Overview
- On Wednesday, July 29, two friends from Erlangen sold a 1930s 750‑gold brooch set with a roughly 35‑carat aquamarine for about €14,500 after on‑camera appraisal and dealer bidding.
- Expert Wendela Horz estimated the stone and piece at €8,000–€10,000 and said the aquamarine could be from Brazil’s Santa Maria region but that a definitive origin would require a formal gemmological laboratory certificate.
- ZDF confirmed it has logged at least 20 separate misuse reports over the past three years, describing fake flyers, newspaper ads, phone calls, sham sales events and even unsolicited house visits that used the show's title or logo.
- On‑air figures including Annika Raßbach and dealer Markus Wildhagen have told followers to refuse unsolicited contacts, follow the official application process to appear on the show, and report serious or suspicious approaches to police.
- Broadly, the coverage shows how the programme's public trust can be exploited for fraud and that victims should secure lab certificates for provenance claims, document suspicious contacts, and expect possible legal steps from ZDF against imitators.