Estate, Vintage and
Antique Jewelry
What is estate jewelry?
Technically any jewelry that has been previously owned can be categorized as
'estate jewelry'. An estate ring might be 200 years old, or only a few
months old. Some jewelers regard any previously owned gemstone or jewelry
as "tainted"...makes you kind of wonder about their opinion of the
jewelry they sold to you, doesn't it?
Here at Big Sky Gold and
Diamond, we've always boasted a nice selection of estate jewelry. We always
disclose when an item has been previously owned, along with a comparison of the
savings you may accrue from choosing your fine jewelry from what is termed
"the secondary market".
Estate jewelry that
reaches a certain age is called "Vintage Jewelry". Some of the pieces
from the 1960's are already coveted by certain collectors. Jewelry from the
'40's passes in and out of style according to the fashion of the day, though its
value has been slowly ticking upwards. The "good stuff" tends to be
pre-1932 or so. We call jewelry that pre-dates the early '30's
'antique jewelry' to distinguish it from vintage or estate.
Perhaps later we will add more
information to our estate page--give us some feedback, please, so we know what
you want to see! There is a lot to learn, so give us a call or send us an
e-mail at bigskygold@imt.net
if you are interested in antique jewelry.
PEARLS: Full Moon Over Montana
There are many types of pearls...Freshwater, Akoya, South Sea, Tahitian, Keshi, Mabe, and some pearls so rare that only a few are known to exist. I love pearls. Here in Montana, they can be difficult to sell...but once you aquire an appreciation for pearls, it never fades. Ask Tiffany & Co., which is opening new pearl boutiques in the U.S. in 2005. Let us teach you the finer points of pearls. Here's a taste:
Lustre.
This is the 'glow' of a pearl. A fine pearl has a crisp mirror-like reflection,
and looks as though it was illuminated from within. Often the best way to
understand lustre is to look at several strands or pearls, and compare how light
reacts with them.
Surface,
or Blemishes. Surface imperfections, marks or indentations should be
considered. The smoother the
surface, the finer the pearl.
Shape.
Perfectly round pearls are rare, and are more valuable. Many pearls appear to be
round, but when rolled on a flat surface, their shape becomes more obvious.
Baroque pearls can have lots of character, and are less costly than rounds.
Size.
Larger pearls of the same variety are more valuable than smaller ones, if all
other variables are equal.
Color.
Pearls come in so many colors! Some
are natural, some are dyed. And many pearls have secondary hues.
White pearls may have a hint of pink (called rose), black pearls may have
aubergine, teal, or even violet or gold highlights. Melo pearls are naturally
orange.
Matching. If you are considering a strand, open the clasp and gently hold the necklace taut between your hands. look "down" the strand to get an idea of how well they match. You'll also pick up secondary hues, and you may make a salesperson nervous: it is becoming obvious to him or her that you know more about pearls than he or she does!
Pearls are approachable
for nearly everyone. A simple pendant is very reasonably priced, and a full
strand of white South Sea Pearls, which has taken years to match, can cost from
$5000 to more than $30,000 (add more for the diamond clasp).
Be sure you understand the differences between types of pearls, too. Nearly all pearls are 'cultured': man somehow introduced an irritant onto which the oyster deposited nacre. True natural round pearls are incredibly rare and valuable. Don't compare fine akoya pearls to freshwater pearls, or dyed pearls to natural colors. Call us or e-mail and we'll show you our world-class selection of pearls and pearl jewelry.
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