Month: May 2014

Birthstones in fine jewellery?

May 15, 2014 / Duncan Parker

We all have preferences in our choice of gemstones, but one thing we might feel more connected to is our birthstone. Birthstones are gems that have been chosen for astrological reasons and are associated with certain months. In almost every auction, we find that there is a full representation of the traditional Western birthstones. Looking through these birthstones, people might be pleased to find that there are diverse choices available. Birthstones are not limited to family rings.

January: Garnet: While we tend to think of Garnets as having a narrow palette of brownish red colours, there is a broad spectrum available, green varieties such as the very rare Demantoid being the most valuable, the most famous source of demantoid is the Ural Mountains in Russia.

An Antique Demantoid Garnet and Diamond Bee Brooch: Lot 50, Spring 2014 sale

February: Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz, and is only one colour, but a beautiful colour. Amethyst is very popular today, and was also very popular in the Victorian period. In Ancient Rome, an amethyst dropped into a glass of wine was thought to prevent inebriation. It is the Provincial gemstone of Ontario, Canada.

Amethyst, Turquoise and 14K Gold Ring: Lot 462, Spring 2014 sale

March: Aquamarine is a greenish blue to blue gem. Its name derived from Latin, suggests the colour of water (aqua) and sea (marine). The gem ranges from pale to intense, and is most treasured in a strong blue colour. It most famously originates in Brazil.

Aquamarine, Diamond and 18K Gold Ring: Lot 485, Spring 2014 sale

April: Diamond is the best known gem in the world. There are more legends and histories revolving around diamonds than all other gems combined. For thousands of years, India was the only known source of these gems, until the 18th Century when they were discovered in Brazil, and the 19th Century when they were discovered in South Africa. The 21st Century sees diamonds being mined in Australia, Canada, Russia, Namibia, and Botswana, among other countries. Canada is the 3rd largest diamond producer in the world. It is rare to see a diamond as fine as Lot 388, the pear shaped 9.35 carat, F colour, VS-1 clarity gem in the Spring 2014 sale.

A Diamond Solitaire Pendant: Lot 388, Spring 2014 sale

May: Emeralds are the green variety of the mineral beryl. Historical myth states that Emperor Nero looked through an emerald monocle at gladiator fights and during the burning of Rome. Emeralds are a soothing gem. They naturally have visible inclusions, sometimes referred to as “jardin” (garden from French). It is truly rare to find an emerald as beautifully coloured and as clear to the eye as Lot 49 in the Spring 2014 sale. It is truly an exceptional gem.

An Emerald and Diamond Ring: Lot 49, Spring 2014 sale

June: Alexandrite is a fascinating gem. It appears one colour in one kind of light, and another colour in another kind of light. The gem’s name originates from the time of its discovery in Russia in April 1834 on the birthday of the future Tsar, Alexander II. Its colours from Russian sources are famously green in sunlight, and red in candlelight, or incandescent light, and red and green were the Russian national colours. Some specimens from other sources are purple to blue, but the colour change is fascinating either way.

An Alexandrite and Diamond Ring: Incandescent light (left), daylight (right): Lot 123, Spring 2014 sale

Pearls are an alternate birthstone for June. Natural pearls are very rare, and occur purely by an accident of nature. Most pearls we see are cultured, and while the outer surface is exactly the same on the cultured and natural pearls, the cultured pearls are helped along, usually by placing a mother of pearl bead inside the mollusc, and it then coats it with nacre (pearl material) for a few years. Natural pearls are the nacre material through to the centre, and may have taken many years to form. Lot 365 is a very rare and unusually large pearl that has an independent report describing it as natural.

A Natural Pearl, Diamond and Platinum Brooch (14.74mm diameter pearl): Lot 365, Spring 2014 sale

July: Ruby is a red gem, a passionate colour for a passionate gem. The finest colour is brilliantly pure red, and the gem most commonly has inclusions visible to the eye. The most famous source of ruby is Myanmar (formerly Burma). Ancient literature suggests that someone who dreams of a ruby will have good fortune. It would certainly be good fortune to be the highest bidder on the exceptionally red Lot 355. While the vast majority of rubies have been heated to improve their colour, this ruby is untreated.

