Vintage Jewelry and it's Current Beauties...

"It is easily overlooked that what is now  called vintage was once brand new."- Visconti

 How well do you know your jewelry?  In addition to all the cuts that engagement rings come in (i.e., princess cut, marquise cut, emerald cut, etc), there are so many other jewelry terms out there,  it’s hard to keep track!  I've even seen words in a necklace or bracelet descriptions but wasn’t really sure what it was or how to pronounce it. Today I’m going to dispel some of that mystery for you. And after you’re done reading, you can impress some people with what you know, I know I will :)  About as vintage as I used to go was the 60's... but we're about to take a time machine to the 1920's.

• Briolette, is a stone that is multifaceted all around. If there are no facets with just a smooth surface, we would just call it briolette-shaped or pear-shaped. (Faceting is the art of cutting and polishing fine gems... Aren't they beautiful?

   

  

• Cameo, is a piece of jewelry has been in style for centuries. Genuine vintage cameo rings are hand-carved and made of shell or other natural substances such as ivory, lava, glass or stone. The foreground is a silhouette or face, while the background is a different-colored layer. My sister loves these pieces, she integrates them into her wardrobe all the time, they're timeless as pearls.



• Marquise cut, It’s pronounced “mar-keys” and it reminds me of our eyes, tapered on both ends. A marquise-cut stone is faceted, but here we might describe any jewelry with the shape as marquise-cut. The name is from Marquise de Pompadour, Mistress of King Louis XV. Who knew a mistress could revolutionize jewelry forever?

•  Cabochon, which to me reminds me of a lady bug :) It's pronounced (ka-boshon) and comes from the French term “caboche” which means “head.” Does that have anything to do with cabbage? or a head of lettuce, let me know... Anyway,I love the smooth surface that a cabochon has. (And I love how the word makes me sound really important)! The back of the cut stone is usually flat or hollowed out and encased and made into pendants or put onto bracelets. I've seen the hipster community bringing them even into barettes and rings. They are my favoite so far.

These vintage pieces have such beauty in the detail of the period but combined with today's fashion can offer fresh design interpretations to fit today’s styles and fashions...

I hope we learned together how the past and the present can fuse when it comes to jewelry.

You don't always need Karats to feed your love of jewelry...

                             You don't always need Karats to feed your love of Jewelry...

                                                                 Modern Jewelry is all jewelry that would look modern or contemporary about them. We all know that good jewelry was expensive but we never thought about showing just how much it's worth to the world! Well, as a fan of all things recycled and modern, I read about Tine De Ruysser is a professional jewelry designer who studied in different art universities.  

        She takes paper currency from all over the world, including China, USA, Australia, Europe, South Africa, Argentina, and turns them into amazing and wearable works of art. Notice the precise and detailed way she makes chains and weaves. It's all quite fascinating! I'm obsessed!  

    As a photography buff I also recently learned of re:vision.  It  brings old school cameras into an entirely new focus. Camera lenses recycled in South Australia by Craig Arnold, and now, sterling silver pieces modelled on the real thing. Each recycled cuff is custom made and one of a kind, no one else will have the same piece as you. Now, can you day that about most gold jewelry? 

Now, to the acrylics, which personally a lot of my friends adore and wear regularly. Some women don't like the heaviness or the look of a diamond, or aren't even engaged. This is a fun option for everyone. You don’t need to plan a diamond heist, these pieces are way more affordable and a lot more fun! If you’re big on symbols but light on status-obsession then wear one of these to make your statement!

Drew Barrymore's ring!!

     

          Drew Barrymore and her fiance Drew Kopelman  got engaged!!!  I love Drew as an actress and she's quite adorable.  I’m happy for them, but I’m actually congratulating them on their ring choice, more so.   It is a unique, lovely setting and a simply perfect diamond color and cut. Drew’s engagement ring features a colorless (D color) radiant-cut diamond that is just under 4 carats on a diamond-covered band. Want to learn about the look and the diamond? I had to!!! Here, take a closer look....

      Drew's ring is radiant cut, which you can see is rare, special and beautiful.  For maximum brilliance and a optimum diamond fire, a precise cut is crucial for a radiant diamond shape.   The perfection of the cut, and the talent of the diamond cutter creates the heavy reflection and refraction within the stone.   An improperly cut diamond will have a lower value and less brilliant appearance that dampens the effect of its unusual.
       The modern radiant shape was perfected by Henry Grossbard in 1977 when he successfully blended the geometry of emerald cut with the brilliance of the classic round diamond. A radiant cut is, basically, a hybrid stone that is generally square or rectangular but with slightly cropped corners that contribute to its eye-catching sparkle.  Drew’s diamond is also set in a lovely ring. If you have the means, custom-making a ring like this would be the way to go!

