Owner’s shock at true worth of jewel bought at car boot sale

A large diamond ring is expected to fetch £350,000 at auction – decades after it was bought for £10 at a car boot sale.

The "exceptionally sized" stone had been dismissed as a costume jewel, with the unsuspecting owner wearing it as she went shopping and did the chores.

But after being told by a jeweller that the diamond could have substantial value, she sought an assessment – and was shocked to learn it is worth a "life-changing" amount.

The 26.27 carat, cushion-shaped white diamond was snapped up at a Sunday sale in west London back in the 1980s.

It is going to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in July, and the auction house says the owner is "incredibly excited" about the sale.

Jessica Wyndham, who heads the auction house’s jewellery department in London, said: "The owner would wear it out shopping, wear it day-to-day. It’s a good-looking ring.

"But it was bought as a costume jewel. No one had any idea it had any intrinsic value at all. They enjoyed it all this time.

"The majority of us can’t even begin to dream of owning a diamond that large."

It is thought that the stone is from the 19th century, when diamonds were not cut to show off their brilliance like today’s gems.

Ms Wyndham said this results in an appearance that is "slightly duller and deeper than you would see in a modern style" – so much so that it could trick people into thinking a diamond was not genuine.

(c) Sky News 2017: Owner’s shock at true worth of jewel bought at car boot sale