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0.6 Carat Fancy Yellow Old European Cut Diamond

0.6 Carat Fancy Yellow Old European Cut Diamond
Photo Credit: My Diamond Zone

0.6 Carat Fancy Yellow Old European Cut Diamond

Buy It Now Price: $895 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This half carat plus fancy yellow old European cut diamond drips with the elegance of pre-1930s Belle Époque/Art Deco high-society.

-This antique cut diamond weighs 0.6 carat, giving it a spread (diameter) of about 5.5 mm.  As a result, it would make the perfect center stone in a one-of-a-kind engagement ring or anniversary ring.

-The old European cut dominated the diamond trade from the 1890s through the 1920s.  It was characterized by a small table, deep pavilion and large culet.  These proportions give the cut exceptional fire and charm, but at the cost of reduced brilliance compared to modern-cut stones.

-With a clarity grade of VS2 (Very Slightly Included), there are no eye-visible inclusions in this gem.  In fact, it is difficult to find any flaws in this diamond under a 10x loupe!

-This old cut diamond has glorious color – a factor that could potentially boost its long-term value.  Although light yellow is the dominant hue, subtle bronze and green overtones combine to grant the gem a gorgeous champagne-color effect.

-This fancy yellow old European cut diamond has been certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) – the most respected diamond grading authority on the planet.

-This gem was undoubtedly hand-cut by a skilled, old-world craftsman in one of the traditional diamond cutting centers of Europe – most likely either Antwerp or Amsterdam.  Although Antwerp is still a diamond trading center today, most stones are now machine-cut in India, China or Israel.

-I believe that old mine cut and old European cut diamonds are compelling investment vehicles.  But this stone is particularly interesting because it is not only an old European cut diamond, but is also a colored diamond.

-The asking price for this yellow old European cut diamond is only $1,492 per carat, which represents exceptional value for such a stunning vintage stone.  Many old cut diamonds of this size and quality sell for $1,800 a carat or higher.  Although they are tough to find, I did feature another lovely old mine cut diamond selling for a similar per carat price some time ago.

-This straw-yellow old European cut diamond has fairly good symmetry, a desirable attribute that is somewhat unusual for a hand-cut stone from the early 20th century.

-The buy-it-now price of $895 is eminently reasonable for such a charming and beautiful antique gem, especially considering that a modern-cut, colorless diamond of the same size might trade for $1,200 to $2,800.

 

Cons:

-This diamond is cut a bit shallowly for an old European cut stone.  Its depth is only about 60%, while we would normally expect a value of 65% to 80% for this type of antique cut.  However, the overall look of the gem is paramount, and this fancy yellow old European cut diamond is simply dazzling, regardless of its theoretically-imperfect proportions.

-Although this diamond is definitely light yellow, its color is not nearly intense enough to be considered canary yellow – also known as “Fancy Vivid” in the industry.  Large canary yellow diamonds are extremely desirable and expensive in today’s gemstone market.

 

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1940 Gruen Veri-Thin 14K Rose Gold Watch

1940 Gruen Veri-Thin 14K Rose Gold Watch
Photo Credit: Strickland Vintage Watches

1940 Gruen Veri-Thin 14K Rose Gold Watch

Buy It Now Price: $795 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This vintage men’s Gruen Veri-Thin wristwatch has a solid 14 karat rose gold case and a 17-jewel, Swiss caliber 530 movement from the year 1940.

-It measures 38 mm (1.50 inches) long (including the lugs) by 25 mm (0.98 inches) wide (including the crown).  Although considered a bit small by today’s standards, this Gruen Veri-Thin watch was actually fairly large for a man’s watches in the 1940s.

-Gruen was a Cincinnati, Ohio-based watch manufacturer founded in 1894.  Unlike many domestic watchmakers during that period – like Hamilton and Lord Elgin – most Gruen watches were cased and timed in the U.S. using Swiss movements.

