Tag Archives: jewellery

Pandemic Pearls – Biggest shock for Years?

Posted on by

Pearls – the gem that will go with everything, crosses the generations and decades. Safe, predictable, eternal. Is now the time to reassess their value?

Thanks to the Chinese market, there has been a growing production of quality fresh-water and saltwater pearls over the last decade. The downside of this monumental growth is that the market is arguably becoming saturated.

This is borne out in the price of pearls at auction. Japanese salt water Akoya, good Chinese fresh water and even small Tahitian pearls keep on under-performing and can be picked up for next to nothing.

This situation may be about to undergo a seismic change.

If I can cast your mind back to 2020, the world literally stopped. Not only the obvious things such as air travel and carefree shopping, but the thousands of ‘route to market’ supply lines. This included the people who support and make those supply lines run like clockwork – Normality went on hold.

Pearl Creation

The industry of Pearl farming and production walks a delicate tightrope between man and nature. There are many different types of pearl bearing molluscs, who have their own specific growth cycle, but to make a generalisation each pearl mollusc is either dived for by hand or is born, raised and seeded in stringently checked temperatures with the correct food, space and daylight. This process generally can take between 2-4 years of consistent care and attention – this was not possible during the pandemic.

During the global lockdowns, pearl growers, specialists, itinerant labourers and their vital support network all returned home. For the first time in decades, the seasonal flow of global pearl farming ground to a halt as there simply were not enough people to assure the continuity especially for South Sea, Tahitian and fine quality pearls.

Take the case of Paspaley in Northern Australia, a three generation pearl farming family who produce some of the most beautiful pearls in the world. They were so affected by the pandemic that they applied for and received a licence for specialised staff to continue working, but they were only allowed to work on boats moored offshore so there was no chance of Covid spreading. Even with this intervention their normal levels of production were curtailed.

This seismic shock to the usual farming life has caused a gap in the pearl production world and a shadow over future yields over the next few years.

Only time will tell what the quality and yield will be but it is understood by those in the know that it will take 2-3 years to get ‘back to normal’.

The basic economic principal of supply and demand may come to bear with reduced gem quality pearls coming to the market where the prices may harden and quite likely increase. Not only will this hopefully invigorate the auction pearl market but also remind pearl owner’s to have their pieces re-valued. Depending on how this industry is affected, Covid may have caused the pearls in your jewellery box to be very under-valued. A once predictable and safe commodity may have a trick in the tail and prove to be more valuable than they once were.

B for Boucheron

Posted on by

Boucheron, a brief history

The luxurious brand’s story starts when Frédéric Boucheron became an apprentice jeweller to Jules Chaise at the young age of 14 in 1844. Descendant from a family of drapers, he seemed to already have a thorough understanding of how to work with delicate fabrics like silk and lace.

He opened his first boutique in 1858 at Palais Royal, in Paris, next to the Louvre. A decade later, he won gold medal at the Exposition Universelle. He partnered with Paul Legrand for several years as chief designer. During their collaboration, Boucheron won the Grand Prix for Outstanding Innovation in a jewellery collection in 1889.

After winning this prize, Frédéric Boucheron opened the first boutique in 1893, Place Vendome in the heart of Paris. He was the first jeweller to take up space in this exquisite location, at n.26 where it is said that it was the sunniest part of the square and “the diamonds would sparkle all the more brilliantly”.

In 1900 he was awarded the Légion d’Honneur for his display at the Exposition Universelle, encapsulating the Art Nouveau style. He died two years later and left the Maison to his son Louis.

Outstanding and Unique Innovation

In 1879, Boucheron created a clasp-less necklace, named the “Point d’Interrogation” (the question mark). It was the first time a jeweller had created a piece of jewellery which women could place on themselves without any assistance if they so wished. Throughout the 164 years the Maison Boucheron has reinvented the style and adapted it to different styles with more or less foliate detail or a more contemporary look. It is its “stylistic approach, featuring asymmetry and curved lines” which make this necklace a signature piece for the jeweller, synonym of freedom and outstanding innovation.

