Weighing its worth

Kathleen Sutton has a precious gem with a link to the past. A family story says Sutton's aunt worked in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital Unit during the Korean War where she acquired the brilliant blue topaz ring.

"Now this is one of the coolest things I have seen all day long," said nationally acclaimed gemologist Gregory Sherman, who hosted a jewelry appraisal event on Saturday called "What It's Worth." More than 100 people brought items from family heirlooms to simple engagement rings from their jewelry box to Fred Meyer Jewelers in Bountiful on Saturday to find out the value of the precious gems.

As Sutton displayed the retro-period ring to be appraised, she told of its history.

Sutton's family believes while her aunt was working at a MASH unit during the Korean War, she purchased some clothing from someone who was trying to leave the country. The clothing she bought was believed by Sutton to have some jewelry sewed inside it.

"I have had it for 10 years," Sutton said of the ring. "I was going to have it cut down and make a pendant out of it, so it just sits in the jewelry box." She decided against cutting the gem after she took it to "Antiques Roadshow" appraisers when the TV series came to Utah in 2006. The show's appraisers were aghast at her intentions. "When I told him that, he about died," Sutton said of the show's appraiser.

The topaz ring was verbally appraised by Sherman to be worth nearly $4,000. Sherman said the ring had an uncommon hue to it and could possibly be an aquamarine gem, in which case the value would be significantly higher.

The "What It's Worth" appraisal event was the sixth time Fred Meyer has done the road show, a free event to promote the services of the jewelry retailer.

As Sherman appraised gems, he said he feels many jewelry stores don't meet customer expectations and should go above and beyond by helping customers know the worth of their jewelry and having it formally documented so it can "be guaranteed to be accepted" by an heir or executor for estate planning and distribution. "People need to understand what (a piece of jewelry) is worth to make the right decisions," Sherman said.