Among the porcelain cups and figurines, I spotted a small enameled egg, about the size of a real egg. Although it wasn’t particularly eye-catching, I felt drawn to it. Curious, I asked the salesman for the price. He sized me up before declaring it a bargain at $25. Knowing how these exchanges work, I offered $5, which baffled him greatly. After some negotiation, we settled on $10, and I walked away with the egg, pleased with my find. When I got home, I proudly showed it to Sam, who was unimpressed. He examined the egg skeptically, noting a “Made in Hong Kong” stamp on the bottom. Laughing, he mocked me for overpaying for another piece of trash. But as I shook the egg, I heard something rattle inside. Intrigued, Sam took the egg and, with a firm twist, managed to open it. Inside was a small package wrapped in red silk. When we carefully unwrapped the package, we found a pair of stunning earrings. Although I initially assumed they were simply costume jewelry, Sam suspected otherwise. He remembered a documentary that mentioned that real diamonds don’t fog up when you blow on them. Indeed, the clear center stones of the earrings passed the test. Sam was convinced they were genuine, so we decided to go to a jeweler to have them appraised. At the mall, the jeweler confirmed that the earrings were indeed diamonds set in 18-karat white gold, surrounded by emeralds. He estimated their value at a minimum of three hundred thousand dollars.
We were stunned. It turned out that the jeweler’s estimate was low—the earrings eventually sold at auction for $3 million. This unexpected stroke of luck changed our lives. We now have a comfortable financial cushion, and the porcelain egg takes pride of place on the mantelpiece in our new home. Sam, who once scoffed at my hobby, has become an avid antique hunter himself. Together, we continue to explore flea markets and antique fairs, always hoping to stumble upon our next hidden treasure.