A Ruby and Diamond Ring: Lot 355, Spring 2014 sale

August: Peridot is one of those gems that is only available in one colour. It is a yellowish green, and most often is clean to the eye. Historically, the most famous source of peridot is the “Serpent Isle”, in the Red Sea. The gem was used in ancient Egypt, and was only to be used by those of the highest rank in society. It was said to dispel the dark things of the night. Today, Pakistan and Myanmar (formerly Burma) are sources of important peridots. This ring by British designer Theo Fennell makes wonderful use of the colours of peridot and topaz in combination.

A Peridot and Blue Topaz Ring: Lot 280, Spring 2014 sale

September: Sapphires may be any colour except red (ruby is the same mineral, but is the red colour). Sapphires famously originate in Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar (Burma), but are also mined in Madagascar, Australia, Thailand, and other countries. Blue is the colour most associated with sapphire, and the finest colour is a bright medium blue sometimes referred to as “cornflower blue”. Sapphire is considered to be a soothing gem.

A Sapphire and Diamond Ring: Lot 265, Spring 2014 sale

October: Opal is an unusual gem. Opals may have a number of different appearances, and may be clear and colourless to black or orange or red in their body colour, and are valued for the flashes of colours that shimmer about on their surface when they move in the light. Queen Victoria loved opals. The most famous source of opal is Australia, with the most precious, black opal, originating principally in a small town called Lightning Ridge.

A Black Opal, Diamond and Platinum Ring: Lot 252, Spring 2014 sale

November: Topaz is a gem found in numerous colours. The golden yellow colour is best known, while pink is rare. Blue in various shades is widely available, often produced by treating colourless topaz. Historically, citrine and smoky quartz have mistakenly been referred to as topaz. Brazil is the most famous source for topaz. With a slight overtone of pinkish, golden yellow topaz is often referred to as “imperial” topaz.

A Topaz and Diamond Pendant: Lot 24, Spring 2014 sale

December: Tanzanite has recently been adopted as a Birthstone for December. Introduced to the world by Tiffany, Tanzanite made its debut in 1967. This lively purplish blue gem is found principally in one source not far from the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the country after which it is named.

Unmounted 9.29-Carat Oval Tanzanite: Lot 491, Spring 2014 sale

Things always go up in value, don’t they?

May 9, 2014 / Duncan Parker

A Cultured Pearl and Diamond Necklace: Lot 251 Spring 2014 sale

An appraiser or valuer regularly hears things along the lines of “my last appraisal was eight years ago, so I guess it’s gone up since then”.

We do like to think that this is the case, but, sadly, it isn’t always. Some things will go up in value, of course, but others may remain static, or even go down. There are numerous factors that may make an item increase or decrease in value, or bring about no change at all.

Most people don’t expect their car to increase in value (with the exception of some rare collector vehicles). Age and wear and tear play havoc on a car. You rarely expect a ring to go rusty like a well used car, but a gem might chip, or ring might wear thin, an earring become bent or broken.

Outside of damage, there are other reasons why a jewel may change in value.

Fashion dictates prices sometimes. If a celebrity is seen wearing a certain gem, the demand for that type of gem may surge, and the price of that type of gem can increase. When that trend passes, or is eclipsed by another, the price may go down. If you had an appraisal done on your sapphire ring around the time that Prince William gave Kate Middleton her sapphire engagement ring, then the price may have been up, but a few years later, a new appraisal may reflect a lower price, back to the normal.

A Sapphire and Diamond Ring: Lot 162, Spring 2014 sale

The economy may cause price differences. As the world becomes more vertically integrated, mining companies are selling directly to consumers, and this can mean more aggressive pricing, and the consumer can sometimes buy for less (but still more than at auction). If lower pricing due to market changes takes hold, then the new lower price becomes the standard, and a new appraisal may reflect the new lower purchase price prevailing in the market.

Supply and demand may affect appraised price. A notable example of supply and demand affecting values is the case of South Sea cultured pearls. These are the large pearls grown in the warm waters of the Pacific, North of Australia, all the way up to Southern Asia. Several years ago, the production of these South Sea cultured pearls increased suddenly, and coincided with an increase in the supply of freshwater cultured pearls from China. South Sea cultured pearl prices plummeted to one quarter of their original retail price, and have not come back. An appraisal from the time of the higher prices will certainly be higher than an appraisal prepared now on the same pearls.

On the other hand, other items will certainly go up. If a gold bracelet was last appraised when gold was $350.00 an ounce, and gold has gone up to $1,400.00 an ounce, then it is very likely that the increase in the price of gold will have pushed the appraisal on the bracelet up, too.

