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Watch | Colonial Williamsburg, Hour 2

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Appraisal Collection | All Our Appraisals from Colonial Williamsburg, Hour 2

Appraisal Collection | All Our Appraisals from Colonial Williamsburg, Hour 2

Related | Playboy "Womb Chair" Spread

Related | Playboy "Womb Chair" Spread

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Related Video | "Heller in Pink Tights" Title Sequence

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Diamond & Platinum Jewelry Collection, ca. 1960

Value (2010) | $80,000 Auction – $100,000 Auction
Watch  

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.

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Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Peter J. Shemonsky
Jewelry
Heritage Auctions
San Francisco
Appraised value (2010)
$80,000 Auction – $100,000 Auction
Featured In
Miami Beach, Hour 2 (#1502)
Event
Miami Beach, FL (July 10, 2010)
Category
Jewelry
Period
20th Century
Form
Necklace , Ring
Material
Diamonds , Platinum , Sapphire

Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

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."

Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.

Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.

Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.

Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.

Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.

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