Estate Jewelry

Photo Credit: silverpaw

Solid Gold and Gemstone Set Signed Modernist Pendant

Buy It Now Price: $849 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This captivating, solid gold, signed Modernist pendant is set with pink tourmaline, amethyst, Australian black opal and iolite cabochons, along with two Akoya pearls.

-The piece measures 1.475 inches (3.75 cm) long by 0.675 inches (1.71 cm) wide.  The total weight of the pendant is 5.3 grams (0.1704 troy ounces).

-This signed Modernist pendant is a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted designer piece by the self-taught jeweler Debbie Noiseux.  Debbie Noiseux’s work is characterized by elegant, flowing goldwork that is set with gems of varying color, texture and transparency.  These seemingly disparate elements inevitably resolve into an alluring and desirable Modernist piece.

–Modernist jewelry is unconventional, often featuring wildly different forms, colors and textures – sometimes in the same piece.  But, generally speaking, Modernist jewelry always strives for maximum visual impact without regard for the intrinsic value of materials, conventions of style or other rules typical of traditional jewelry.

-The gemstones in this signed Modernist pendant are set in 22 karat (91.67%) yellow gold, which frames the gems with a rich, deep golden color that really catches the eye.  The remainder of the pendant is constructed from 14 karat (58.3%) yellow gold.

-This signed Modernist pendant has a provenance!  According to the seller, it was originally purchased from The Vault Gallery in downtown Santa Cruz, California, circa 1993.  The Vault Gallery opened in 1973 and operated until 2011, when the art gallery succumbed to the same trends decimating physical antique stores.

-The designer pendant was purchased (presumably new) from The Vault Gallery in 1993 for $860.  However, the asking price today, fully 24 years later, is only $849.  This is a great opportunity to purchase an investment grade, signed Modernist pendant for early 1990s pricing!  The current, stable prices for tangible assets are undoubtedly fleeting, yet are often taken for granted by citizens of developed nations – much to the consternation of those living in less stable, inflation-prone economies.

-Good, hand-crafted designer jewelry is getting harder and harder to find for less than $1,000.  I think it is inevitable that prices will rise.  This signed Modernist pendant is an excellent chance to invest in a fine example at a reasonable, sub-$1,000 price.

Cons:

-It is extremely difficult to accurately estimate the intrinsic value of this piece of jewelry.  I think there is probably at least 4.3 grams of gold in the pendant after deducting the weight of the stones.  With gold trading at $1,285 per troy ounce, this gives a melt value of about $130.  Even though the contained gems are of fair to good quality, most of them are worth very little.  The Akoya pearls and amethyst cabochon are of minimal value, just a few dollars at most.  The pink tourmaline and iolite gems are probably worth between $20 and $30 together.  The Australian black opal is almost certainly the most valuable stone, with a (very, very loosely) estimated value of $50 to $200.  This gives a tentative intrinsic value for the entire pendant of $200 to $360.  In any case, this wonderful, signed Modernist pendant is worth far more as an intact work of art than it would ever be broken up into its component parts.

Photo Credit: johnnygpx

Victorian Hardstone Cameo Demi-Parure with Split Pearls in Gold

Buy It Now Price: $1,350 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a magnificent Victorian hardstone cameo demi-parure, or mini jewelry set, consisting of a brooch and earrings.  The onyx cameos feature portraits of classically styled women and are surrounded by natural split pearls.  They are mounted in yellow gold settings.

-Cameos have been used in jewelry for over 2,000 years.  They were popular during the Roman Empire, the Renaissance and again in the 18th and 19th centuries.  After the end of the Victorian period, around 1900, cameo jewelry gradually fell out of favor, although it has recently experienced renewed interest.

-This Victorian hardstone cameo demi-parure dates to the early to mid 1860s.  Not only are the cameos’ subject matter and jewelry settings quintessentially mid-Victorian, but the brooch is engraved on the back with the original owner’s name, “L. W. Cavender” and a date, “Oct 10, 1866”.  This is a treat, as we are rarely able to date jewelry so precisely.

-Cameos were carved out of a variety of different materials, including quartz, shell, lavastone and coral.  Hardstone cameos specifically refer to those carved from quartz and its derivatives – agate, onyx, chalcedony, etc.  The quartz family is considered very durable, registering a 7 on Mohs hardness scale.  This compares favorably with steel, which only scores a hardness of 5 to 6.5, depending on the alloy.

-Hardstone cameos are more valuable and desirable than lava, coral or shell cameos of similar artistic merit.  This is because it takes more skill to carve harder materials like agate or onyx.  In addition, raw hardstone was more expensive than alternative materials and, therefore, more likely to be used in very high end cameo jewelry.

-Shockingly, this Victorian hardstone cameo jewelry set comes in its original, fitted box!  It was sold by Bigelow Brothers & Kennard of Boston, Massachusetts, a well known luxury retailer that operated from its founding in 1824 until it closed around 1972.

-The artistic merit displayed by this Victorian hardstone cameo jewelry is excellent, bordering on superb.  This is refreshing, as it is all too common to come across poor quality antique cameos that were hastily (and sloppily) carved for the 19th century Italian tourist trade.

-Cameos, particularly hardstone cameos, are somewhat overlooked in today’s jewelry market because they are (incorrectly in my opinion) considered vaguely old-fashioned or out of style.  But this situation provides the savvy antiques investor with the rare opportunity to snatch up this stunning Victorian hardstone cameo demi-parure for an almost impossibly cheap $1,350.

