Tag Archives: jewels

Coral…. Did you know?

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There are six types of precious coral from deepest red to porcelain white and none are endangered.

Did you know that Mediterranean Rubrum coral is still dived for by hand by around 50 licenced divers at a depth of 50 metres? Japanese and Taiwanese coral is even deeper; at a depth of 80 metres to 300 metres and can only be harvested by a submersible with strict quotas.

It is reef and shallow water coral, such as golden and black coral, that are endangered. These are known as common coral and reside on the global CITES protection list.

Did you know that coral was used in Rome as early as 1500 BC? It has been used as amulets in the Catholic faith for centuries and revered in Buddhism. To this day it is an expression of status and wealth in Benin in Africa, Poland and Ukraine and it has been used as currency across the world.

In the Mediterranean, coral harvesting has been documented since the 15th century and its secrets and systems were passed down through each generation of a family. This industry was particularly buoyant at Torre Del Greco, a beautiful fishing village on the slopes of Vesuvius. Which for decades in the 1800’s saw almost every local family involved in the coral trade in some form from diving to forming the beads to selling the strings of coral. This development and success of the coral industry at Torre del Greco was arguably thanks to Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who worked to regulate the fishing of coral from this area of Naples and protect local jobs. He recognised the huge demand for beautiful coral jewellery and religious accessories, the ownership of which was seen as a status symbol across Spain, Italy, Poland and Ukraine, which lasts to this day. Look through several Old Master paintings and you may well find coral pieces to denote protection and wealth.

Even good things come to an end and the Mediterranean monopoly on coral supply was to change in the 1870’s when a different species of coral, ‘Momo’ coral was discovered in Japan and later in Taiwan and Hawaii. These finds would open up coral appreciation to the world and the largest market for coral is now the Far Eastern market.

Collectors are starting to wake up to the beauty of coral that Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels have been giving to their high net worth clients for over a century.

Precious coral, particularly antique and vintage pieces, are becoming very sought after and gaining good prices at European auctions. Keep an eye out for depth of colour and condition, and a smattering of diamonds is always nice too.

Vintage Coral

Did you know that the size of coral necklaces depend on the type and size of coral branch? Mediterranean coral can grow up to eight millimetres in diameter, however Midway coral from Hawaii up to 20 millimetres. Each piece of harvested coral from deep in the ocean is cleaned, divided and polished by hand into perfect beads, then matched into earrings and necklaces. It can take over a year to make a larger sized necklace.

A new harvest of Rubrum coral from the Mediterranean at the Livorino workshops

There is a huge market in China and the Far East for the top quality Oxblood and Momo coral pieces. So much of the finest coral will make it’s way there and prices rival that of fine jade.

However, you may well have vintage pieces in your jewellery box and I strongly suggest you review their value. It may just surprise you.

The Evolution and History of Diamond Cutting

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Believed to be a gift from God, diamonds were first discovered in India in the 4th Century BC and were recognised for their hardness and strength. They were worn as adornments to ward off evil and provide protection in battle. Diamonds were also used as a medical aid; thought to cure illness and heal wounds when ingested. This was later dismissed, and it was thought that diamonds were highly poisonous; a rumour introduced to stop miners stealing diamonds by swallowing them.

Up until the 18th Century the only known source for diamonds was in India and their value was still considered much less than sapphires and rubies.

Alexander the Great opened a small trade between the East and the West in the mid-4th Century but it wasn’t until much later in the 14th and 15th century when diamonds entered Europe through Venice. They made their way north to Bruges, Antwerp and Amsterdam making these cities bustling diamond centres. It was at this point that European and Indian cutters begin to experiment with diamond cutting.

Point Cut Diamond

The earliest diamond cut is the point cut and was popular in the 15th Century. Cutters used diamond grit and olive oil to simply polish stones in their natural octahedral form. Olive oil was used due to its ability to tolerate the high temperatures caused by polishing.

Below is a diamond crystal in its natural octahedral form and a diamond ring set with multiple polished point cut diamonds.

Point cut diamonds are very rare as many of the original diamonds were re-fashioned as cutting techniques and styles changed. Here is an example of point cut diamond selling at auction for £11,000, well exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £1,800 – £2,400.

The Table Cut

In the mid-15th Century cutters designed the table cut diamond, they used the same polishing methods and simply removed the top point of the octahedral shape to produce a table.

This style of cutting possessed far better optical qualities than its predecessor, with greater brilliance and fire. It also displayed, when viewed from above, the impression of a table within a table, which fitted perfectly with Renaissance Europe’s love of classical proportions. The table cut became far more desirable than the point cut, which is why it is now rare to see examples of the point cut diamond as most were re-fashioned into the table cut.

Throughout the 16th and 17th century, variations of the table cut shape such as rectangles, triangles and tapered diamonds appeared.

Here are some more examples of diamonds with a table cut selling through auction.

The Rose Cut

The early 16th century saw the birth of the rose cut diamond. This made use of the flat rough instead of the octahedral crystal that we have seen so far. It proved the most efficient way to retain the weight of a flat crystal. The flat bottom and faceted domed top proved much more effective at displaying brilliance but not fire.