Carat, 159 carat to be exact

Boucheron is synonymous of luxurious jewellery and “drapes” Royalty such as Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Rania of Jordan and some of the most famous women. One of these famous women of the 19th century was Marie-Louise MacKay, married to John MacKay who made his fortune through silver mining in the USA. She was intent on building one of the most important jewellery collections and Boucheron was her go-to jeweller. In 1878, Boucheron was entrusted with setting what was said to be the most beautiful Kashmir sapphire in the world, weighing 159 carats, of oval shape. It was valued at over Francs 700,000.

Hotel de Nocé

The Boucheron store is located in the grand Hotel de Nocé, built in 1717 and named after Charles de Nocé. The building has passed to numerous owners, including Jean-Baptiste-Francois Gigot d’Orcy, who had a passion for minerology. Sometimes the Hotel is called Hotel d’Orcy. The Hotel was home to some of the most famous people such as Marquis de la Baume, the “most expensive boot maker in the world” Yantorny and Countess Castiglione, also known as Virginia Oldoini, ex-mistress to Napoleon III. When Boucheron moved in to the building in 1893, “the most beautiful woman of her century” refused to move out until 1894. Two portraits of the Countess still look down on the boutique to this day.

Boucheron was the first jeweller to take up space on Place Vendome.
When Boucheron was bought in 2016 by the Kering group, they undertook a full restoration of the Hotel.

The façade of the building is listed which means that if Boucheron were to move out, it would be impossible for the new owners to make any changes. The inside was restored to its glorious state, with attention to detail such as Chinese wallpaper restored by Atelier Mériguet-Carrière.

With the renovation came the creation of hotel rooms, where guests come to spend a night within the Boucheron boutique at the heart of Paris.

Princess Eugenie

In 2018, on her wedding day, Princess Eugénie wore the Greville emerald and diamond tiara, initially created by Boucheron in 1900 and set with a 93.70 carat cabochon emerald, mounted in platinum.

The tiara in 1921 after modifications to include the centre emerald and a more geometric style, contemporary of Art Déco jewellery.

The Hon. Mrs Greville, who lived at Polesden Lacey, was a friend of Prince Albert and Elizabeth, Queen Mother. After they were married, the couple spent their honeymoon in Mrs Greville’s home.

In her will, Mrs Greville bequeathed the tiara to the Queen, who in turn lent it to Princess Eugénie for her wedding. It was the first time in over a century, that the Boucheron tiara had been seen in public.

Reflet wristwatch

In 1947, Boucheron created the Reflet wristwatch with interchangeable bracelets. The collection has a rectangular dial with baton hourmarkers and Roman numerals.

The watch comes in stainless steel or gold, with or without diamonds.
Not only was Boucheron the first jewellery to introduce this system, it has also added extra sparkle. Its sapphire glass is particularly magic: a breadth on the glass and the Place Vendome column appears for a brief instant.

Each watch is engraved to the reverse “Je ne sonne que les heures heureuses” (I only ring the happiest hours).

Only women

Traditionally, the jewellery industry has been male-led, but in 2015, Boucheron appointed Hélène Poulit-Duquesne as CEO and Claire Choisne, as Creative Director.

Hélène Poulit-Duquesne graduated from l’ESSEC, one of the most prestigious business school. She began her career in 1998 when she joined LVMH. Later she would join Cartier, where in 2014 she became Director of International Business and Client Development.

Claire Choisne also began her career in 1998. In 2001 she joined Lorenz Baumer as Creative Studio Manager. Over a decade ago, she moved to Boucheron, where she oversees all the jewellery and watches designs.
Boucheron has paved the way, once more, by handing the direction of a leading jeweller to two women, and has created resplendent new collections.

Nagaur necklace

In 2015, Claire Choisne integrated sand from the Thar desert in Rajasthan to include in the new Boucheron collection, the Nagaur necklace.

It is inspired by the Nagaur fortress.

The necklace is set with multiple strings of pearls with the sand encased in the rock crystal pendant, overlaid with diamonds.

