Hidden diamond sparkles at Bonhams

A single stone diamond ring, which had never been worn by the anonymous Birmingham owner, has been valued at £40,000-50,000, by Bonhams’ jewellery specialist in Knowle, Tarn Harrison. It had been kept in a safe for more than 15 years but came to light during Bonhams’ Jewellery in June campaign this month.

The ring, which was inherited from an elderly lady who had worked in the famous Jewellery Quarter, just outside the centre of Birmingham, in the Hockley area of the city, will be auctioned by Bonhams on 25 September during a Sale of Fine Jewellery at 101 New Bond Street, London.

Bonhams has seen a dramatic rise in diamond prices over the last year and with many people unaware of this new phenomenon the auctioneers have been inviting members of the public to get free up to date jewellery auction valuations during June.

Tarn Harrison, Bonhams’ Jewellery specialist in the Midlands, says: “We’re delighted that we’ve started this campaign by finding a really outstanding diamond and so pleased that it is a piece with local origins. The current owner, perhaps because of its value, hasn’t worn the ring, so it is in fantastic condition. The diamond is 4.6cts, which is large by normal standards, (a good engagement ring might have a 1 or 2 carat stone), but in this case it isn’t just the size of the stone that is important. What really makes it so valuable is the quality of the gem.

“The ring has now been sent to a gem lab in London, where it will be examined in more detail, and certificated to confirm its colour and clarity, but we’re expecting the stone to have a VS1 clarity, which means that it has virtually no inclusions or flaws and certainly not any which can be seen by the naked eye. Although the original owner sourced the diamond in London the ring's quality shows what a fantastic eye she had and it is a wonderful example of the skills acquired by people who have worked in Birmingham's 200 year old Jewellery Quarter.”

Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter flourished during the 19th century when it overtook Derby as the leading makers of fine jewellery and by the late 19th century was producing very high quality jewellery, silver and gold items that were sent out across the British Empire. The quarter was also known for beautifully designed Arts and Crafts jewellery.

Bonhams' Head of Jewellery, Jean Ghika, says: “Unlike many other areas of the economy, there does seem to be tremendous confidence in the jewellery market at the moment and we think many people will be very pleasantly surprised with the value of their jewellery, particularly for period and diamond pieces.

“In a rapidly changing market, we’re trying to encourage people to get a really current valuation. Many owners of high value jewellery wear it infrequently or not at all (if it's permanently stored in a safe or bank vault) and for some, out of sight can mean out of mind and a valuation may not have been updated for years. So many people spend a fortune on insuring valuable jewellery that they simply don't wear, and with the market so buoyant at the moment, it really is a good idea to get an informed market valuation.”

For further information about Bonhams’ Jewellery in June campaign, log on to Bonhams.com/jewelleryinjune.