GUEST: Well, they're kind of a mystery in my family. My mother gave them to me. And I know everything that she paid for anything of value and where she got it except these. And we've never been able to figure it out.

APPRAISER: When did you receive them from her?

GUEST: Mmm, probably about 35 years ago, 30 years ago. She may have gotten them in the Diamond District of New York. or she could have gotten them here in San Antonio, I don't know.

APPRAISER: As you know, they are ear clips. And what you have is a profusion of colored diamonds. And different shapes, as well-- you've got pear shapes and brilliant cuts, very organic design. When I turn them over, we find a mark for a well-known New York jeweler, Julius Cohen.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Who was very prominent in the 20th century. He was a very well-known, very skilled, high-quality jeweler. He did work for Harry Winston at one time, but before that, he started in the late '20s, even, I believe...

GUEST: Ooh.

APPRAISER: ...working for Oscar Heyman, who did a lot of work for major American jewelers based in New York-- Oscar Heyman and Company. And then, in the late '50s, Julius Cohen went out on his own. So, under his own name, he produced jewelry most importantly in the period of the sort of '60s, '70s, and '80s. I would say they were made about late '60s-early '70s. The firm still continues.

GUEST: Hmm.

APPRAISER: But Julius Cohen himself died in the mid-'90s. He started his career as a 16-year-old bench jeweler.

GUEST: Ooh.

APPRAISER: And worked his way up to sort of a well-known name, although less well-known today. But in the course of business, we've seen nothing but very good-quality pieces from his hands. Always very interesting-- interesting colors, bold. These earrings include white diamonds, but they also include fancy yellow diamonds, from fancy light yellow to almost fancy intense yellow, deep yellow. You might have mentioned canary diamonds. That's not really a term that's used anymore.

GUEST: Oh, okay.

APPRAISER: It's, it's too broad a term for grading the different colors of yellow diamonds. It's all set in gold. Would it surprise you if I told you that in a retail setting today, you might have to pay $80,000 or $85,000 for this pair of earrings?

GUEST: That would delight me. That's just wonderful news. Thank you. Yes. I'm happy with that.

APPRAISER: Very good.