The necklace is part of the Bleu de Jodhpur collection which comprises of 105 designs. Claire Choisne, says, “The aim was to create an image of India far from all clichés and stereotypes with the innovation of unused materials. The city of Jodhpur covered with the blue façades of its houses became a strong inspiration. Bold blue represents audacity because of the innovations behind the creations. The link between Jodhpur, the ‘Sun City’, and Boucheron, a jeweller in the ‘City of Light’, made the inspiration more obvious. India has always been an important concept in Boucheron’s creative history with its rich and vibrant heritage, the architecture of its palaces and the colours of its towns and cities. I believe that through audacity and maintaining a clear link between heritage and modernity, one is able to create figurative designs and thus translate this into contemporary high jewellery.”

A revival of the Plume de Paon is now set with marble and diamonds on white gold.

Boucheron is synonymous of luxury and exquisite craftsmanship. Throughout the centuries, the Maison has invented, innovated and reinvented its timeless pieces, moving through the fashions and adapting to contemporary designs. It undoubtedly has the “je ne sais quoi” that great and unrivalled French jewellers have.

 

Australian Opal

Posted on by

According to Aboriginal legend a giant rainbow snake formed the main rivers throughout Australia when he slithered across the land in search of water. The water in Australia is said to be blessed by the Rainbow Serpent, as water is one of the necessities of life. Without the Great Artisian Basin, a body of water under the Australian Earth, opal would not have been formed. There are therefore great connections between the Rainbow Serpent and the opals of Australia.

Opals are truly mesmerizing treasures of the earth, the way their vibrant colours dance with the light. Australia has been the main producer of opals since the 19th century. Opal is a hardened silica gel composed of tiny silica spheres and the stunning iridescence seen in opal is caused by the way these little spheres interact and diffract light. The larger the spheres the greater the range of colours.

Many people believe opals to be unlucky because it is quite common for opal stones to fall out of their setting and be lost. However, this is not because of some great curse, it is due to the fact that opals are composed of 5-10% water and over time they can dry out and shrink and therefore become loose and fall out of jewellery settings.

The major mines in Australia can be found in Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia. When valuing and grading an opal it needs to be assessed under the correct light source. It needs to be examined holistically – face up but also underneath, if the setting allows, so that any defects, holes, and fractures can be taken into consideration. The following factors determine the value: the opal type – i.e. solid black, grey, white, crystal type, The origin, body tone, play of colour, colour depth percentage, colour pattern, shape, cut, polish, weight, dimensions, visual inclusions, condition, and provenance.

One of the most famous Australian opals is The Aurora Australis. It was discovered in 1938 in Lighting Ridge (NSW) in an old seabed. Its body colour is black which highlights the dramatic play of colour of intense blues, greens, and reds. It got its name because it resembled the brightness of the Southern Lights. It weighs 180cts and has been cut and polished into an oval shape. It is said to be worth an estimated $1,000,000 AUD.

Opal can also be found in other countries such as Ethiopia, USA and Mexico, however Australian opal is considered the finest. As with most gemstones there are many synthetic opals and opals that have been artificially enhanced on the market. Slocum stone is a man-made glass that imitates the play of colour in opal. Gilson imitation opal has a very defined mosaic pattern which can be detected under magnification that is said to resemble chicken wire.

Black opal is the most highly prized and valuable, however before purchasing the consumer should be aware of treatments such as ‘smoking’. The opal is wrapped in paper and the paper is heated to a temperature that makes it smoulder. The smouldering paper then releases fine black particles of soot that enter the pores of the opal and darken its body colour.

The darker body colour contrasts with the opal’s play-of-colour, making it appear stronger and more obvious. Many Ethiopian opals are smoked and consequently are less valuable. The question is can you tell the difference?

“In precious opals there might be a dash of red here, a seductive swirl of blue there, and in the center, perhaps, a flirtatious glance of green. But each stone flickers with a unique fire and a good opal is one with an opinion of its own.” Victoria Finlay

What jewellery does Santa wear?

Posted on by

We all know at this time of year Santa is extremely busy, up against a very tight deadline. I’ve not come across Santa myself, but in my imagination, he surely must be wearing a pocket watch so he can keep on top of his schedule and targets in good time. And let’s not forget he has a lot to do in just 24 hours so time is of the essence.

