Antiques Roadshow expert gobsmacked as 4-figure brooch was actually £1 car boot sale find

An Antiques Roadshow guest couldn't believe it when her car boot sale jewellery haul was revealed to be worth a fortune.

Filming in the picturesque Alexandra Gardens, Cardiff, BBC's jewellery expert Joanna Hardy was presented with an exquisite collection by a woman who had a knack for finding treasures among trinkets.

Hardy, intrigued by the unconventional source of the collection, remarked: "Most people I meet, when they're buying jewellery, they usually go to a jewellery shop, an antique shop, auctions.

"But the majority of this collection has come from -", and the guest chimed in with a smile: "A car boot."

The conversation turned to a particular gold necklace: "Someone had just put it down [at a car boot sale], the sun was shining and it just came at me."

Curious about what the owner thought of the stones, Hardy asked: "What do you think the stones are?", to which the guest responded hopefully: "I'd like to think they're emeralds."

Revealing she had only spent £3.50 on the piece, the expert confirmed her hopes: "Well £3.50 is a 22 carat gold chain with emeralds, so you was right."

As they discussed more of her finds, the guest mentioned a circular 18 carat gold brooch with a diamond, snagged for just £2, and another flower-shaped brooch with three diamonds, costing her £2 or £3.

However, it was the blue flower brooch that truly surprised Hardy, as the guest recounted purchasing it for a mere £1 the previous year.

"A pound!" Hardy exclaimed, clearly taken aback as the guest revealed the bargain price due to the item being broken.

Hardy couldn't help but chuckle when the owner mentioned: "I got to the car boots just as they were packing up."

The expert acknowledged the damage, noting, "Well it is broken, you're quite right, because I can take that little bit off there, you can see that it's come away,".

The conversation then shifted to two rings, which the guest disclosed were bought from a shop about two decades ago for a similarly modest sum.

With evident delight, Hardy praised the savvy shopper: "Well all I can say is well done. Well done you!"

As Hardy proceeded to evaluate the array of exquisite jewellery laid before her, she began with the emerald necklace set in 22 carat gold, estimating its value at around £800, prompting an astonished "wow" from the guest.

Moving on to the flower brooch, Hardy estimated: "And then we'll move onto this brooch. You're looking in the region of £800 to £1,200."

The valuation of the circular brooch with a central diamond at £1,000 visibly overwhelmed the guest, who could only utter "Woah".

Commenting on the brooch acquired for just £1, Hardy pointed out: "This one that was a pound, in fact, if you turn it over, you can see that there's this plate on the back of the brooch.

"Well, each of these petals, they're beautifully calibre set sapphires with diamonds around each of the flower heads.

"They were made in about 1900, 1915, and they were once shirt studs so someone has later backed them onto here to make it into a brooch.

"Having said that, they are absolutely exquisite. You'd probably be looking at about £3,000 to £4,000."

The guest was visibly shocked as she exclaimed: "What! Good grief. Oh my days."

With a chuckle, Hardy quipped: "Love it. Never happens to me, never happens to me I tell you.

"They're beautifully made, the undulation of the petals, stunning."

The owner expressed her astonishment again before moving onto one of the shop-bought rings: "This one's interesting. Because as you say, this one's very 1970s. It looks like an Alan Guard 1970s jewel. He is one of our best post-Modernist jewellers.

"It's very highly collected, 18 carat gold with diamonds, it's got a lot of weight to it and you'd be looking at, again, about £3,000 to £4,000."

The guest responded with a stunned "Wow. My word", before Hardy concluded the appraisal, praising: "Frankly, you've done extremely well."

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