In a remarkable twist of fate, a woman from the UK discovered that the costume ring she had casually worn for 30 years was a rare 26.2-carat diamond worth $382,000. The woman purchased the ring for a mere £10 (approximately $13) at a car boot sale in Isleworth, West London, during the late 1980s. For decades, she treated the ring as a simple piece of costume jewelry, unaware of its true value. However, in 2017, while cleaning her home, she noticed the ring’s unusual sparkle and decided to have it appraised. To her astonishment, the seemingly ordinary ring turned out to be a genuine diamond, verified by the Gemological Institute of America and later fetched over $717,000 at auction.

Jessica Wyndham, head of the London jewelry department at Sotheby’s, expressed amazement at the find, noting that the ring’s antique cushion-cut style likely contributed to its being mistaken for a fake. The older diamond cutting technique, less brilliant and more subdued than modern cuts, allowed the stone to go unnoticed for so long. Wyndham highlighted that this unexpected windfall was a life-changing event for the owner, who had no prior experience collecting valuable items. The discovery of the ring’s true value not only brought financial security to the woman but also served as a reminder of the hidden treasures that can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.