In my mind, the pocket watch is mounted in yellow gold, with delicate floral chasing. Chasing is a technique where the jeweller outlines a design by pushing back the gold around the edges to define the motif. I would imagine the watch to be old, dating from the late 19th century, and so it would also be decorated with some guilloché enamel, perhaps blue or pink; Santa is dapper and I am sure he appreciates a touch of colour outside of his red and white suit. Guilloché is one of my favourite techniques of applying enamel. It creates all sorts of highly elaborate patterns which adds elegance to any piece of jewellery. Perhaps the watch has both pink and blue enamel: a pink guilloché enamel bezel overlaid with blue enamelled Arabic numerals. The hands would be discreet, also made of gold. It is most likely suspended by a fine pinchbeck chain, terminating in a barrel clasp decorated with turquoise cabochons.

Pinchbeck chains are named after an 18th century London clockmaker, who used a combination of copper and zinc to make it resemble gold. Gold only came in 18ct at the time and was expensive. This new technique allowed people to purchase gold-like jewellery.

The pocket watch might look something like this:

To the reverse, the pocket watch would enclose a photograph of his wife Mary.

Santa probably has family heirlooms too such as a signet ring set with a stone. That stone could be lapis lazuli (blue with specks of “gold” pyrite), onyx (black) or carnelian (red) for example. The ring could be set with a carnelian intaglio mounted in gold. Intaglio is the technique of carving into the stone to depict a portrait for example. Santa’s intaglio would be carved with a cherub to represent all the children of the world.

He most likely also has another signet ring set with a bloodstone: green jasper with specks of red hematite, the stone of courage. It is engraved with his initials “SC”, the motto “No child to far to reach” and a family crest depicting his reindeers and helpers. Santa can then seal all his letters, replying to the children who have written to him throughout the year.

Santa also wears cufflinks under his red suit. One might be able to get a glance at them when he is in his workshop perhaps, when he is not wearing his red jacket. The cufflinks are by Cartier, from the Santos line. They are square plaques set with malachite, a green stone, set in palladium. They are chic and timeless, Cartier’s signature.

I believe Santa also wears a necklace, a gold box chain.

It suspends the very important keys to his sleigh but also several small pendants which represent all the faiths of the world, throughout time.

Lastly, I think Santa wears a bracelet symbolising his reindeers. It is of chevron design, mounted in rubber and silver. Here an example of what it might look like by David Yurman.

It echoes ancient jewellery that used strands of braided human hair set as bracelets.

The same technique was used with elephant hair.

These are the jewels I imagine Santa to be wearing, but I’m sure whatever he wears he looks dashing! Here’s hoping I might finally get a glimpse of him this Christmas. Wishing you all Happy Holidays.

 

David Morris Jewellers

Posted on by

David Morris is affectionately known as ‘The London Jeweller’. The prestigious shop in Bond Street continues to attract royalty and high end clientele with the spectacular creations that are intricately created there. Each piece is handcrafted to the highest standard in the workshop above the store. Although it is one of the last remaining jewellery workshops in Bond Street, it’s reputation continues to shine, putting British jewellery design firmly on the map of world class jewellers.

David Morris started his career as an apprentice in Hatton Garden at the age of 15. His love and natural creative flare for jewellery design led to the opening of his first shop in Hatton Garden in 1962. After winning The De Beers Diamond Awards two years in a row he started attracting real international acclaim. As the reputation and success of the David Morris brand grew, the company relocated to Mayfair in 1969 and then to it’s current home in Bond Street in 1996.

In amongst the glamour and the grandeur, the David Morris brand prides itself on being very much a family jewellers. In 2003 Jeremy Morris took over the helm of the company from his father as managing director and principal designer.

The company proudly states on their website: “A marriage of beauty and technology, in its approach to design and craftsmanship David Morris is as wonderfully unique as its collection of rare gemstones. Whether it is a piece from our beautiful fine jewellery collections or a bespoke creation, David Morris jewellery transcends generations, each design expressing ingenuity, creativity and unparalleled quality.”

