A woman in Houston has stunned internet viewers after she found a bracelet almost 200 years old in a thrift store, and it could be worth up to $25,000.
As an antique jewelry dealer, Jessa Pena, 25, knows what to look for when searching for one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. However, she never could have expected to find one like this 18-karat portrait bracelet comprised of topaz, pearl, ruby, and gold.
Pena told Newsweek that she was very excited to find such a treasure in a Texas thrift store run by the Catholic Church and a charitable organization. While she has found other unbelievable gems in the past, she said it is very rare to find such an antique that's in good condition.
Pena said: "It is an 18-karat beautifully enameled portrait bracelet with oval shield links and scalloped details, and in the harlequin style with multiple jewels. This bracelet is likely late Georgian to early Victorian, circa 1835, made of 18-karat gold, with the name of the Swiss canton on the back of the shields.
"These bracelets were made to celebrate the garb and heritage of the regions of Switzerland; 18-karat and above in heavy quantities is rare to find in older jewelry, as usually someone would have been sold it along the way, so I was especially thrilled at the rarity."
The thrift store priced the bracelet at $5,000; however, Pena said that they can sell anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000.
After "accidentally" discovering the bracelet, Pena shared a video of it on TikTok (@glitterandgoldfinds) and it went viral. In just a matter of days, the clip has gained over 1.4 million views and more than 118,000 likes on TikTok.
Unfortunately, Pena didn't purchase the bracelet at the time, but her viral video inspired one of her friends to go thrifting, and they just happened to come across it, too.
"Since we are in the same city, and apparently have the same haunts, she sent me a photo saying what a weird coincidence it was. It didn't click with her until I told her that it was the same bracelet. I had left it as I knew that I would likely resell it," Pena said.
"She thought it was enough of a sign from the universe, and decided to get it, which I am so glad about. It's going to a person with a beautiful collection and to a person with an appreciation for antique pieces."
Pena added that her friend will get the bracelet appraised and keep it for her personal collection for some time.
How Did Social Media Respond?
After the video went viral, many social-media users were in disbelief that Pena could have found such a remarkable piece of jewelry in a thrift store. Plenty of people wanted to know where she shopped so they might be able to find some treasure of their own, while others questioned if it was a genuine antique.
Pena told Newsweek: "I had some people saying it's fake, a dupe, gold-plated, and getting mad at me for not getting it.
"I think people were confused by the pieces not being exactly alike in my video. In antique jewelry, nearly everything is handmade, sketched by other artists, and had a team of people working on it, so not every piece will look the same. This bracelet weighs more and has more detailed work, and, in my opinion, would be worth as much as the one online."
Regardless of the positive and negative reactions online, Pena said she is just delighted to see a bracelet with "so much historical significance" reaching such a large audience. She added that she loves seeing that it has inspired so many others to try thrifting and see what they might find.
Among the 900 comments on her viral TikTok video, one person responded: "Go get it and immediately go to Sotheby's."
Another person wrote: "When you're the thrift God's favorite."
One comment reads: "OMG [oh my God]!!! A thrifter's dream! It's so beautiful!"
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