An Enamel and Gold Bangle Bracelet by Fred, Paris: Lot 19, Spring 2014 sale

Another factor is other cost increases, if an item has a large labour costs or established list prices, it may be that it has increased in appraised value. If there is a fine timepiece, and the retail price has increased, the appraisal will have gone up. If a jeweller is producing jewels in a market where the labour costs are increasing, the price of an item from them may increase, and an appraisal should increase to reflect that.

A Lady’s Diamond and Gold ‘Oyster Perpetual Datejust’ Wristwatch: Lot 83, Spring 2014 sale

At auction we see all of these types of jewels, and often see appraisals that accompany them. The appraisals are usually for “replacement value”, calculated at an estimate of the cost to buy a new replacement at full price in a regular retail environment. The amount something may sell for at auction is estimated at “fair market value”, and this is a different amount again. Fair market value is established through comparison to recent auction results for the nearest equivalent item that has recently sold at auction.

An auction aims to sell your jewels at the highest price possible by exposing them to thousands of potential bidders. It is extremely rare, however, to be able to realize the retail appraised value for an item of jewellery or watch sold at auction. We get as close as the bidding takes it, and generally have a reserve (minimum), so you know it won’t go below an agreed amount.

A Brooch With Greatness

May 6, 2014 / Duncan Parker

Antique Enamel and Diamond Lapel Locket: Lot 264, Spring 2014 sale

A brooch is something that makes a statement to the world. It’s often worn on a coat, blazer or jacket, it isn’t limited to a time of day or a type of clothing. Women and men wear brooches equally.

The brooch has undergone many changes and variations, from a clip to secure clothes, to a badge of rank for soldiers, and it still serves those purposes, even if only symbolically.

We wear brooches, but only to to symbolically secure our clothes. The drapery of the ancient world may have been secured with a pin or brooch, while the traditional dress clips of the 1930’s and 1940’s were worn symbolically representing such things, but were purely decorative. These days dress clips, which generally come in pairs, are worn with a special fitting that allows them to be joined to form a larger single brooch.

Three Blue Zircon Jewels, Including Dress Clips: Lot 228 Spring 2014 sale

Historically, when brooches weren’t used to secure clothing, they were used to represent a rank in society or membership in an organization. In modern jewellery, a brooch may be work to represent membership in a service club, or years of dedication, perhaps to a job or a relationship. More often than not, however, these days, a brooch is a personal reward, purchased for one’s own enjoyment “because I’ve earned it”.

Madeleine Albright, former secretary of State of the United States, is a famous brooch collector and wearer. Her collection of brooches is extensive, and she is rarely seen without a brooch. Albright has written a book Read My Pins, about her collection of brooches.

Brooches can address many moods, and state many things about the wearer. In a recent auction we featured a beautifully carved tortoiseshell brooch that was purely fun, and a joy to wear.

Antique Tortoiseshell Putto Brooch: Lot 486, spring 2013

Often a brooch may feature a collection of gems, and is perfect as a spring flower garland.

Multi Gem and Gold Floral Brooch: Lot 283, Spring 2014 sale

A crescent is a classic shape of brooch, widely used in the 19th Century, it harkens to the “mysterious” East, at a time when the world was getting a little smaller. Europeans were fascinated with the world of Turkey, Persia (now Iran, the world’s most famous source of turquoise), and further afield.

Antique Turquoise and Diamond Crescent Brooch: Lot 173, Spring 2014 sale

The diamond brooch can work well in any situation. Diamonds will complement any outfit and any colour. The Spring auction features an impressive collection of diamond brooches, from antiques, through floral sprays, to very modern statement pieces.

The beginning of the Twentieth Century, and the end of the Victorian era saw the lightening of jewellery forms. The jewels of the Belle Epoque were light, lacy, and had an inspiration from the forms of nature. Brooches were very popular at the time, and these styles carry an enduring beauty.

Belle Epoque Pearl and Diamond Brooch (Circa 1910): Lot 258, Spring 2014 sale

Art Deco (around 1925-1930) remains a favourite among jewellery collectors and wearers. The style, originated nearly a century ago, remains fresh and stylish today. The geometric forms work well with so much fashion worn today. Men often wear Art deco brooches on their lapels.

Art Deco Diamond and Platinum Bar Brooch: Lot 269, Spring 2014 sale

The 1940’s, in the period after the war, there was a desire to wear big jewels, especially after the restraint and restrictions of the previous five years. Retro is the name of the style from this period. Retro Jewels often feature large curves in highly polished gold and rubies (frequently laboratory grown rubies) and diamonds.