Some of the unique creations include The Miss World Crown. It was originally commissioned by Eric Morely,  the founder of the Miss World Competition in 1969. He was inspired by the breath-taking sapphire and diamond tiara Morris had created in 1967 for the Countess Marie Kinsky of Austria on her wedding day, in her marriage to Crown Prince Hans Adam of Lichenstein. The stunning turquoise and diamond crown is still used in the competition today.

In 2012 the silver dragon on the bonnet of the vintage Aston Martin the Duke of Cambridge drove down the Mall on his wedding day was made by David Morris. Originally commissioned by the Queen for Prince Charles’s 21st birthday.

I recently had the privilege of valuing some David Morris pieces. Including these beautiful hoops from the Rose Collection. These exquisite rose cut diamond hoops are composed of four graduated rose cut diamonds, each within a brilliant cut diamond surround, with further scintillating micro set diamond detail to the inside of the hoop and clip. The total carat weight is approximately 3.40cts. These were originally purchased in 2008 for £12,500. The current retail price for these earrings is now £38,700. This example not only illustrates the strength and popularity of David Morris designs, it also highlights the importance of getting an updated jewellery valuation because prices and values can change dramatically over time. Doerr Valuations are delighted to be hosting a Wednesday Club event at David Morris on the 15th December. It will be a unique opportunity to see some of the stunning pieces in the current range and to find out more about the diamonds, gems and fascinating creative process from their experienced sales team. I for one cannot wait.

Harry Winston

Posted on by

He was known as ‘The King Of Diamonds’ and ‘The Jeweller to the Stars’. He inspired a legendary brand based on the philosophy that jewellery design should be dictated by the gemstones themselves and not their settings. He used to carry around in his pocket some of the rarest diamonds in the world, worth millions of dollars, just for the pleasure of having them close by.

He is famed for saying “I love the diamond business. It’s a Cinderella world. It has everything! People! Drama! Romance! Precious stones! Speculation! Excitement! What more could you want?”. Perhaps his most well know statement: “People will stare, make it worth their while”

Harry Winston worked at his fathers jewellery shop and developed a keen eye for jewellery and gems from an early age. There’s a story that when he was 12, he spotted a green stone at the local pawn brokers which was supposedly glass and cost him 25 cents. It turned out to be a 2ct emerald which Winston sold a couple of days later for $800!

In 1920 he launched his first business in New York, The Premier Diamond Company, and in 1932 he opened Harry Winston Inc. His insistence on excellence, attention to detail, passion, discretion and knowledge attracted a high profile clientele including royalty, movie stars and business moguls.

Winston was one of the first big brand jewellers to truly understand the power of celebrity marketing. In 1943 the actress Jennifer Jones was adorned with Harry Winston diamonds at the Academy Awards. Ann Bancroft seduced Dustin Hoffman in the movie The Graduate wearing Winston diamonds, and not much else. In the movie Gentlemen prefer Blonds Marilyn Monroe sings those famous lyrics “ Talk to me Harry Winston…” in the song Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend.

In 1968 he used publicity to his advantage once again when the 601ct Lesotho diamond was cleaved on live TV! It went on to be cut into eighteen magnificent diamonds including the 40.42ct marquise cut Lesotho III which Aristotle Onassis gave to Jacqueline Kennedy as an engagement ring.

Throughout his career it is estimated that Harry Winston owned more than a third of the worlds most famous diamonds. Perhaps the most well known being The Hope Diamond. This beautiful blue diamond weighing 45.52cts is seeped in history and believed to be cursed. It is said to have attributed to many misfortunes in the lives of its owners such as King Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette. Winston purchased it in 1949 as part of the Mclean Jewellery Estate. He held on to it for ten years and exhibited it around the US as part of his ‘Court of Jewels’. He went on to donate it to the Smithsonian museum where it resides today.

Many recognised his jewels but few recognised the man himself. He was very rarely photographed and many did not know his face until it was published next to his obituary in 1978. Discretion was paramount to this man and it is said he had a concealed private elevator in his office so he and his VIP clients could come and go without being noticed.

