They're all buying the same stuff at the same sort of stores all the time. It's different if someone has an 18th century one-off, but 95 per cent of what I see is pretty routine."
That certainly became abundantly clear during Benjamin's jewellery evaluation about what was unique and what wasn't.
While he was fascinated with a diamond tortoise broach with a "wiggly head", he cast back rings and necklaces which were "awfully common" or "desperately low grade silver."
One woman presented him with a diamond ring that she had found in the gutter some years ago.
"I tried to find the owner, but no one ever claimed it," she says.
"Just as well. Effluent jewellery," he sighs before waving it away.
Although Benjamin had only minutes to give jewellery owners a historic analogy of their prized possessions, he did it with ease and practicality.
Not one question was left unanswered and no hearts were broken out of disappointment if their jewellery wasn't what it seemed.
"Even if it's not commercially valuable, it's still something of great importance to you and your family," he says.
The crowds attention did not waiver and the room was often filled with either fascination or laughter.
The piece that astonished Benjamin the most was a broach with a pink sapphire embedded in the middle, which he valued at 2000 pounds "easily".
"Ever so nice, ever so dainty," he says.
Although extremely jet lagged and lacking in coffee, the passionate jeweller will host four study days and eight lectures across New Zealand.
Havelock North was his first presentation.
It's his first visit to New Zealand, a place he's wanted to visit since he was a boy.
He and his wife Tricia will be in the country for three weeks with a trip on the Northern Explorer Train at the top of the priority list.
"We're just looking forward to meeting all the lovely people."