Retro Citrine Ruby, Diamond and Gold Brooch: Lot 327, Spring 2014 sale

The 1950’s and 1960’s saw a real interest in the brooch. Going out without being appropriately accessorized with a brooch was like going out without shoes. The well dressed woman had a brooch for every occasion. The classic was a diamond brooch, often in a stylized flower form or a floral spray. With the styles of the 1960’s coming so much into vogue, there is a real interest in the appropriate accompanying accessories. In jewellery, there’s no need to settle for reproductions, it’s possible to purchase originals at auction.

Diamond And Platinum Floral Brooch, 1960’s: Lot 183, Spring 2014 sale

Brooches are ready to wear, never needs to be sized, and being worn affixed to clothes, brooches are usually in very good condition. Brooches are classic jewels and perfect statements of personal style.

A Pearl is a Pearl, isn’t it?

May 6, 2014 / Duncan Parker

Belle Epoque Pearl and Pendant: Lot 195, Spring 2014 sale

When we think of a pearl, we tend to think of a round white shiny object that comes from an oyster of some sort.

A pearl may well fit that description, but there are so many variations available, it is quite surprising.

Historically, a pearl is a roundish to randomly shaped gem that has formed accidentally in a shellfish, usually a bivalve. A bivalve is a shell fish (mollusc) that has a two part shell, like an oyster, a clam, or even a quahog.

Hold on… QUAHOG?, what’s that? A quahog (usually pronounced “cohog”) is a shellfish found along the Eastern Coast of North America and particularly around Cape Cod and New Jersey (along the Jersey shore). These clams are an important food source, and which very rarely will produce a lilac colour pearl. Lot 119 in the June 22, 2014 Dupuis sale features one of these rare and unusual pearls, measuring 10.3mm in diameter, and estimated $1,500-$2,500.00 with a diamond on a gold stick pin. The catalogue will be available shortly at www.dupuis.ca

Antique Natural Pearl and Coloured Diamond Stickpin with a Quahog Pearl: Lot 119, Spring 2014 sale

We do occasionally find a pearl in a univalve mollusc, too. A univalve is a mollusc that has a one-part shell, like a snail or perhaps a conch, from the Caribbean. Conch pearls are usually pink, and are also very rare and valuable. Lot 660 in the spring sale features a bright pink conch pearl, estimated at $1,000-$1,200

Conch Pearl Diamond and Platinum Ring: Lot 660, Spring 2014 sale

With the development of pearl culturing in Japan around 1915, the pearl industry changed forever. What we think of as a pearl today is a cultured pearl.

A cultured pearl is still produced by these natural gem-makers of the sea (or lake or river), but humans help out by placing something inside the molluscs to start the process of pearl growth.

Now we have pearls being cultured in the ocean, with the traditional cultured pearls grown in cooler waters such as those around Japan, the larger South Sea cultured pearls grown in warmer waters and in larger molluscs, black cultured pearls cost famously grown around Tahiti, and many shapes and sizes of cultured pearls grown in the freshwater (or “sweet water”) of lakes and rivers, particularly in China.

Freshwater cultured pearls can grow in very large sizes and in many unusual shapes and colours. The upcoming auction Dupuis will be featuring a few necklaces of large and interesting freshwater cultured pearls. Freshwater cultured pearls make a great statement for a remarkably modest price. Lot 407 in the Spring sale features huge freshwater cultured pearls, and is estimated at $1,400-$1,600.

Still, natural pearls remain rare and highly desirable. We really see a lot of interest in natural pearls because they are not replaceable. In the Spring 2014 (June 22) sale there are several notable natural pearl jewels. Among the natural pearls in the sale are one brooch, lot 365, with a notably large, 14.74mm natural pearl, and a necklace, lot 277, with three strands of pearls (including a single cultured pearl).

Natural Pearl Diamond and Platinum Brooch: Lot 365, Spring 2014 sale

Antique Natural Pearl Sapphire and Diamond Necklace: Lot 277 Spring 2014 sale

Pearls are probably the original gem, because they are ready to use straight out of the shell, and one can imagine an early cave dweller with a broken tooth having enjoyed a meal of oysters and carrying the reward of a beautiful lustrous pearl.

Month: May 2014

Birthstones in fine jewellery?

Things always go up in value, don’t they?

A Brooch With Greatness

A Pearl is a Pearl, isn’t it?

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