Antiques Roadshow guest surprised by value of her £60 jewels

On Antiques Roadshow, a woman who paid about £60 for a small jewellery collection was told by expert Joanna Hardy that the pieces are 18 carat gold and include a near-2 carat diamond, and that they could fetch about £14,000 at auction.

A guest on Antiques Roadshow brought a small collection of jewellery to be examined at Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery in Ealing. The items had originally cost her about £60 in total and were acquired in different ways over the years. Fine jewellery specialist Joanna Hardy examined the pieces and described them as high-quality 18 carat gold, noting a substantial diamond in the ring. The guest and audience reacted with clear surprise at the expert's assessment. Key details: - The collection included a necklace, a bracelet, a chain with a pendant and a ring, and was said to have cost about £60 in total. - Joanna Hardy reported the items are 18 carat gold and identified the ring’s centre stone as nearly a two-carat diamond. - Hardy gave a global valuation and said the items would be expected to fetch around £14,000 at auction. - The article also notes other recent Roadshow valuations, including a Chinese tea set estimated at £1,500–£2,500 and a solid-silver cucumber cutter estimated at about £1,000–£1,500. Summary: The expert valuations highlighted that a modestly priced personal collection can have substantially greater market value and renewed emotional significance for its owner. Undetermined at this time.