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My two older sisters got in a huge fight over what jewelry was left to us "girls" by my Grandmother. I'm not talking about an argument, but a real fight with punching, kicking and screaming. I got my 1/3 fair share of pieces, but boy, I didn't think it was worth a black eye and pulled out hair to get the best stuff.

The funny thing is, despite how bratty they were about it, neither of them ever wear what they got!

Considering that experience, I was kind of surprized to see this local seller advertising their mother's pendant for sale...but, they probably don't have sisters like mine. Here is what an appraiser said about it in 2002:

"One handmade yellow gold combination broach/pendant. There is one 12 x 15 x 8.6 mm oval genuine amethyst. The amethyst grades AA and good dark color with some color zone. The setting is made up of ten tapered yellow gold tubes that has set one 0.055 cts old mine cut diamond set in each tube. All ten diamonds are set with gold pulled over the diamonds from the tube. There is a total of 0.55 ct of diamonds. Nine diamonds grade SI 1&2 in clarity and I-J in color and one diamonds grades I1 in clarity and I-J in color and is chipped. The broach pin is soldered to the base of the frame. It does not have a safety clasp but a circular wire that holds the pin securely. This wire is soldered to one of the tube. The bale for the pendant is a gold wire that forms a half oval circle that is soldered to two of the gold tube. Total weight of this broach/pendant is 3.3 d.w.t. The gold was tested and is 18K."

The value was appraised at that time at $1,645. Now the seller is asking $799. Interested? Please call (661)747-2887.

I wouldn't ever dream of selling what I inheited that's of "heirloom quality", unless it really saved me from living on the street. But, I'm a really overly sentimental person.

What about you? Have you ever sold a family heirloom?