-The Gruen Veri-Thin movement had originally been launched in 1903 for pocket watches, but was later adapted to wristwatches in 1938 with considerable fanfare.  Veri-Thin wristwatch calibers were engineered to be thin on the edges with a slight bulge in the middle.  This made for a more robust movement with the illusion of overall thinness.

-The Gruen Watch Company suffered a serious of disastrous management decisions in the 1950s.  The worst of these strategic moves was the sale of its Canadian watch distribution network to finance the ill-advised purchase of the Waterman Pen Company (Canada).  The fountain pen unit was then sold a mere six months later at a substantial loss.  The struggling Gruen Watch Company was finally broken up in 1958, although watches were still produced under the Gruen nameplate until 1976.

-The case of this 1940s Gruen Veri-Thin wristwatch is made from solid 14 karat rose gold.  Vintage rose gold watches are extremely sought after in the watch collecting community and often command a premium over similar yellow-gold watches.

–Vintage Gruen wristwatches can be dated through their “style number” – a manufacturer’s code located on the inside of the case.  These typically occur as a six-digit number with the first three numbers representing the watch’s caliber and the final three the style number.  The code for this Gruen Veri-Thin is 530-430, which indicates a Swiss-made caliber 530 movement from the year 1940.

-As an added bonus, this Gruen Veri-Thin watch comes in a period-correct, burgundy and ivory-colored Bakelite case, which is collectible in its own right.  Please note that although the case is Gruen-branded, it may or may not be original to the watch.

-This beautiful vintage watch has already been serviced, a real plus considering that servicing costs can easily run from $100 to $300.  It is ready to wear to your next big event; you simply have to slip it on your wrist and go.

-Given the fact that this vintage Gruen Veri-Thin wristwatch has a solid 14 karat gold case and has already been serviced, I find the Buy-It-Now price of $795 to be quite reasonable.  Vintage American wristwatches are substantially undervalued in today’s market and this specimen epitomizes the tremendous deals that shrewd antique investors can find.

 

Cons:

-It is possible to find vintage solid karat gold wristwatches from American manufacturers for $500, or even a bit less.  But these less expensive watches almost always have drawbacks.  For example, they often require extensive servicing due to neglect, something that can drive the final price tag upwards by several hundred dollars.

 

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1980s Mezzotint Print by Koichi Sakamoto

1980s Mezzotint Print by Koichi Sakamoto
Photo Credit: JapanesePrintsPlus

1980s Mezzotint Print by Koichi Sakamoto

Buy It Now Price: $79.99 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This signed and numbered limited edition vintage mezzotint print by the Japanese artist Koichi Sakamoto evokes a feeling of ethereal winter solitude.

-Including its generous margins, this landscape mezzotint print measures 50 cm (19.5 inches) wide by 33 cm (13 inches) tall.  The image portion in isolation is a slightly smaller 36 cm (14 inches) by 22 cm (8.5 inches).

-Mezzotint is a type of intaglio print where the artist mechanically roughens or textures parts of the metal printing plate with specialized tools.  This produces rich, velvety tones and half-tones, something that is not normally possible in conventionally engraved prints.  This website gives an excellent overview of the mezzotint process.

-Koichi Sakamoto was born in 1932 in Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo.  An active printmaker from the late 1950s until the 1980s, his works were exhibited at shows around the world, from Tokyo to Paris to Mexico City.  Sakamoto’s preferred techniques were etching and mezzotint, which helped him impart an unreal, dreamlike quality to his works.  Some of his earlier prints even experimented with surrealism.

-This haunting nightscape is both signed and numbered (#19 out of 50) in pencil, with is typical for Koichi Sakamoto’s work.  Limited edition prints are more attractive to the art investor because they have far more appreciation potential than art prints with unlimited runs.

-Japan went through a massive financial boom in the 1980s, which later collapsed with terrible economic consequences.  I find the otherworldly atmosphere of this Koichi Sakamoto mezzotint print to be fascinating because of its obvious parallels to 1980s Japanese culture – an unreal (economic) dreamscape that can’t possibly persist.