Harry’s legacy lives on in The House Of Winston as they continue to deal with legendary stones. In March 2021 to celebrate what would have been Harry’s 125th birthday,they unveiled the Winston Pink Legacy Diamond ring, a vivid pink diamond weighing 18.96cts. Nayla Hayek bought the diamond from Christies in 2018 for a record breaking $50 million. It now forms part of the Incredibles Collection.

Harry Winston continues to thrive as a leading brand in the world of luxury jewellers, with stores all over the world including New York, London, Tokyo and Paris.

The breath-taking gems and designs continue to attract the rich and famous.

These stunning Winston Cluster earrings, composed of high quality diamonds with the largest pear-shape weighing 0.75ct, currently retail for £53,000.

When was the last time you had your jewellery valued? Please ensure your documentation is up to date to avoid a shortfall in compensation in the event of loss.

The French Crown Jewels – Transformations and Fate of The Collection

Posted on by

Download this article here

Aurélia Turrall, Jewellery Specialist

Louis XV did not add to the collection but instead had stones recut. He especially had the Côte-de-Bretagne recut in the shape of a dragon to be set in the Golden Fleece. By recutting it, the stone now weighs almost half of what it did.

Replica of the Golden Fleece

The Côte-de-Bretagne and the Golden fleece are amongst the very few pieces ever to be found after the great theft of 1792. Over the course of a few days, thousands of jewels,tapestries and furniture was stolen at the Hotel de la Marine, the royal storage since 1775. No one knows who exactly is responsible for the heist and accusations were made against everyone. Many were executed by guillotine, which had been moved in front of the Hotel de la Marine as a statement. Other thieves survived by revealing the whereabouts of the jewels and furniture. The Sancy and blue diamond were lost, but the Côte-de-Bretagne was found in Holland, where it was recut and sold in England. It was later brought back to France along with the Regent.

Napoleon added to the collection over the years.

“Napoleon” diamond necklace, Smithsonian Museum

In 1814, when Louis XVIII came to power, the crown jewels counted 65,072 stones and pearls: 57,771 diamonds, 5,630 pearls, 1,671 coloured stones (424 rubies, 66 sapphires, 57emeralds, 235 amethysts, 547 turquoise, 24 cameos, 14 opals and 89 topaz).

Charles X had some diamonds set in a sword. The sword was modified by Napoleon III, by adding bee motifs and number III. It was stolen from the Louvre in 1976 remains lost to this day.
During the III Republic, the Crown jewels were exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1878 and again in 1887 at the Louvre. In 1882 a vote was put forward by Benjamin Raspail to decommission the Crown jewels to be sold and dispersed. The Republic wanted nothing to do with Royalty. The vote was 325 yes against 85 no. Luckily the Regent and Côte-de-Bretagne were given to the Louvre and the Musée des Mines.

The Crown jewels were offered for sale a few years later in 1887 over the course of 9 sessions at the Louvre. The sale was a success for the government but a historical and gemmological disaster. Gems were unset so none would be traceable to a particular monarch or piece of jewellery. The biggest buyers were Boucheron, Tiffany and Van Cleef. Bapst Frères also purchased many in order to keep the gems in France.

Tiffany sold many pieces to American heiress who wanted a piece of history and French aristocracy. William Waldorf Astor purchased the Sancy and donated it to the Louvre. Over the last 70 years, the Louvre has tried to buy back as many pieces as possible. There are currently 23 pieces in the Apollo Gallery.

 

My favourite item that I have valued

Posted on by

 

I feel very blessed to be a jewellery valuer because I get to see and examine some stunning pieces of jewellery. It’s actually quite hard to single out just one item as a favourite. I love more vintage pieces such as tiaras, gem set cocktail watches and anything from the Art Deco era. As I hold them I love to imagine who has worn them and how many amazing parties they have been to. My mind always wanders to the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Holly Golightly dressed to the nines and going to countless ‘soirees’. I recently valued a beautiful old cut diamond festoon necklace and the owner sighed and said to her husband: ‘well darling I doubt I will be wearing it at any more balls at Buckingham Palace anytime soon……’
However if pressed to choose one particular item as a favourite it would have to be something set with sapphire. Sapphires are my all-time favourite gemstones, so much so that when I worked in the auction world and on the TV show Dickinsons Real Deal, I had to be really careful not to overestimate sapphire set pieces and give the clients over inflated expectations because I loved the gemstones!

