A diamond brooch passed down to a collector from their great-grandmother has been evaluated for tens of thousands of dollars.
The century-old jewelry was brought to PBS’ Antiques Roadshow at the North Carolina Museum of Art to be looked at by an expert. Appraiser Kevin Zavian took a look at the pearl, diamond, and platinum brooch from the 1910s during a recent episode of the acclaimed series.
The owner explained that she inherited it from her mother, who received it from her grandmother. She claimed that her family used to live in New York City and the brooch came as part of a set for opera glasses. It was supposedly made for holding a set of glasses to look at the libretto during a performance.
Zavian noted that the brooch was ultimately made into a pin after there wasn’t a need for assistance with the glasses anymore. He explained that jewelry is often recycled and reused over time.
Zavian also stated that based on the collector’s story of the brooch, he would immediately look at the backside of the item for “evidence” that it was used for the purpose described. However, he found no such evidence and concluded that the story was likely not true, but it did not necessarily decrease the brooch’s value.
Zavian identified the pin as “Belle Époque” style, which translates to “beautiful age.” He said it was likely made in the United States given that there were no markings on it from a specific designer. He also explained that the diamonds spread across the brooch weigh about 1/2 carat each, and a total of 12 diamonds were included in the jewelry. He emphasized that the diamonds were in excellent condition.
Zavian also highlighted the value of the singular pearl at the center of the brooch. He said it was a natural pearl with exceptional size and depth, and it was worth as much as the diamonds.
Zavian estimated that if he were to put the item up at auction, considering the pearl and the diamonds, it would sell at around $12,000 to $18,000. Although he recommended that the collector insure it for at least $28,000 moving forward.
