"Antiques Roadshow" Guest Thrilled to Learn Late Grandmother's Asscher-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring Could Fetch Up to $50K at Auction

If you've been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a family engagement ring, we don't have to tell you how valuable and important these pieces feel—after all, it's not just the value of the center stone that you need to consider, but also the sentimental attachment that comes along with an heirloom ring. But when the monetary value of the piece in question is also high, most people would agree that's an all-around win for everyone involved. When one woman brought her late grandmother's engagement ring to be appraised on an episode of Antiques Roadshow, she learned that the piece of jewelry her family had treasured for decades could also sell for a very significant amount of money at auction.

On the episode, appraiser Berj Zavian, a New York City jeweler, had a chance to review the guest's ring, which featured a statement-making center diamond. "I inherited the ring from my grandmother, and she received it was a gift from my grandfather. She passed away about three years ago," the guest noted. "And I got the ring. It's just a beautiful piece, I know she treasured it."

Zavian went on to note that the ring was certainly a diamond engagement ring, and that it featured a five or five-and-a-half carat Asscher-cut diamond set in platinum. "So you have not a small ring there, you have a very desirable diamond ring that should be certified, so you know what you have," he added.

The guest explained that her grandmother received the ring sometime right before WWII, but the appraiser said that the piece likely dates back to 1925 based on the setting. "This happens to be a deco mounting, and in that time, they used to call that a square stone—four sides equal. If you look at the baguettes on the side, they are tapered. So that denotes a deco. And they still make them today, but the idea is it's a true deco mounting. And it's platinum," he explained.

He went on to note that Asscher-cut diamonds were a relatively new term at the time, though they're quite popular today. "This particular shape—they don't call it square-cut anymore. They don't call it an emerald cut anymore. There's a new terminology out, which is very hot and very desirable in the East Coast," he said. "They call it an Asscher cut. It's—same thing, square with the corners cut off, and every young bride-to-be wants a ring like that. You got a new ring here, you know what I mean? You're right in style."

As for his final estimate? Zavian noted that the ring could sell for anywhere between $30,000 and $50,000 at auction, though Antiques Roadshow adjusted that value for inflation in 2018 and noted that a $40,000 to $60,000 estimate was more likely. If you adjusted the value based on today's inflation rates, an estimate of $50,000 to $77,000 would be most accurate.