-I recently featured a different monotone winterscape print by Ohio artist Andrea Starkey.  I find it fascinating that two prints with a similar color palette and theme can convey such radically distinct impressions.

-Prices for Koichi Sakamoto mezzotint prints have steadily risen over the past 15 to 20 years.  It isn’t uncommon for them to sell for several hundred dollars apiece at auction now.  My expectation is that this trend of rising prices will continue for the foreseeable future.

-With an asking price of only $80, this vintage Japanese mezzotint landscape print by a recognized artist is an absolute steal.

 

Cons:

-Although not visible in the photo above, this mezzotint print has significant foxing and yellowing on the margins around the perimeter of the work.  While this is not ideal, most of it will be hidden when the print is matted and framed.  This minor defect is also the primary reason the work is selling for less than $100.

-The work comes unframed.  If you intend to display this gorgeously haunting print on your living room wall, you will need to pay an extra $100 to $200 to have it properly framed.

 

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Ben Dyer Designer Brooch in 18K Gold

Ben Dyer Designer Brooch in 18K Gold
Photo Credit: Jewelry Treasures New and Old

Ben Dyer Designer Brooch in 18K Gold

Buy It Now Price: $1,500 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This 18 karat gold designer brooch by the celebrated North Carolina jeweler Ben Dyer is set with an opal cabochon, a trillion-cut aquamarine and a small accent diamond.

-This Ben Dyer masterpiece measures 2 inches (5.1 cm) long by 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) wide.  It weighs 7.2 grams (0.2315 troy ounces) – a substantial amount for such a delicate design.

-This contemporary 18 karat gold brooch, with its wild combination of textures, colors and forms, is an excellent example of Modernist jewelry.

-Ben Dyer is an accomplished goldsmith based in Hillsborough, North Carolina.  He is tremendously experienced in his craft, having first started making jewelry in 1975.  His work is characterized by flowing lines and elongated forms, combined with contrasting textures and gemstone accents.

-I estimate the weight of the aquamarine in this brooch at around 0.60 carats, the opal at about 2.5 to 3.0 carats and the diamond at 0.05 carats.  Altogether, the intrinsic value of the gemstones set in this brooch is probably around $300 (assuming $200 per carat for the aquamarine, $50 per carat for the opal and $800 per carat for the diamond).

-The gold melt value of this Ben Dyer original is about $188 (at a $1,200 gold spot price).  When combined with the value of its gems, the piece has a total intrinsic value of $488, give or take.  However, I have been fairly conservative with these estimates; it is entirely possible that the components of this fine brooch are worth more than my assumptions.

-The materials and build quality of this designer brooch are beyond reproach.  In my estimation, less than 1 in 1,000 pieces of estate jewelry stand at the same level as this marvelous specimen.  It is simply a superb piece of jewelry.

-High quality estate jewelry is growing ever more expensive as time passes.  It used to be possible to buy high end pieces like this for $1,000 or less a decade ago.  But since then, we have reached what I believe to be the permanent end of inexpensive fine vintage jewelry.

-The asking price of $1,500 for this Ben Dyer tour de force is probably less than half what it would cost you if you were to commission it directly from the artist.  This is the primary reason that buying fine designer or vintage jewelry in the secondary market is a necessity for anyone interested in jewelry as an investment.

-I believe this is a compelling piece of investment-grade jewelry at a very reasonable price.  But if you balk at the $1,500 price tag, you can always make the seller a lower offer.

 

Cons:

-At $1,500, this superlative piece of designer jewelry is not cheap.  And I fully appreciate that many people cannot afford to drop this sum of money on a piece of jewelry.  But in the world of investment-grade antiques, the best of the best rarely comes cheap.  And if you want an heirloom-quality piece of jewelry that you can pass onto your children or grandchildren, this is definitely it!

 

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