Is it Silver or Silverplate? How can one tell?

                               Is my piece Silver or Silverplate? How can I tell?
       I often encounter antique pieces marked with hallmarks other than the typical .925 to identify the piece as sterling. Sterling Silver flatware manufactured in America after 1849 is ALWAYS stamped with one or the following markings:

• The word STERLING stamped on it
• 925 stamped on it
• STER stamped on it.

       If, for example, your flatware is stamped "Wm & Rogers" and "IS", it is not sterling silver. The IS merely indicates "International Silver" which was the company that actually manufactured the set. Because the pieces have no stamping to indicate Sterling, they most definitely are NOT sterling. Manufacturers never neglected to mention the word Sterling on their pure silver sets, while they always "neglected" to mention the lack of purity on mere plated material.

        British sterling carries 4-5 stamped hallmarks identifying the company, the location, date of manufacture, etc. These can be matched with photos in the silver hallmark database (google it). Similarly, American manufacturers employ hallmarks or sponsor's marks that can be identified by matching photos.

       The first patent for silver plating was issued in 1840. Older pieces are sterling, although they may not be stamped as such.

      Some of the early makers of silverplate flatware seen regularly in the store are Rogers Bros, Rogers & Bros. FB Rogers Silver, Wm Rogers, the Meriden Britannia Company, Middletown Plate Co. (Superior Silver Company) and others. Many of these names were used well into the 20th century. In 1898, this group of companies formed the International Silver Company.

       Some of the silverplate manufacturers also released sterling patterns, but these are stamped "sterling," whereas the plate is not. Many of the sterling pattern numbers are recorded in a database or databases.

      Some of the stamps used to distinguish silverplated tableware are: IS (International Silver), IC, Brittania, EPNS (Electical Plated Nickle Silver), A1, Triple Plate, 3x, Quadruple Plate, 4x, Silver on Copper, EP, EP on Copper, and a whole host of initial and pictorial marks that can be matched with pictures in the silverplate database.

 Myth #1: Silverplate is magnetic; silver is not. In truth, neither is magnetic. Stainless steel shows varying degrees of magnetism.

Myth #2: Silverplate doesn't tarnish like genuine silver. In truth, both will tarnish, because both are genuine silver. The difference is, sterling is sterling silver all the way through; plate only has a thin skin of silver over a base metal. Stainless steel doesn't tarnish.
      Unfortunately, to buyers, silverplate has no scrap value. Even the thickest plate is only about .20mm thick, and refineries won't buy it because the process of reclaiming silver from plate is too expensive.

     Pictured here is a William Rogers set which has a higher retail value as an antique than for silver value.

 

I have also enclosed some resources to evaluate your flatware or silverware.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5480931_identify-vintage-sterling-flatware.html

http://www.blurtit.com/q570058.html

https://www.antiquecupboard.com/



Gold Bullion, what to know...

                 Gold Bullion collecting goes Couture? The Info on Investing in Bullion.

      While researching this topic, I stumbled upon a blog where Jean Paul Gaultier has designed his own bullion bar. Take a look!

  http://www.bullionstreet.com/news/jean-paul-gaultier-introduces-1850-designer-gold-bars/875

      As a society, our love of gold shows no sign of stopping. Bullion dealers have sold coins, gold bars and Krugerrands by the bucket load. Contrarily, people have invested in gold exchange-for cash in record numbers also, which I have seen personally in my own store. A number of websites have joined the gold rush, offering to take unwanted gold jewelery off your hands for cash. I also asked myself, which is the best way to make a profit out of gold?
    There is a huge range of methods to choose from.  One can buy actual gold in one form or another, jewelry, bars, coins... while others don’t require you to build your own vault. This is what I needed to research.
      Bullion coins are legal tender in which country they are issued.  The market value of bullion coins is determined by the value of their gold content, plus a premium that varies between dealers. Many make the mistake of confusing bullion coins with collector's coins.  Their value depends on rarity, design AND finish, not just their gold content alone.  When you own physical gold yourself there is no risk involved, no other parties.
      Buying gold jewellery for investment purposes is common in the Middle East and much of Asia. Jewelery used primarily for investment purposes is because, unlike the US, the caratage of the gold is higer, usually 22 or 24K.  While jewelry does have a good correlation to gold price and it easy to buy and sell, it might be linked more to the fashion trends then then content value.
       I hope this cleared some questions up for everyone as it did for myself.  That JPG bullion bar is pretty brilliant though. Haute couture gold. What next??

