I bought earrings for £5 in a charity shop – I was gobsmacked to learn their true value, reveals Antiques Roadshow guest
A SHOCKED bargain hunter was left gobsmacked after discovering a pair of earrings she bought at a charity shop were worth thousands.
The stunned woman had flown in from Perth, Australia to get a valuation on the BBC show for the stylish drop gold and diamond earrings, which also feature pink tinted diamond bows.
She told Antiques Roadshow valuer Susan Rumfitt that she had bought the jewellery three years before in Australia to wear at a party.
“The theme was ‘op shop [charity shop] glamour’ so we had to find something in the op shop that was glamorous that we could wear and that’s my op shop glamour,” she said.
Susan told the guest: “I bet you looked fantastic when you were at the party.”
The expert then pulled out a thermal tester, which can determine if the diamonds are real or costume jewellery.
As Susan placed the gadget onto each diamond, it made a series of beeps as the guest nervously watched on.
The expert asked: “So, do we think that’s good or bad that beeping?”
Through laughter, the bemused woman said she didn’t know, before saying: “They’re just a bit of bling really. $10 bit of bling.”
Susan calculated that would be around £5 in British money.
“Well as I say, we’ve had a really good look at them and obviously the machine is making some strange noises.
“Well, the noise that the tester made, says that they are diamonds. And inside the centre bit here, you’ve also got some lovely floating diamonds or happy diamonds, as they tend to be called in this range of jewellery.”
Having confirmed they were real diamond earrings, the expert pointed to the faintly engraved name, Chopard, appearing on the glass and dated them to the 1980s and 1990s.
She continued: “They designed some really superb pieces of jewellery and are seen in some of the finest auctions across the world: Geneva, New York and highly sought after in many ways.
Antiques Roadshow presenters through the years
Antiques Roadshow launched all the way back in 1979 and has become a staple BBC programme. Here is a look at those who have hosted the show over the years.
- Bruce Parker (1979): Journalist and presenter Bruce Parker was the original host of Antiques Roadshow when the programme debuted.
- Angela Rippon (1979): Broadcaster and former newsreader Angela Rippon briefly took up the hosting reins in 1979.
- Arthur Negus (1979-1983): The first long-term presenter, the television personality and antiques expert had a four-year stint with the show. He died in 1985, two years after leaving Antiques Roadshow.
- Hugh Scully (1981-2000): Hugh, a journalist, radio and television presenter, is the longest-serving presenter of Antiques Roadshow. He died in 2015, at the age of 72.
- Michael Aspel (2000-2008): Retired presenter and newsreader Michael Aspel hosted Antiques Roadshow for eight years. He is also known for his work on shows including This Is Your Life and Crackerjack.
- Fiona Bruce (2008 – present): The current host, journalist, newsreader and presenter Fiona joined the BBC show in 2008. She remains the ongoing presenter to this day.
“That’s all good news really, so far. But then of course it does all come down to value and you’ve come all this way to see how much they’re worth.
“Well you could have probably travelled quite luxuriously on your way over here, because value wise at auction, we’re going to be looking in the region of £4,000 to £6,000.”
As she mentioned the value, the woman appeared shocked and could only let out a laugh, alongside gasps and a murmur of “ooh” from the delighted crowd behind her.
When she could finally speak, she beamed: “That’s grand! Thank you!”
Susan asked: “Will you be coming back?”, to which the guest gushed with excitement: “Yeah! Do a bit of shopping first!”
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer