Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked by value of Victorian ring

In a recent episode of BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, host Fiona Bruce and her team of experts visited the grounds of Wollaton Hall, an imposing Elizabethan mansion in Nottingham. During the episode, they were treated to unique items such as a Batman mask worn by Jack Nicholson, examined personal items brought to the UK in 1972 by Ugandan Asians fleeing their country and some poetry. However, it was John Benjamin who left his guests speechless when he revealed the true value of some jewellery they thought was worth nothing.Wondering why the two girls had joined him and where they retrieved the three items from, John asked: “Are you related?”One of the girls answered: “Yes we are cousins on our mum’s side,” before the second girl continued: “This was our great great great granny’s, I think she was born in 1858.”John picked up the second item which was in the shape of a flower and a fly before the second girl revealed: “That is our great aunts.”Examining the pieces, John picked up the ice pic shaped jewellery and explained: “Now funnily enough there is a sort of association that is going on here because they are good examples of what would be called Victorian novelty.READ MORE: Uproar as Tom Bower calls for Meghan to lose title over Duke’s memoir Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked by value of ‘novelty’ Victorian ring (Image: BBC) The girls brought in jewelry from their great great grandmother and great aunt (Image: BBC) John Benjamin explained they had nearly £10,000 worth of jewellery on their hands (Image: BBC ) The girls were stunned when they learned the valuation (Image: BBC)Turning his attention to the flower and the fly, he continued: “Let’s look at this one, which is also novelty but in a totally different era, and a totally different design.”You can see that it is a fly, and a flower that looks to me a little bit like a crocus, but the interesting thing about this are the stones in the centre when you look around it.”We have got malachite, jaspers, lapis, it is really unusual, the other thing is the date because the other is made around 1879, in fact, it is dated 1879, that is more 1845.”Now we go to move onto this one, what is the story behind this?” he asked pointing to a small box at the back of the table.DON’T MISS…Holly Willoughby mortified over This Morning swearing mishap [LATEST]GMB row as royal expert slammed for ‘raking it in’ over Sussexes [INSIGHT]Strictly’s Tony Adams could make final after new evidence exposed [WATCH]The girl explained: “So my mum was given it as a birthday present, from our great great aunt, she was gifted it at costume jewellery.”Confused, John asked: “Right, that is a costume ring. I am going to ask a question, I want you to put it on, do you think that is costume jewellery?”Feeling the ring, the girl hesitantly replied: “Urm, I think yeah, it doesn’t have a lot of weight in it”Laughing, John exclaimed: “It is an emerald!” leaving both of the young girls shocked and lost for words.”It is an emerald! It is a splendid emerald from South America surrounded by old Victorian white cut diamonds mounted up in 18-carat gold, made in around about 1975 to 1980.””OK…” the girl replied in shock, turning to her cousin in dismay.Excited to evaluate the items, John began: “I actually love this one with the fly and the flower, at auction an estimate would be £1,200 to £1,500.”That one, the ice pick is £1,500 to £2,000, wouldn’t be surprised if it made £2,000. Your costume ring, your inconsequential piece of glass jewellery, I don’t know £4,000.”