Cons:

-The seller claims the gold settings are 18 karat, which I assume was acid tested.  Unfortunately, the settings are not hallmarked.  However, this is completely normal for 19th century American jewelry and should not detract from the value of the set.

-The original, fitted box for this Victorian hardstone cameo demi-parure is in poor condition, with the top of the box completely separated from the bottom.  Unfortunately, this should be expected considering the cameo set is over 150 years old.  Quite frankly, it is amazing the box has survived this long; I consider its inclusion a bonus.

-While the Victorian hardstone cameo jewelry is, overall, in very good condition, a single link is missing from the gold safety chain attached to the brooch.  I believe this could be repaired by a competent jeweler for a modest sum.

Photo Credit: The-Chelsea-Bijouterie-Ltd

Antique British 18 Karat Gold Victorian Diamond Ring

Buy It Now Price: $478.35 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a captivating British Victorian diamond ring set in solid 18 karat gold from around the year 1900.

-The ring originates from Great Britain, as evidenced by the “18CT” hallmark on the shank of the piece.  “Carat” is the British word used to describe gold purity while in the U.S. it has been Americanized to “karat”.

-This Victorian diamond ring weighs in at 2.7 grams (0.087 troy ounces), which is fairly substantial for a ring of this type.  The ring is currently a size 5.5, but could be resized up or down by any competent jeweler.

-At the turn of the 19th century, when this ring was made, the British Empire was at the height of its influence, prosperity and power.  Queen Victoria, the sovereign who had overseen the phenomenal modernization and expansion of the nation, was enjoying the final years of her remarkable reign.

-This antique ring is set with three old European cut diamonds, a predecessor of the modern round brilliant cut.  This antique diamond cut emphasized fire (rainbow flashes of light) over brilliance (white pin-pricks of light) and was perfect for the low-light environments common before the widespread adoption of electric lights.

-The two flanking old European cut diamonds set in this Victorian diamond ring measure approximately 3 mm (0.118 inches) in diameter and weigh an estimated 0.125 carats each.  The central stone is slightly larger at 3.5 mm (0.138 inches) in diameter and an estimated 0.20 carats.  The total diamond carat weight of the piece is about 0.45 carats.

-The ring is in very good condition, with only moderate wear.  This is especially impressive considering this Victorian diamond ring is about 120 years old.

-The diamond cuts, hallmarks and style of this ring are completely consistent with an antique piece of jewelry from the Victorian era.  These older pieces are getting progressively harder to find at reasonable prices.  In light of these facts, the $478.35 asking price is actually fairly low.

Cons:

-The old European cut diamonds mounted in this ring are relatively small, with none exceeding approximately 1/5 of a carat.  All else being equal, a single large diamond is worth more than several smaller stones adding up to the same carat weight.

-This Victorian diamond ring is a relatively modest, entry level investment piece.  However, it is still a genuinely antique specimen with an attractive look and robust construction.  A more lavish antique ring with larger diamonds would be far more expensive, probably on the order of several thousand dollars or more.

-Even though this ring has a makers mark, “F. ST”, I was unable to identify the jeweler who made it.  Knowing that information would boost the desirability of the piece.

Photo Credit: Wilson-Brothers-Jewelry

Contemporary 18 Karat Gold and Bezel Set Merelani Mint Garnet Ring

Buy It Now Price: $649.99 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This splendid Merelani mint garnet ring is made from solid 18 karat yellow and white gold.  It features good quality goldwork rendered in the Modernist style.

-This chunky ring weighs in at a substantial 10.6 grams or just over 1/3 of a troy ounce.  It is set with a square-cut, 0.65 carat Merelani mint garnet, an unusual type of fancy green garnet.

-Merelani mint garnet is a green variety of Grossular garnet.  It is closely related to Tsavorite garnet, which has a more intense, emerald-green color.

-Tsavorite and Merelani mint garnets have been rising in both popularity and price in recent years.  This is because garnets have very desirable physical characteristics, like excellent hardness, luster and durability.  Also, unlike many other gemstones, garnets are never subjected to artificial enhancements.

-The Merelani mint garnet mounted in this ring is of exceptional quality, with great color and few flaws.  As of early 2017, I would estimate the wholesale value of the gemstone alone to be $200 per carat, or about $130 for the stone.

-The stunning contrast between the polished yellow gold band, the white gold bezel and the grass-green Merelani mint garnet is typical of high quality Modernist jewelry.

-The estimated intrinsic value of the ring is approximately $444.  This includes $314 for the value of the gold with a spot price of $1,240 and $130 for the Merelani mint garnet.

-With a price of only $650, I believe this Merelani mint garnet ring is a good value.  The seller is only asking $200 over the intrinsic value of the ring, which is a modest premium for such a well designed and executed piece of investment grade jewelry.

Cons:

-The Merelani mint garnet, although very nice, would be much more desirable if it were larger in size.  0.65 carats is a modest size for a fancy garnet.  The stone would also be more valuable if its color were more intense, pushing it into the Tsavorite garnet classification.

-This ring isn’t very old.  It is an estate, or pre-owned, piece,  and may be anywhere from just a few years old to perhaps 25 years old.  You’ll be waiting a while for this ring to age into the “antique” category.

–Investment grade jewelry has become universally more expensive over the past decade.  It used to be that I could find good pieces for $200 or $300 each.  Now I am lucky to find anything worthwhile below $500.  This ring, at $650, is a natural consequence of those rising prices and increased scarcity.