I bought ‘junk jewellery’ at charity shop but ‘hidden gem’ sent value soaring to £8k – it’s the luckiest I’ve ever been
A WOMAN who bought “junk jewellery” was left in disbelief after discovering its true value of up to £8,000.
The anonymous Bromley woman, 58, spent £5.50 a charity shop for a for a box that included a ring, originally thinking it was merely costume jewellery.
But she took the ring to a free valuation day hosted by Hansons in Keston, and was blown away by what they told her.
It turns out the ring featured a 2.30 carat diamond, carrying an estimated worth of £7,000-£8,000.
The lucky woman said: “I didn’t think it could possibly be real.
“This is the best stroke of luck I’ve ever had.
“I’m over the moon. You hear about things like this happening to other people but never think it will happen to you.
“I only wore the ring a couple of times. Now I know what it’s worth I couldn’t wear it anyway because I’d be too worried about losing it.”
The woman committed to spending the money on her daughter’s Masters degree.
Hansons assessor Sonia Jackson said: “I told her it was a real diamond and she was amazed.
“She’d had the ring for months and thought it was costume jewellery with a fake stone.
“When I rang her for the valuation I said, ‘You may need to sit down’.”
It’s not the only case of Brits finding diamonds in the rough.
Auctioneer Gareth Wasp from the Cooper and Tanner Sales Room in Somerset previously told of how jewellery set for a charity shop was actually worth £70,000.
Mr Wasp collected two rings from a woman who couldn’t wait to get rid of them, but had them professionally valued after suspecting there was hidden value.
Revealed to be a true Cartier ring, one sold for a stunning £42,000, with another, a sapphire ring, reeling in £28,000.
How to tell if a diamond is real at home
Using a few household items, it is possible to determine whether your diamond is real or not.
Water Test
Drop a loose diamond into a pint glass full of water.
If it floats at the surface or just underneath, it’s likely a fake.
Look For Metal Markings
Inspect the metal for markings that indicate the type of gold or platinum used.
A real diamond is going to be set in high quality metals.
Fog Test
Breathe on your diamond with a puff of air.
Diamonds conduct heat so the fog should dissipate immediately if the diamond is real.
UV Light Test
Most diamonds emit a blue-colored glow under UV light.
The Dot Test Using Refractivity
When a diamond has a radiant sparkle, this is referred to as brilliance.
Simulated diamonds do not refract light well.