The world is full of get-rich-quick schemes. Buying FTSE 100 shares is not one of them, as far as I am concerned. Still, it could be a path to riches albeit at a more leisurely speed.

The foundations of wealth creation

In theory at least, getting rich is not that complicated. Buying assets for less (ideally much less) now than they will be worth in future is one way to do it.

FTSE 100 shares are a form of asset. But the key point, as far as I am concerned, is that they represent a stake in a much bigger asset: a company like Shell or AstraZeneca.

So by putting money into such shares when they are attractively valued, piling up (or reinvesting) any gains along the way and holding for the long term, I think it is possible to create wealth.

That depends, of course, on adding some money in the first place. Owning the right shares can be one way to build wealth – but it takes at least some money to purchase them to start with.

Here’s what can set FTSE 100 shares apart

Shares in far smaller, less known and potentially flashier companies can often seem more interesting to at least some investors.

Many people dream of putting a few pounds in some unknown penny stock and striking it rich.

It is true that some small companies go on to make massive returns for early stage shareholders. But loads do not. They simply sell more and more shares to raise cash, burn that cash and go bankrupt.

A great business idea or product innovation is not necessarily the basis of a great investment for a small, private investor.

By contrast, FTSE 100 shares can seem boring and stodgy. Some are mature businesses in areas that seem to offer little or no future growth opportunities.

But they are big. In most (not all) cases, they have grown big by honing a successful business over decades. The market can lose sight of that and send a share crashing in price from time to time.

I think that offers an opportunity for an investor to build a diversified portfolio of great companies at attractive prices – and hopefully build wealth.

Want to know what I think a great company looks like?

As an example, JD Sports (LSE: JD) is worth considering. To start with, have a look at the share price chart over the past few years.

See how much the price has moved around? Even over the past year alone, the cheapest price has been less than half the most expensive one.

Has the actual value of JD Sports’ business seesawed as much as that in just 12 months? I do not think so (though I could be wrong).

Rather, I think investors have struggled to value the business. Its stream of profit warnings suggests consumer demand may be weakening and JD’s store opening programme risks eating into profits.

Still, the retailer does expect full-year profit before tax and adjusting items of £915m–£935m. Against that, its market capitalisation of £4.5bn looks cheap to me given JD’s strong brand, proven business model, resilient profits and growing international footprint.

Value stocks can go nowhere for years. But when they take off, it’s action stations. That’s certainly the case with two FTSE 100 recovery plays that have been falling for years, despite looking incredibly cheap for most of that time.

Investors in Prudential (LSE: PRU) and Schroders (LSE: SDR) have had a miserable time of it. Until now. Any investor lucky enough to take the plunge just one month ago will have seen remarkable gains. Both are up just over 20% in that time.

If they’d split a £20,000 Stocks and Shares ISA evenly between these two struggling blue-chips in mid-January, they’d now be sitting on around £24,000. When value stocks go, they go.

Prudential’s shares are fighting back

Given that they’re both in the financials sector, it may not be a coincidence that they’re behaving in a very similar way.

But what went wrong for these two in the first place, and is this recovery sustainable?

Both have faced long-term structural and macroeconomic challenges. Prudential, a heavyweight in insurance and financial services, was supposed to fly after making the pivot to booming Asia.

While there’s a brilliant opportunity in the emerging middle class, this also exposed the company to Chinese economic volatility. Investor confidence wavered as China’s property crisis and sluggish growth hit earnings hopes.

Half-year adjusted operating profits still climbed 9% to $1.5bn, but investors had hoped for more.

Schroders meanwhile, has been hit by volatile stock markets and the shift towards passive investing. This has hit demand for active fund managers and squeezed fees too. Q3 outflows hit £2.3bn.

So why the sudden change? Prudential was lifted by improving sentiment towards China, although the recovery still looks fragile to me, and trade wars loom.

News that Prudential is evaluating a potential listing of ICICI Prudential Asset Management, its joint venture with Indian financial services group ICICI Bank, gave the shares another helpful kick.

Schroders has benefitted from the rally in UK and global markets. With interest rates potentially peaking and the outlook for assets that have some risk improving, investors have rotated back into shares. This could lift inflows and assets under management.

Broker RBC Capital Markets upgraded Schroders to Outperform, which gave it another lift. With the price-to-earnings ratio near a 10-year low of just 10 times, there’s an opportunity to consider here. Prudential looks pricier at 15.5 times earnings.

Schroders has a stellar yield

Companies that have underperformed for years can seem like they’re going nowhere – until the market suddenly re-evaluates them. When that happens, share prices can climb rapidly as investors rush to reprice the business in line with improved expectations.

But can it continue?

If China’s rebound is sustained, Prudential could have further to run. If financial markets continue to stabilise and fund inflows return, so could Schroders.

I’m wary of buying any stock straight after a spike. But I think both stocks are worth considering for investors who want wider exposure to FTSE 100 financials. Schroders’ bumper 5.8% yield tempts more than Prudential’s 2.3%.

For investors willing to ride out volatility, there may still be value to unlock. But as ever when considering value stocks, patience is required