Image of single sapphire ring

Single sapphire ring. Valued for insurance at £30,950 NRV (New Retail Value)

I recently valued a single stone ring. It was set with a Ceylon sapphire weighing 13.73cts, measuring 12.4mm by 12.1mm. The stone came with a certificate stating there was no evidence of heat treatment, something which is becoming increasingly rare because nowadays most coloured gems undergo some form of treatment to enhance their colour. As I gazed into the gem with my 10X loupe I could see a multitude of natural inclusions. Inclusions are what I most love about gemmology. I just think it’s incredible that these beautiful gems have been formed in the earth over thousands of years, each is unique and each tells its own story through the inclusions that lie within. Examining them is like diving into another world and this particular gemstone was a real feast for the eyes, a gemmologist’s delight! I could have looked at it for hours and would have loved to have put it under a microscope. However I had to settle for a quick fix because as valuers we work under time constraints and don’t really have the luxury to truly enjoy and appreciate such magnificent pieces when they arise.

Image of Typical sapphire inclusions.

Typical sapphire inclusions

To the layperson the ring may look rather heavy and clunky. It’s set in platinum and weighs 21 grams. On the surface the sapphire facet edges are slightly rubbed. However for me, because of the magical world contained within, it was a real highlight and my favourite piece I have valued.

Diamonds and Coloured Gems… words of advice from our Jewellery specialist

Posted on by

At Doerr Valuations our team of jewellery specialists monitor prices and trends in the international market to make sure that you can be properly informed and looked after.
The jewellery market over the past few years has been unusually volatile for several reasons – some directly due to the general ‘woes of the world’ and some caused by some quite dramatic fluctuations in commodity, material and  gem prices.

In 2007, the price per ounce of gold was around the $750 mark – it peaked late in 2012 at $1,890 – and fell back to just over $1,000 in 2014 although it’s edging up to the $1,910/oz mark today.
However, in pieces of gem set jewellery the gold value factor is not huge – the gem prices, manufacturing costs and retail profits are larger factors.
diamonds_hands
Diamonds, despite what De Beers say in their advertisements, are not rare. Huge deposits of good quality stones are regularly being found in mid-Africa and now Botswana has pretty well become the diamond centre of the world, with De Beers moving their headquarters there from London.

Mining techniques are better and more efficient, so there are more than enough stones to go around. Slackening demand from the Middle and Far East for many of the slightly lower grade stones and sizes have seen noticeable drops in market prices. De Beers and their fellow core suppliers have had to do a lot of juggling and adjustment to try and keep things on an even keel.
However, if the stone is exceptional in all of the three main quality criteria i.e. size, colour and clarity, it will still be very expensive. The trade price of a one carat flawless  D colour (the best) stone, is well over twice the price of a one carat H colour and VVS2 clarity (both acceptable commercial qualities) stone.

There have been some exceptional auction prices in 2017 for coloured diamonds, specifically for pink and blue stones…  Sotheby’s set a new world record in 4 April 2017 in Hong Kong, when the Pink Star, a 59.60-carat oval mixed-cut Fancy Vivid Pink internally flawless diamond, sold for HK$553 million / US$71.2 million (£57.3 million) including buyer’s premium.

