A family ring that its owner almost refused to bring to Antiques Roadshow turned out to be far more valuable than she expected after jewellery expert Susan Rumfitt identified the large yellow stone as a sapphire rather than an ordinary piece of glass.
The ring had come from a relative of the owner’s mother, a woman who had lived in Philadelphia and left behind a collection of jewellery after her death. While the family had managed to identify many of the rings, brooches, and other items, this particular piece remained a mystery.
The owner did not hide her opinion of it.
When Rumfitt asked whether she liked the ring, the woman laughed and said no, describing it as “an ugly hunk of glass.” She said she had been told the piece was set in platinum and might be valuable, but she still found it too large and flashy for her taste.
That reaction changed quickly once Rumfitt began examining the ring more closely.
A Family Heirloom With An Uncertain History
The owner explained that the ring had been among several items sent to her mother after a relative’s death in the United States. Most of the jewellery had been identified over time, but the large yellow stone remained something the family could not confidently explain.
It was not an item she had been eager to wear or show off.
To her, the central stone looked more like an oversized piece of coloured glass than a serious gemstone. The pale yellow tone, along with the ring’s bold size, made it seem unusual rather than elegant.
Rumfitt, however, immediately saw details that suggested the piece deserved a closer look.
“This is a 1930s dress ring or perhaps even a cocktail ring,” the jewellery expert said, describing it as “sunshine in a box” on the bright day of filming.
The ring had the sort of large, dramatic look associated with the Art Deco period, when geometric shapes, platinum settings, diamonds, and bold stones were popular in formal jewellery.
Even before identifying the centre stone, Rumfitt noted that the platinum setting and surrounding diamonds were important clues. A valuable metal mount and diamond accents would be an unusual choice for a simple piece of coloured glass.
“That kind of indicates that it might not be a lump of glass really,” she told the owner.
The Ring Had A Distinctive 1930s Art Deco Look
Rumfitt said the setting was typical of the 1930s and had a clear Art Deco influence.
The owner agreed that she liked the Art Deco period, even if she had not liked the ring itself. Rumfitt connected the style to the Jazz Age, a period remembered for parties, cocktails, and a more glamorous approach to fashion and jewellery.
The ring’s large emerald-cut centre stone was especially suited to that era’s preference for strong lines and geometric form.
Its yellow colour was softer than the bright, intense yellow some people may associate with gemstones. Rumfitt described it as a more lemony yellow, a shade that could understandably lead someone to wonder whether the stone was citrine or even glass.
The owner said she had considered that possibility herself.
“I was thinking best, citrine, possibly,” she said.
Rumfitt said that was a reasonable guess because citrine can range from a pale yellow to a more vivid golden colour. She also noted that some viewers might think of a yellow diamond when seeing a stone like this, although she made clear that the ring’s centre stone was not a diamond.
Instead, it was something the owner had not expected at all.
Susan Rumfitt Identifies A Yellow Sapphire
“The stone actually is a yellow sapphire,” Rumfitt revealed.
The owner reacted with surprise, clearly realizing that the ring was not the inexpensive or ordinary object she had assumed it to be.
Rumfitt explained that yellow sapphires are durable stones and that their hardness contributes to the glassy appearance that had misled the owner. Sapphires are among the hardest gemstones, second only to diamonds, which allows them to be cut with crisp facets and polished to a strong shine.
That durability also helps explain why an older ring could remain visually striking decades after it was made.
The expert said the emerald cut suited the stone particularly well, giving it a clean, structured appearance that matched the Art Deco design of the setting.
The ring had already gone from “ugly lump of glass” to a genuine sapphire in a platinum-and-diamond setting. But Rumfitt had one more detail that made the valuation even more surprising.
She estimated that the stone weighed around 16 carats.
The owner laughed in disbelief.
“No, I didn’t think it was something like that,” she said.
A 16-carat yellow sapphire is not the kind of object most people expect to find in a family jewellery box, especially when it has been overlooked for years and dismissed as a costume piece.
The Owner Begins To See The Ring Differently
Rumfitt asked the woman whether she liked the ring more now that she knew what it was.
The answer was no longer an immediate rejection.
“Yeah, it’s growing on me,” the owner admitted.
That moment was one of the more relatable parts of the valuation. The ring had not physically changed during the conversation, but the owner’s view of it had changed because she now understood its materials, age, craftsmanship, and possible worth.
People often judge inherited jewellery by whether it matches modern tastes, whether it is easy to wear, or whether it looks too large or old-fashioned. But the history behind a piece can matter just as much as its appearance.
A ring may not suit someone’s personal style, yet still have value as a period piece, a family object, or an example of a gemstone and setting that are harder to find today.
Rumfitt’s explanation showed why professional evaluation can be useful before people sell, donate, alter, or dismiss old jewellery. The owner had nearly left the ring behind because she did not think it was worth bringing to the programme.
Her mother had encouraged her to take it anyway.
That decision made all the difference.
Auction Estimate Leaves The Owner Humiliated
After identifying the yellow sapphire, estimating its size, and explaining the ring’s platinum and diamond setting, Rumfitt gave the owner an auction estimate.
“If this went into auction, you would be looking at an estimate of between £4,000 and £5,000,” she said.
The crowd reacted with audible surprise, and the owner looked stunned.
“You’re kidding me?” she said.
She then explained that when she told her mother she was going to Antiques Roadshow, her mother had brought out the ring and suggested she take it along. The owner had resisted because she thought it was simply a large piece of coloured glass.
“I’m not taking that,” she recalled saying. “That’s just a big lump of glass.”
After hearing the valuation, she admitted she was “obviously humiliated.”
The estimate was correct at the time of broadcast, as the programme noted, and any later sale price would depend on the market, the auction house, buyer interest, and the condition of the ring. Still, the figure gave the family a clear sense of what the heirloom could be worth.
The episode offered a familiar Antiques Roadshow lesson: objects that look unfashionable, oversized, or ordinary can carry far more history and value than their owners realize. In this case, a ring dismissed as an awkward family leftover turned out to be a substantial yellow sapphire in an elegant Art Deco setting, with an auction estimate large enough to make its owner see it in an entirely new light.
A former park ranger and wildlife conservationist, Lisa’s passion for survival started with her deep connection to nature. Raised on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, she learned how to grow her own food, raise livestock, and live off the land. Lisa is our dedicated Second Amendment news writer and also focuses on homesteading, natural remedies, and survival strategies. Lisa aims to help others live more sustainably and prepare for the unexpected.
