A UK shopper paid £5 for a car boot sale ring; experts later valued its 3.02-carat natural diamond worth £15,000

A UK shopper who paid just £5 for a ring at a car boot sale in Oxfordshire was left stunned after experts valued the jewellery at £15,000. The ring, which the woman initially believed was an attractive piece of costume jewellery, was found to contain a 3.02-carat natural diamond set in 18-carat gold. According to the BBC, the discovery was made during a jewellery and antiques valuation event organised by WeBuyVintage at Seacourt Hall in Botley, Oxford. Valuer Asha Nayak examined the ring, which had no maker’s mark and was believed to date from the 1970s or 1980s.How did a £5 car boot sale ring contain a £15,000 diamondThe woman purchased the ring at a car boot sale in Oxfordshire, attracted by its appearance rather than any knowledge of its materials or history. According to The Sun, the jewellery had no maker’s mark, and it was believed to date from the 1970s or 1980s. The owner had bought the ring because she thought it was pretty, without realising that it contained a valuable natural diamond. She later brought the piece to a public valuation event in Botley, where specialists examined it and established its composition and estimated worth. During the valuation, experts identified the stone as a 3.02-carat natural diamond set in 18-carat gold. The ring was subsequently valued at £15,000. The valuation noted that the ring’s gold setting and diamond were identified during an assessment by WeBuyVintage.How did the shopper react to discovering the £15,000 ringThe discovery was made by Asha Nayak, a valuer at WeBuyVintage, who examined the jewellery at the event. The valuation revealed that the ring was considerably more valuable than its owner had originally believed. Before the assessment, she had regarded it as an attractive piece of costume jewellery rather than a ring containing a natural diamond.Speaking about the discovery, the owner described her reaction to learning the ring’s value. According to the BBC, she said: “I was completely shocked. I only paid £5 for the ring thinking it was just an attractive costume jewellery piece and never expected it to be worth thousands.”She added: “It was such an incredible surprise and a moment I will never forget.” The owner chose to remain anonymous. Her comments reflected the circumstances of the purchase: she had bought the ring because she liked its appearance, without expecting it to receive a valuation in the thousands of pounds.How did experts identify the ring’s hidden valueAsha Nayak, who assessed the ring at the WeBuyVintage roadshow, highlighted the role of professional examination in identifying valuable jewellery. According to The Sun, Nayak said: “Finds like this are exactly why we love what we do.”She also explained that jewellery can contain histories and qualities that are not immediately apparent. The BBC quoted her as saying: “Jewellery can often hold incredible stories and sometimes the most unassuming pieces can turn out to be something truly special.” She added that the ring demonstrated how expert examination could uncover the quality, craftsmanship and history of a piece.Where was the £5 ring valued at £15,000The valuation took place at Seacourt Hall in Botley, Oxford, during an event organised by WeBuyVintage. The event invited members of the public to bring jewellery, antiques and other treasured possessions for assessment by experts. The ring’s valuation was among the discoveries made possible by the event, where specialists examined items brought in by their owners. In this case, the assessment established that the jewellery contained a 3.02-carat natural diamond in an 18-carat gold setting and was valued at £15,000. The owner had paid just £5 for the ring at the car boot sale, having initially believed it was costume jewellery.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.