewelry had been passed down through her family.
As a collector of family heirlooms, I find great sentimental value in items passed down through generations. The blue sapphire brooch I wore on my wedding day is one such treasure, inherited from my grandmother and gifted to me by my father. It carries with it the stories of my ancestors and serves as a reminder of our family history. Wearing that brooch on my wedding day was an emotional experience, connecting me to my past, present, and future all at once.
‘And I just wanted to bring it here to learn more about it.’
She had previously taken the piece to several jewellers for a valuation, but had had no luck.
She said: ‘They said it was costume jewellery, they didn’t believe us.
They treated us very disrespectfully, saying something along the lines of, “I can’t understand why you’ve decided to appraise this item.”
‘Different individuals have expressed varying opinions – some claiming the diamonds aren’t genuine at all, while others acknowledge them as real diamonds but of poor quality. Thus, we’ve heard a range of views on this matter.’
The valuer then explained that he had been drawn to the brooch, which resembled a ‘blue blob’.
He then revealed that the beautiful piece of jewellery was in fact more than a century old.
He told the shocked woman that the family heirloom was at least 140 years old and was far from ordinary.
Would it be alright with you if I said that the jeweler(s) were speaking complete nonsense? Is that something you’d find agreeable to hear?
‘Because this is not a piece of jewellery of no consequence at all.’
The central stone being such a massive sapphire gives it considerable importance.
The guest could only manage a quiet ‘wow’ as Benjamin revealed it was a Sri Lankan ‘bright cornflour blue’ sapphire, weighing around 25-30 carats.
Benjamin went on saying, “It’s beautifully adorned with gold and securely housed in silver, still within its original case. Honestly, it’s a marvelous find.”
‘So then we move on to the question of the value.’
He began by confessing, “To tell you the truth, I’ve been part of this show for such a prolonged period, yet I’ve never encountered a sapphire this grand being presented on Antiques Roadshow. This is truly a unique experience for me.”
“Should I decide to put that jewelry piece up for auction, I anticipate it could sell for between £40,000 and £50,000.”
The crowd gasped as the guest looked on in surprise as she tried to contain herself.
Instead of saying, “She told the expert: ‘Oh my word. I don’t want to swear!'” you could paraphrase it as, “She expressed surprise to the expert with a phrase like, ‘I can’t believe it!’ instead of swearing.”
In a playful manner, I teased her with a laugh, “Hey there, are you okay? Cross my heart!” Later, we both agreed that the brooch she wore was simply magnificent.
He said: ‘Blooming heck indeed. It’s an absolute beauty. I mean, what else can I say about it, it’s fabulous.’
This is not the first life-changing revelation on the BBC show.
One guest was left speechless during an archived episode of the hit BBC show.
In a show set in Caversham, a young man was left speechless upon discovering that the package, concealed in ‘brown wrapping and a cloth’, held an astonishing value exceeding five figures.
Expert John Foster was presented with a ‘stunning’ stumpwork box as he explained:
Over time, I’ve been captivated by the Roadshow’s displays, particularly the intricate stumpwork and needlework pieces. You know, those beautiful, raised panels that adorn these boxes? Yes, those are the stumpwork sections I’m talking about.
He continued: ‘You can date it quite easily to the reign of Charles II, so 1675-ish because his image is on top.
Subsequently, he disclosed the astonishing value of the artifact, exclaiming, “It’s simply breathtaking! This piece, my friends, is a museum-worthy masterpiece. At an auction, it could fetch anywhere between £50,000 and £70,000.”
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2024-08-09 16:55