Antiques Roadshow guest fights back tears as whopping value of grandmother’s ‘magical’ pendant with hidden trick ‘takes her breath away’

A guest on Antiques Roadshow fought back tears after discovering the enormous value of her grandmother’s ‘magic’ pendant using a hidden trick.

Sunday’s episode of the BBC show took place in Belfast’s Botanic Gardens and saw jewelery expert Susan Rumfitt present two very special items.

The guest presented a necklace, a brooch and a black and white photo of a glamorous woman.

‘A little bit of magic here today. Pearls in the pendant, diamonds in the brooch and a rather glamorous lady. Tell me about her,” Susan said.

The guest explained, “She’s my grandmother, her name was Irene Picks, and she married my grandfather before World War I. He was murdered in France at the beginning of the war.

‘After his death she went to England and married someone called Robin Buxton. I think he probably gave her these jewelry, and my father gave them to me after my grandmother died.”

The guest presented a necklace, a brooch and a black and white photo of a glamorous woman

Jewelry expert Susan Rumfitt dated both items to the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century

She added that her grandmother was a “theatre girl” when Susan commented on how “glamorous” she was.

As the review began, Susan first turned her attention to the ‘delicate floral brooch’, commenting on the ‘beautifully cut diamonds’.

Even though it wasn’t signed or stamped, she could tell it came from a “good jeweler.”

Pointing out the intricate carving around the edge, she said it helped date it to the “latter part of the 19th, early 20th century” and that it would have been “very nice to have.”

Susan said the necklace was from a similar period and is known as a lavaliere pendant, with two drops that are slightly different lengths.

Revealing a secret feature of the piece, she said: ‘Did you notice there are some fittings on the back of the drops?

‘Well, with those fittings you can remove the drops and also wear these drops as earrings.

‘So it’s a multifunctional hanging lamp, right? It’s really great.’

She also theorized that the small diamond crown at the top of the piece indicates that it could have been made for a special royal occasion.

Susan added: ‘In the period we are looking at, cultured pearls started to creep onto the market, but it is more than likely that these will be natural pearls.

‘They have a beautiful shine, they are slightly different in shape and size, which again I think is beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

“With natural pearls, of course, it’s an X-ray that will tell us for sure, but I’m very confident that these are natural pearls.”

Susan went on to reveal the value of both items, continuing, “I love the diamond brooch. If that were to come up at auction I would expect it to be between £5,000 and £7,000.”

‘Wow. Right. I didn’t expect that. Not at all,’ the guest responded, visibly shocked.

Despite not being signed or marked, she could tell the brooch came from a ‘good jeweler’

Susan explained that the chain is known as a lavaliere pendant, with two drops that are slightly different lengths

She also revealed the secret feature of the pendant, pointing out the fittings behind the drops that allow you to remove them and wear them as earrings.

However, it was the appreciation of the pendant that really surprised the woman and the audience.

‘Then we have the beautiful pendant, which is absolutely beautiful. So, according to the auction estimate, £20,000 to £30,000,” Susan said, causing a gasp from the woman and the crowd.

The people watching started clapping as the guest welled up and covered her face in shock.

‘Oh my God. Wow. It never crossed my mind,” she said, fighting back tears.

In an interview, she added: “It’s just one huge shock. I always thought it was a beautiful pendant, and it may not be worth much, not much, no.

‘It was absolutely breathtaking, that’s all I can say. Unbelievable.’

Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One and iPlayer.