Tiffany’s $15 Locket Turned Out to Be Much More

Whether you’re looking for a limited edition designer bag or a one-of-a-kind dress, Poshmark is the place to hunt down the best pieces – and at the best prices. Yet, what happens when casual browsing has you stumbling across the deal of a lifetime?

That’s what happened with Tiffany, a.k.a. @tiffanmc, when she found a locket that caught her eye. Having loved vintage-style jewelry, she snagged it for $15. She saw its potential and investigated to see if her instinct was right. You won’t believe the amazing gem she uncovered on Poshmark.

How long have you been on Poshmark? I have been a Posher since 2012, but I haven’t really been active as a seller and buyer until last year. Now I am addicted. I love finding great deals on items that would cost me sometimes three times as much in the store.

You found a locket that turned out to be pretty special. What drew you to it? I have always been drawn to vintage jewelry because of its craftsmanship, history and uniqueness; I just usually can’t afford to buy any of it! This particular locket I found by chance and stumbled upon this interesting vintage gold lion locket. I liked the locket so much I ended up purchasing it from her closet for $15.

Did you have any idea that it might be a hidden gem? Not at first. I was just drawn to the design and how pretty it was. But I had a feeling it might be valuable because one of the photos showed that the inside of the locket was stamped “14k” gold and the outside of the locket had some gems that appeared to be a ruby and an emerald.

When the locket arrived I knew based on how heavy it was, and how well constructed it was, that I might have stumbled upon a real vintage treasure. I was so excited to find out that I took the locket to an antique jewelry shop right around the corner from my office that same day.

Did you learn any interesting information about it from the appraiser? Since the locket was stamped “14k” in the inside the jeweler immediately acid tested the locket to see if it was in fact real gold and it was! Then he performed a scratch test to see if the locket was solid gold all the way through, and it also was! He also inspected the gems with a magnifier and verified that it was a real ruby and unprocessed emerald on the outside of the locket. He told me that based on the design and the way the locket was constructed, that it was probably a piece from the early 1900s, around 1910, and that what I thought was a lion may be a gargoyle. He estimated the locket was conservatively probably worth around $1,000.

I was so excited I had found such a valuable piece that I did some research on my own using the internet and discovered that the locket may have been an anniversary gift for police officers in the Police Officer’s Guild who had served over 35 years. I also found a few other similar lockets that sold online for up to $3,800!

How is it meaningful to you to wear a piece of jewelry with such history behind it? I love owning and wearing a beautiful piece of jewelry that has a unique history behind it and that I know no one else has.

Do you think you will continue to look for these hidden treasures? Yes! I have already been treasure seeking on poshmark since my valuable find!