Bares für Rares diamond ring appraisal, Digi Mart USA News: A highly unusual case on the German television show Bares für Rares drew both excitement and disappointment, as a detail in the appraisal meant that a possible sale had to be postponed.
Expert Dr. Heide Rezepa-Zabel rarely sees a piece like this under her loupe.
Seller Beate Grabl-Harms brought an ornate ring she had inherited from her mother. The highlight of the ring was the diamond set in it, which the appraiser classified as “Fancy Intense Orange.” Even in its treated condition, the piece could bring between 4,000 and 5,000 euros, exceeding the seller’s asking price of 3,500 euros, and she was visibly pleased with the valuation.
Dr. Rezepa-Zabel said the diamond could be untreated, in which case it would be worth up to 18,000 euros.
Grabl-Harms could hardly believe what she was hearing, but there was a decisive catch. To determine whether the stone was untreated, it would have to be examined under a microscope, which the appraiser said could only be done in a laboratory.
Under these circumstances, Horst Lichter did not give the seller a dealer’s card. He explained that the laboratory would first need to establish whether the diamond had been treated, since a very large sum was at stake and should be confirmed in a certificate.
Grabl-Harms did not quite know what to make of the decision, but Lichter offered her a solution. Once the certificate is available, the seller can simply return to the show.
The report notes that a potential buyer, jeweler Susanne Steiger, may already be ready if the diamond proves to be untreated.
Bares für Rares airs on weekdays at 3:05 p.m. on ZDF, with repeats on the sister channel ZDF Neo at 10:45 a.m.
and 7:20 p.m. The format has not changed: sellers have their items appraised by experts and then negotiate prices in the dealers’ room.
Detours through a laboratory are rare.
