Antiques Roadshow guest gives one-word response as 'hideous' brooch is worth huge fortune

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.

An Antiques Roadshow guest revealed her "fabulous" brooches were once her "running away fund", following a valuation that left her almost speechless.

BBC's jewellery expert Joanna Hardy couldn't hide her excitement when presented with not one, but two stunning brooches.

Hardy gushed: "When I opened the box and saw this opal. Oh my gosh. It is superb. And then I opened another box and see this fabulous diamond. Tell me first, how did you get the opal?"

The owner shared the backstory: "The opal actually came from my husband's family, because his father went to Australia and I think he brought it back because he loved opals. So, I just have to say at the beginning as well, that I have given all of these already to my daughters."

Amused by the pre-emptive claim, Hardy chuckled: "That's the caveat, now."

She then delved into the history of opals, explaining they are over 100 million years old and that black opals, like the one in question, hail from Lightning Ridge, Australia.

Hardy added: "But they are incredibly rare. And when we say black opal, it is because it's got the dark background as opposed to other opals where you will have a whitish background.

"This is just a fabulous example. I mean, it is the complete colour of a rainbow and they've always been a sign of good luck. I know people think that opals are bad luck but they're not.

"Now this is actually set in about late Victorian period. It's museum quality and you've got these wonderful graduating cushion-shaped diamonds around and it's set in silver and gold."

Hardy then shifted her focus to the second diamond brooch, prompting a candid reaction from the guest: "I think it's hideous."

The expert couldn't help but chuckle, responding: "Now that's not what I was expecting you to say."

The guest elaborated on the piece's peculiar nickname within the family: "Well it's completely unwearable and it's known in the family as the soup plate.

"Don't ask me why it got called the soup plate, I have no idea but it came to our family through an uncle who used to do a grand tour in the summers."

The brooch had been inherited by the guest's mother and later by her elder brother, who eventually returned it with an unusual request.

"But after a few years, he sort of went tapping on her door and said, 'Actually mum, what I really need is a septic tank.' And she said, 'Well, if I can give you money for the septic tank, I'll have my brooch back.'"

Upon revealing that the brooch was a Victorian piece featuring an eight carat diamond that doubled as a pendant, Hardy noted the sizeable centre stone.

"Yeah it is quite big. But it's not a very pretty one though. It's a sort of slightly dull yellow", the guest observed.

Hardy agreed, pointing out the colour's impact on value: "It does have a bit of yellow in it and then the more yellow it is, the cheaper the price.

"But things have really transformed over the past decade. There's been greater recognition of stones that aren't your standard D flawless variety - they all appear identical, they've all got identical proportions.

"This particular piece, I can sense the craftsman's touch because it's not entirely machine-made, it's crafted by hand."

Hardy then undertook the task of valuing both pieces of jewellery, beginning with the diamond brooch and declaring: "That is going to be in the region of around about £35,000."

The guest's expression changed, clearly taken aback by this substantial sum and could only manage: "Right."

Hardy went on: "So with the opal at auction, you'd be looking at £40,000 comfortably."

The owner remained speechless but unexpectedly quipped: "Well my daughter will be very pleased. It'll be her running away fund too."

The specialist enquired whether the brooch had served as her own "running away fund", which she eagerly confirmed.

Concluding the valuation on an upbeat note, Hardy remarked: "Thank you very much for bringing them in. It really has made my day."

Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.