Other spikes in the market include the pearl market, specifically the natural saltwater pearl market. Cultured pearls are natural beads ‘farmed’ in seawater by introducing man made beads in to the soft tissue of an oyster. The oyster’s reaction to these ‘irritations’ is to cover them in ‘nacre’, which is the lustrous shell like covering that we see on the pearl necklaces in most shops. The beads can be 4 or 5 mm in diameter so the thickness of the nacre coating can be pretty thin and lacking in lustre depth. In a natural seawater pearl the oyster takes in the occasional tiny grain of sand around which it builds up the layers of nacre, so in an 8 mm diameter natural pearl you may have 7 mm depth of nacre rather than 3 or 4 mm in a cultured pearl. If you put one of each of these pearls together the wonderful depth of lustre of the natural pearl is very apparent.
pearls
Again a laboratory certificate and an up to date valuation is a must. But the main problem for the pearl market is the arrival of freshwater pearls from China. These are farmed in rivers and lakes and not in oysters but in mussels. A mussel can produce more pearls, more often, but they can be of poor lustre and are prone to being misshapen. They are however very cheap and can be seen up to 15 mm in diameter.

Whilst auction prices for fairly modern ‘ordinary’ jewellery can very modest indeed – and a small fraction of its retail replacement price – the market for ‘big name’ pieces with good style and quality is as strong as ever. Cartier, early Tiffany, Boucheron, Bulgari, Buccellati, and Lalique all sell strongly. From the previous century there is a strong collectors’ market for work by Castellani and Giuliano and anything with an interesting historical or royal background will generally fare well.

You may find that the values may have stayed the same, but it is always worth confirming this and as part of Doerr Valuations service we can easily check this for you.

So, with the price of gold, diamonds and jewellery continually changing, seeking professional advice and having your jewellery reviewed annually is extremely important.

Call us today to enquire about an appointment on 01883 722736 or email [email protected] or visit our website www.doerrvaluations.co.uk

Caring For Your Jewellery

Posted on by

The way people approach jewellery care can be very diverse. Some people constantly wear their jewellery and don’t even think to remove their diamond rings when gardening or kneading dough to make bread. Other people take their rings off all the time – to wash their hands, do the washing up etc, often with husbands shouting in the background ‘Where have you left them this time!!’
In my opinion, jewellery should be worn and enjoyed. It should be a source of pleasure and not locked away in a box or safe all the time for fear it may get dirty or damaged. I often get asked about the best way to clean jewellery, so I have included some advice and other tips in this article in the hope that somebody finds it useful.

Image of commercial jewellery cleaning solution

Jewellery cleaning bath

I usually advise people to soak their jewellery in warm soapy water and then give it a scrub over with a soft toothbrush. You can buy jewellery cleaner at most jewellers which is just as effective. Some people swear by soaking it in gin! I have to say I have not tried that one and can think of better things to do with a glass of gin!

It’s amazing how much dirt is attracted to the surface of diamonds and gems. Earrings that are constantly worn can collect a build-up of ‘ear cheese’ to the reverse, which will also have an impact on the way light interacts with the gemstones and consequently with their brilliance and sparkle. In these incidences a cocktail stick is useful in addition to the soapy water. I often have to clean jewellery in order to be able to grade and assess the quality of the gemstones. My clients are usually delighted at the renewed sparkle it brings.

Image of ear studs with ear cheese

Ear Cheese!

Ultrasonic cleaners use sound waves to break down the dirt that accumulates on the surface of jewellery. However, it is not safe to put all gem stones in them. Softer, more delicate stones can be damaged by the heat and vibrations of an ultrasonic. These include emerald, opal, tanzanite, lapis, amber and other organic stones. Gemstones that have been treated to enhance their colour and clarity can also be damaged by an ultrasonic.
Pearls are very soft and delicate and may partially dissolve if cleaned with an ultrasonic. It is best to wipe pearls with a soft cloth and never use alcohol or chemicals on them. It is worth remembering to spray perfume before you put on your pearl necklace, rather than spraying the perfume on the pearls.

Image of a jewellery tap test

Do ‘the tap test’ at least once a month

Another important thing to check on a regular basis is that the gemstones are secure in their settings. I have recently heard quite a few horror stories of how significant sized diamonds have fallen out and been lost. I recommend people do ‘the tap test’ at least once a month. All you do is hold the piece of jewellery securely, close to your ear and lightly tap on it. If you can hear any rattling the stones are probably loose in their setting and in need of attention. It’s also a good practice to check the fittings on necklaces and bracelets are secure as it may have implications on your insurance cover if they are not. At Doerr Dallas Valuations these checks form part of our valuation procedure.