Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

The story from my aunt says that my father won it during World War II in a poker game. And she swears that that's the truth,

so I believe her. APPRAISER

Where was the poker game in World War II? Do you remember which country?

GUEST

Well, he was stationed in France and went up that way. He came in the Normandy invasion and was also involved in the Battle of the Bulge, so in,

in that area. APPRAISER

So you don't really know very much at all about it,

other than it's a snake bracelet. GUEST

I don't, sir, no.

APPRAISER

It's an interesting design, because the first snake jewelry was the Egyptian asp.

Wow. APPRAISER

And it's not the time of the poker game. It's probably 1870,

1880. It's English. GUEST

Wow, wow.

APPRAISER

And I would wager that that's 18-karat gold, which is very high. And the diamonds are very good quality, as well. But what gives this very good value is that big sapphire. If you could test it, which is very difficult, because you don't want to take it out...

Sure. APPRAISER

...and it's got the gold around it,

which is gonna enhance the color... GUEST

Sure.

APPRAISER

I would imagine it's Kashmir sapphire, which is the top, top, top grade of sapphire. Do you have any idea?

GUEST

No, I really don't figure... I, I've never seen anything like it, and when I searched on the internet, I couldn't find anything, and everybody I talked to says they've never seen anything like it, so...

APPRAISER

Well, how much would you like it to be?

GUEST

Well,

I'll put it this way

it doesn't really matter to me if it's a dollar. It's a family heirloom. It's a... keepsake from my mom, who passed away in October, so it has very high sentimental value. So, frankly, you could tell me it's worth a million dollars, and it wouldn't make a darn bit of difference to me.

APPRAISER

Not quite, but how about about $25,000 or $27,000 retail?

GUEST

Well, that's wonderful. That's nice to know, to be able

to get an appraisal and have it appraised... APPRAISER

A lot of the value is the fact that it's got such a wonderful stone in the center of it. If it were a lesser stone, it might be around $18,000 or $20,000, but I'm firmly convinced that $25,000 is a very fair retail price for it.

GUEST

Well, I, you know, I think that's amazing, and I'm thrilled, and it's an honor to be on "ANTIQUES ROADSHOW," and it's, it's wonderful, and I'm very, very pleased.