           This is so interesting, check it out guys!!!    http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/01/how-a-diamond-is-like-a-champagn.html.  

What the cut says about the diamond....

        To understand antique diamonds, it's helpful to examine the modern diamond. In the simplest version, a modern diamond has 3 main parts. The top of the diamond is called the crown and the bottom is called the pavilion. The part that separates the crown and pavilion is called the girdle. A modern brilliant cut diamond has 57-58 facets or polished surfaces. The flat part on top of the diamond is the table, which is the largest facet. The culet is a tiny facet at the very bottom of the pavilion. If the pavilion comes to a point at the bottom, the diamond does not have a culet. 

        Antique diamonds have a soft romantic glow that many people find very appealing. Antique diamonds typically have smaller tables, higher crowns, deeper pavilions and thicker girdles than their modern counterparts. Antique diamonds were cut to maximize carat weight, not "fire". That's why the proportions of old diamonds are quite different from their modern counterparts.
        Diamonds were cut by hand until the early 1900's. This was a laborious, time-consuming process. Unfortunately, many antique diamonds have been re-cut with modern cutting techniques. This has caused demand for these old cut diamonds to soar in recent years, along with the prices that people are willing to pay for them.
      Let's go over some of the older cuts, so we can get an idea of what I mean.

(1) Rose cut diamonds were introduced as early as the 1500's and were popular until the early 1900's. The shape of a rose cut diamond resembles the petals of a rose bud. The bottom is flat.

(2) The old mine cut diamond is the earliest form of the modern brilliant cut. Also called the "cushion cut", it has a cushioned shaped girdle.

                                                       

(3) The old European diamond has a very small table, a heavy crown, and great overall depth. This diamond cut was the fore-runner of the modern brillant cut. Like the modern round brilliant, the old European diamond has a circular girdle.

Nicole Scherzinger Sparkles in just about EVERYTHING!

                       Nicole Scherzinger Sparkles in just about EVERYTHING!         

        Sparkly dresses can be a little bit tricky to pull off - not only do you need to have confidence, the dress also requires the right kind of jewelry. Former Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger has had both and is always so chic when seen out and about.

             What Nicole does best besides singing, is dressing & accesorizing. The "Buttons" singer opted for a sexy two-toned sequined number with loose sleeves. The bottom half had a gunmetal tone while the bodice had a light beige color. The short dress was complemented by a pair of beige pumps that definitely accented her gorgeous gams. She carried a clutch on her right hand that matched her shoes as well.  When it came to the accessories, Scherzinger understood the need to keep it simple as to not detract from the dress. On her left arm was a simple gold bangle that she paired with a ring on her middle finger. Occassionaly peeking through her wavy locks was a beautifulpair of hanging chandilier earrings to accent her glowing face.
           There are the majority of times where Scherzinger takes it to the top and rests  comfortably there.  With millions of women adoring her style, coupled with men adoring her beauty, Nicole loves all eyes on her.   Here are some examples of how she has made "oversized" jewelry somewhat of a trademark for her.

Here are some links you might enjoy to replicate her style, but not her pricetag.

http://www.stylebistro.com/Nicole+Scherzinger/Jewelry
http://www.yournextjewelry.com/2011/12/nicole-scherzinger-hoops-cocktail-rings-cuffs/

                                            "Watch Me Go into The Past With You."

On July 1, 1941 the Brooklyn Dodgers played the Philadelphia Phillies. This game was televised, but before it began, something was shown that had never been seen before - a televised advertisment for a consumer product.  And for what was the world's first televised advertisement?  A watch, of course. The ad that was first to take over all other ads was for Bulova wristwatches, one of the great American timepiece companies.    The ad is pretty simple by today's standards, but that's ok - it only cost Bulova $9. Priceless.     http://youtu.be/lsjc2uDi1OI

As Quentin Tarantino so brilliantly captures in this scene from ‘Pulp Fiction’, a watch is something that really begs to be looked after. Because a watch is more than just an object that tells you the time – it’s a token of love, a cherished heirloom, a piece of history.

                                

     There’s also an extreme sense of indivituality, to know no one in the room will have the same piece as you.  To Be Continued...

