The ring from the flea market turned out to be a treasure for half a million dollars
'23.05.2017'
Source: NBC New York
Back in 1980, a woman bought a white pebble for $ 15 at a flea market from a hospital in West Middlesex in London. More than 30 years the mistress of the stone did not suspect that she had a real treasure in her hands, writes NBC New York
But recently this jeweler saw the stone and offered the woman to evaluate it, since he suggested that it was not simple jewelry. It turned out to be a diamond in 26,27 carats.
“They bought it as jewelry. No one had a clue of its true value. They attended sales more than once, but they never collected jewelry, let alone diamonds. For them it is like a bolt from the blue, this is a unique find, ”the expert noted. Sotheby's on jewelery jessica windham.
The hostess did not even suspect that this white stone was a diamond cut in the XNUMXth century.
According to Wyndham, the lack of brilliance in the brilliance of diamonds made people believe that it was jewelry.
However, the processing of precious stones in the XIX century was rougher, so not all diamonds cut at that time are distinguished by some special shine.
“With the old cut, light is not reflected in the stone in the same way as with modern stone cutting methods. In addition, the carvers of that time tried to work with the natural shape of the stone and, first of all, keep the maximum possible weight, and not give it a bright shine, ”the expert adds.
So the diamond fell into the hands of specialists Sotheby's.
“We looked at it and sent it to the Gemological Institute of America for examination,” says Jessica Wyndham.
“Most of us cannot even dream of owning such a large diamond,” she added. Sotheby's. If this stone will be sold at auction Sotheby's next month, his owner will earn about $ 450 thousand.
