An Unbelievable Revelation
She stared at the appraiser with wide eyes as he asked her for her ring. Why wasn’t he interested in the other jewelry she’d offered?
She’d spent the last ten years believing the ring was nothing but worthless glass and cheap metal. But now, maybe it would be just the thing to save her family.
Superwoman
Mary Taylor was a thirty-five-year-old single mom living in Darien, Connecticut. A mom of three, she worked as a personal banker in the local bank. Mary’s life was a quiet one.
She’d start her day preparing her kids for school and getting ready for work. After dropping her kids at school, she’d spend her day at the bank. She had no idea how much a ring would change her life.
Where It Started
When Mary started as a banker, her wardrobe was primarily casual outfits. Although she adored the look, Mary knew she’d have to shake it up a bit if she was to keep her job.
Unknown to her, her pursuit of transforming her wardrobe would land her the accessory that, years later, would turn her world upside down.
Going Back In Time
Mary had been twenty-five when she found the ring. She was from an outfit haul in the city when she happened upon a small antique shop on her way home. Mary pushed the shop’s door open.
She was confident she could find a few jewelry pieces to compliment the professionality she wanted to present at work. Her lips parted when she saw the shop’s interior.
House Of Jewels
Endless rows of antique jewelry lined the shop from top to bottom. Although Mary had quite the array to select from, a large crystal ring had snared her interest.
Entranced by the ring, which now glittered in the shop’s ambient light, Mary neared. She ran a finger against the ring’s face, seeing how perfectly it would match the clothes she’d bought. She picked it up and tried it on, gasping at what happened next.
A Perfect Fit
The ring fitted around Mary’s delicate finger beautifully. Its silver band gleamed alongside the many twinkles of its crystal, and right then, Mary knew she’d found a keeper.
The shopkeeper was happy to part with it at an amicable price. Although it wasn’t a real diamond, it had stollen Mary’s heart. It would be years when she learned the truth about the ring.
Time Flies
Mary spent the next ten years with the gemmed ring on her finger. Although she took it off at home, the accessory rarely left her hand while out of the house.
The years ticked by, and Mary moved up her career, bought a house, and started a family. Everything was perfect as far as she was concerned. But one fateful night, it would all come crashing down on her.
A Force Of Nature
A storm fell over Mary’s neighborhood on the night that everything changed. It wrecked property throughout the night, destroying most of Mary’s community.
Although Mary had lived through a handful of storms, none of them was as devastating as this one. Hiding in her home’s storm shelter, her family narrowly escaped its wrath. But her house, like many others, hadn’t been as lucky.
The Storm
The aftermath of the storm seemingly left Mary with nothing. Although insurance would help her get back on her feet, she knew it would be a while till her family fully recovered.
Mary was deep in thought, thinking of a way to get some money that would last her the few weeks it would take her insurance company to settle with her. Then she had an idea.
Contingency Plan
Mary had kept a small jewelry box in the storm shelter. Though she hated the idea that swam in her mind, she knew what needed to be done.
Mary called one of her bank clients who worked as a respectable jewelry appraiser in New York. She was elated to find out he was in Connecticut for the week. Would he be open to meeting with her?
Getting Back On Their Feet
Mary took her kids to a family friend and met with the appraiser. She sat across from him in a restaurant and presented her haul.
But to her surprise, the appraiser didn’t even bother to look at what she offered. His gaze was glued to her finger. Seemingly enthralled, he visibly shook himself, smiling in turn. What he asked next made brows knit.
An Unexpected Question
“May I see the ring on your finger?” the appraiser asked. Confused by the turn of events, Mary slipped off the ring and handed it to him. The appraiser took out his kit and got to work.
The more time the appraiser spent on the ring, the more dumbfounded he looked. He wiped his mouth, grinning as he looked up at Mary. A look of shock was plastered across his face.
A New Truth
“What if I told you this ring costs more than everything in this other batch?” the appraiser asked, motioning to the open jewelry box before him.
“This is a white diamond,” he said. “What?” Mary asked. How could it be a real diamond when she’d bought it for less than twenty dollars and kept it for a decade without anyone batting an eye?
A Little Jewelry Lesson
“This is a twenty-six karat cushion-shaped white Diamond,” the appraiser said. “The stone’s cutting is dull, dating this rock back to the early or mid-nineteenth century.”
“The cutting doesn’t allow the diamond to reflect as much light. That’s why it might seem fake.” Handing the ring back, he added, “Such a rock easily goes for upwards of five hundred thousand. Would you be interested in selling?”
Selling The Rock
Mary and the appraiser spent the next few days passing the ring through several tests to ascertain its value. A month later, they discovered a British royal had owned it in the nineteenth century. This new revelation almost doubled the ring’s initial value.
By the time a buyer took it off Mary’s hands, it’d been worth eight hundred thousand dollars. Although Mary only needed a few bucks to get her through the weeks after the storm hit her community, now her life was changed forever.