Woman finds out her $13 flea market ring is a diamond worth thousands
An anonymous Londoner may have scored the deal of a century at a local flea market. In the 1980s, the unidentified woman bought what she thought was a gaudy costume ring at an outdoor second-hand bazaar for 10 pounds — the equivalent of $13. She wore the ring every day, and never thought much about it until a local jeweler told her it might be worth something. It turned out to be a vintage 19th-century ring set with a genuine 26-carat diamond, and the piece is now expected to fetch up to $450,000 at an upcoming Sotheby's auction. "This is a one-off windfall," says Jessica Wyndham of Sotheby's, "an amazing find."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