What happens after you sell your Gold & Silver?

There are actually a few different methods of refining gold. Depending upon the quantity of gold you are working with and the desired level of purity, the two most common methods for refining gold are the use of high temperature flame and the use of chemicals to refine the gold.

Refining with flame is one of the oldest methods of refining metals. Mentioned even in the bible, refining by fire is the preferable method for larger quantities of gold. In ancient times, this form of refining involved a craftsman sitting next to a hot fire with molten gold in a crucible being stirred and skimmed to remove the impurities or dross that rose to the top of the molten metal. With flames reaching temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees Celsius, this job was definitely a dangerous occupation for the gold refiner. The tradition remains largely untouched today with the exception of a few advancements in safety and precision.

The second method of refining gold involves the use of chemicals. Strong acids are used to dissolve the impurities in the gold ore and afterwards, are neutralized and washed away, taking the impurities with them. The resulting product is a muddy substance that is almost pure gold (99.999% or 24K). This muddy substance is dried until it is a powdered residue and then heated with a torch or other source of heat to melt the gold powder into useable gold. The acids used for this process are Nitric acid and Hydrochloric acid.

A silver refiner provides precious metal recovery that recycles material, keeping it out of landfills. Whether it be scrap metal or jewelry, the process of refining silver separates silver from other metals and waste.   Scrap from the process, such as silver metal foil, silver leaf, and antique silver is weighed and smelted. As the scrap becomes liquified in a furnace, ash and borax are included to separate pure silver from other precious and non-precious metals.

The largest consumers of silver are Kodak and Fuji. That is because more silver is used for photography than any other product. Large amounts of silver are also used for silverware, jewelry and industrial products. Silver is also used to treat burn victims as it kills bacteria, allowing the individual to heal more quickly.  Silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

Now back to the refining process. The Silver refiner mixes silver in with other metal, such as gold and copper, because different amounts of other precious metals can be in a piece of jewelry. The refiner of silver creates bars of metal and dumps them into ice water to reduce particle size. The bars are dissolved in nitric acid and hydrochloric acid for six to twelve hours. Nitric acid attacks the silver and copper and puts the metals in liquid form. The pure silver is then extracted, dried and cooled.

The refining of silver puts the precious metal back into use, making a positive impact on the world around us. Worn-down jewelry, scrap silver, and silver coins can be refined into pure silver bullion. As the price of silver continues to increase, selling that bullion can be a windfall for an individual, and thus silver refining is becoming a growing business. Refining sterling silver produces silver and other metals as sterling silver is more than 92 percent silver, with the remaining eight percent being copper or another metal. The added metal provides strength as items of 100 percent silver would bend. Sterling silver is primarily used for jewelry and silverware.

Silver refiners have the expertise to melt silver jewelry and other pieces of jewelry into their liquid form and rework them into other uses. Most also buy, refine gold, silver and platinum.  I hope we both learned as much from this lesson as I.

Silver, the Forgotten Child of Precious Metals

                          Silver, the Forgotten Child  of Precious Metals

           

               In times of economic uncertainty, people often seek to protect their nest egg by investing in precious metals. Precious metals historically rise when the value of a fiat currency falls. In today's market, pre-1964 US junk silver coins like the 1964 silver quarter the twenty five cent piece, 1964 silver half fifty cent piece, 1964 silver dime ten cent piece and 1964 silver dollar hundred cent piece U.S.A these coins all contain 90% silver provide an affordable and liquid silver investment opportunity.

               While gold and platinum are the superstars of jewelry for sale, Sterling silver should not be ignored. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent pure silver, with the remaining fraction made up of other metals, like copper.It's understandable how clientelle overlook Sterling. The spot market price of gold today is at $1616.90/ounce and Platinum is at $1,414.00/ounce. Silver seems poor by comparison, at just $25.37/ounce. However, don’t be mislead. If you have a large amount of Sterling, such as a service for 12, it represents many, many ounces that can be converted to much-needed fast cash. It is an excellent example of why a seller’s Sterling Silver flatware which, if a seller is like most of us, only comes out on special occasions, can represent a sizeable cash payout. Don't be mislead into overlooking your Sterling.

          Here at Suffolk Gold Buyers in Northport, webuy all kinds of Sterling silver regardless of age, condition or place of manufacture.We are not interested in the quality or design of the silver pieces, only in their purity.  Our company is three generations old and has the means to pay the highest-possible percentage of actual value based upon the spot price at the time.   If it is an antique or estate piece we can assess the value for you also.

