Woman Finds Expensive and Rare 200-Year-Old Bracelet in a Thrift Store (2 photos + 1 video)
Jessa Pena, who sells antique jewelry, knows what to look for when searching for unique vintage items.
25-year-old Jessa Pena from Houston (Texas, USA) surprised social media users by finding a bracelet in one of the stores that is almost 200 years old. Its value can reach $25,000.
An American woman who sells antique jewelry knows what to look for when searching for unique vintage items. However, she never imagined that she would find a bracelet made of topaz, pearl, ruby and gold.
Pena said she was thrilled to find such a treasure in a Texas store owned by a Catholic church. She has found other incredible pieces in the past, but she says it is rare to find antiques like this in good condition.
"This is an 18ct portrait bracelet with beautiful enamel, oval links and scallops, in a harlequin style with lots of gemstones. This bracelet is most likely late Georgian or early Victorian, circa 1835, made of 18ct gold with the name of the Swiss canton on the back of the shields. These bracelets were made to celebrate the clothing and heritage of regions in Switzerland; 18ct and above is rare in large quantities in older jewellery as it was usually sold by someone along the way, so I was particularly excited about this rarity," she said.
The store valued the bracelet at $5,000, but Pena said similar bracelets sell for between $12,000 and $25,000.
After "accidentally" finding the bracelet, Pena shared a video of it on TikTok. It went viral and has over 1.5 million views. Unfortunately, Pena didn't buy the bracelet at the time, but her video inspired one of her friends to go shopping and stumble upon it by accident.
"Since we live in the same city and obviously go to the same places, she sent me a photo, saying it was a strange coincidence. She didn't understand what was going on until I told her it was the same bracelet. I kept it, because I knew I would most likely resell it. She decided it was a sign from the Universe and decided to buy it, which I am very happy about. It will go to someone with a beautiful collection and an appreciation for antiques," Pena added.
The American noted that her friend would appreciate the bracelet and would keep it in her personal collection for some time.