           Also, Sterling Silver is present in many coins and jewelry as well. Coins pre-dating 1964 contain 90% silver which were used as money until the mid-1960s, serve both as an investment medium and could be used as "survival" coins should our monetary system fail as many people fear. Because they were circulated coins, they can still be used as currency in a survival situation, saved to reap the benefits of a rise in silver price, or used as a hedge against inflation. Although coin collectors call them "junk" coins, they are far from what the nick name may imply. Junk silver coins are good investment in our mind.

            

What Does the Price of Gold Tell Us Historically?

                                
      What Does the Price of Gold, Silver &           Platinum tell us Historically?

Was gold struck down by lightning? After hitting a new high of $1921 per troy oz. the price of gold retreated in the face of some heavy selling which very briefly brought it down below $1800. Spot gold is now trading $1,581 per troy ounce as you can see on http://www.kitco.com/ daily. Following that, the silver price hit a low at $26.3 – though both metals have staged a decent rally since then.

                      Although the gold price is still up by 10.22% this year, the silver price is currently down 8.21% for the year. Platinum have failed worse, goign down by 20.35%. Simply put: gold is a safe-haven metal in a way that the other precious metals are not. All are safe havens to the extent that they represent tangible assets with unique properties and industrial utility – in contrast to currency or bonds – but as economic fears have grown over the course of the second half of the year, industrial utility has been the last thing on investors’ minds. Below, I've included the closing gold prices as we approach this new year.
                   

                More importantly, anyone who understands that gold is money can see why demand for it, by definition, rises during deflations.Whether we see ‘70s style inflation, ‘30s style deflation or a more extreme cases in our future, gold is STILL the best insurance. The price of gold rose in all those scenarios. As long as real interest rates remain negative, the opportunity cost of saving in gold is zero. Sell your gold while you can, get the highest rates while they are still fluctuating. Holding on to your gold, silver, or platinum ensures nothing. It is a seller's market.

The Truth of GIA vs. EGL Certification, all the differences involved.

                           

                       The Truth of GIA vs. EGL Certification

Before purchasing a diamond, it is important to ensure it has been certified by a credible gemological organization. Both the Gemological Institute of America and the European Gemological Laboratory are credible organizations known worldwide for grading and certifying diamonds. Both organizations offer similar diamond certification reports; however, there are a few differences between the organizations when it comes to diamond value and grading standards. Both GIA and EGL are very reliable independent diamond grading laboratories. They both employ leading gemologist and use the highest technologies to grade diamonds. Both set industry standards and are well respected.  Both GIA and EGL do not make diamonds, rather diamonds are sent to them to get a completely independent and objective diamond grading report.

The GIA in a non-profit institute, established in 1931. The purpose of the GIA is to protect purchasers of gemstones through education and research and determine the quality of diamonds through certification. The GIA is an international organization with world headquarters located in Carlsbad, California.

The EGL is an international company that also focuses on gemstone certification, education and research. The company is privately owned and was originally founded as part of an international network in Europe in 1974. The EGL USA division was founded in 1977 with locations in New York, California and Canada.

The GIA diamond report grades shape, measurements, weight, depth percentage, table percentage, girdle thickness, cutlet size, polish, symmetry, clarity grade, color grade, fluorescence, internal and external inclusions and adds comments about the diamond.  The EGL diamond report offers a more detailed report grading all of the above, plus the crown angle and pavilion angle of a diamond.

The EGL is regarded by some jewelers as offering more lenient grading standards, while the GIA is regarded as offering more strict grading standards when reporting the quality of diamonds. In other words, while the GIA tends to give borderline diamonds lower grades, the EGL tends to give borderline diamonds higher grades.

Both buyers and jewelers consider the EGL to have less strict grading standards than the GIA. Diamonds graded by the EGL are typically valued somewhat lower than diamonds graded by the GIA and can usually be purchased at a lower cost. For instance, a diamond with an EGL certification that has the same exact clarity, cut and color as a diamond with a GIA certification, will typically be less expensive.

I will say one final thing though, you will never find an EGL certified diamond that sells for the same price as a GIA certified diamond if they are the same color and clarity, the EGL will always be less. On the other hand, you will find plenty of EGL certified diamonds that are graded just as accurately as the same GIA certified diamond for much less money. You just have to do your homework and trust in a professional buyer or jeweler to help you make healthy assumptions. The choice is yours!