The Mazarin Cut

After developing and perfecting table and rose cuts, European cutters started to experiment with new cuts and styles. Cardinal Jules Mazarin requested that cutters in Europe designed a faceted diamond. The result was a cushion shaped diamond with 34 facets called the Mazarin cut, also known as the double cut.

The Old Single Cut

The mid-17th century saw the introduction of the single cuts. Like the point and table cut, the single cut resembled the shape of the octahedral rough. It also displayed more potential for brilliance than the table cut because it had more facets. This cut served as the basis for the modern brilliant cut and even today, the single cut is still used on smaller diamonds.

In the early 17th Century, the mines in India were running low on diamond source and European cutters needed more stones to continue experimenting with cuts. Luckily at this time, while miners were panning for gold in Minas Gerais, Brazil, a few odd crystals, and pebbles were found. Not knowing what they had discovered the miners used these stones to keep score during games of cards. It wasn’t until an official saw them that they realised that in fact it was a new diamond source.

The discovery of alluvial deposits in Brazil meant great things for the cutters in Europe. The diamonds rivalled those of India, and Brazil became the main source of diamonds for Europe.

At this time, Europe had a great desire to experiment and evolve the diamond cut, and there was an increasing interest in optical science. With the aid of advanced lighting and the modernisation of technologies, the developments of the first modern brilliant cuts could start to take place.

The Peruzzi Cut

The new rough from Brazil was used to create the first old mine cut also known as the Peruzzi Cut; this has the same number of facets as the round brilliant, but with a high pavilion it resembles a cushion shape. In 1750, a London jeweller called the new style of cut a passing fad and said the classic rose cut would outlast them all.

Today, antique cushion cut diamonds remain extremely popular and sell very well. Here are some examples – notice how almost all exceed their pre-sale estimates.

The round brilliant cut diamond

Years of experimentation with cutting led to the production of the modern brilliant. We can see examples of the modern brilliant cut being traced to the 1800’s. Henry Morse had been trying to achieve the optically efficient cutting design. It was however Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919 who published his PhD thesis called Diamond Design. This used mathematical calculations that considered how to display both brilliance and fire in a diamond. Tolkowsky understood that if a diamond was cut too shallow or too deep that the light entering the stone would leak out of the side; this discovery was achieved by systematically analysing the optics of a diamond. Although this was revolutionary for its time, there have been other claims on the perfectly proportioned diamond. In 1940, Eppler produced the European Cut and later in 1970 The IDC (International Diamond Council) also produced a set of ideal ranges.

Compared Results

These differing proportions are all aiming to show the viewer the perfect amount of brilliance and fire. Brilliance is the reflection of light from the back facets when viewed from the top of the stone. Fire is the splitting of white light into the spectral colours as the light passes through inclined facets.

Altering the angle of the crown will affect the balance of brilliance and fire.

Fancy Cuts

In more recent times we have seen variations of the round modern brilliant cut diamond. Cutters have applied the same perfected proportions displaying great amounts of fire and brilliance and applied them to the Pear and Marquise cuts. The Pear and Marquise cuts have been around for centuries but never before displayed the optimum optical properties. Furthermore, this led to the production of more fancy shapes in the brilliant cut; heart cut and princess cuts are now examples of this. Triangular diamonds cut in this way were even named the Trillion cut.

With many attributing factors that have been considered in the cutting of diamond throughout its evolution; from a polished octahedral crystal through to the brilliant cut diamond displaying fire and brilliance, I wonder what the next seven centuries will bring. Will our future generations look back and consider the brilliant cut diamond a primitive design compared to what this stone, advanced technologies and creative cutters achieve in the future?

 

Rubies

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Ruby is the birthstone for July

The name comes from the Latin ‘ruber’ meaning red. It is seen as a symbol of love and commitment. In Asia particularly, it is associated with luck, passion and power.

Burmese warriors had rubies set into their armour, as they believed they would offer them protection in battle. Some even had rubies embedded in their flesh for added security.

Rubies, like sapphires, are a form of corundum – the name for aluminium oxide. Unlike sapphires, which come in an array of colours, rubies are always red, and the colour derives from chromium in their chemical make-up. Shades vary from the ultra desirable, but challengingly named, pigeon’s blood ruby to much pinker varieties.

Historically, the most sought after rubies came from Burma (now Myanmar). However, nowadays Mozambique has become one of the largest suppliers of new rubies into the market.

After diamonds, rubies are the hardest of all gemstones and also the most expensive coloured gemstone.

Until recently, ‘The Sunrise Ruby’, which formed the centrepiece of a sensational ruby and diamond ring by Cartier, was the most expensive ruby in the world and the most expensive coloured stone. However, on 8th June 2023 Sotheby’s sold the world’s largest Mozambiquan ruby, which weighs 55.22 carats. It made a world record-breaking $34.8 million, thus becoming the largest and most valuable ruby ever to sell at auction.

The ruby and diamond necklace worn by Julia Roberts in the film Pretty Woman, was said to be worth about $750,000 shortly after the movie was made 30 years ago. The price of rubies has soared since then. Imagine what it might be worth today.

What to wear for Wimbledon

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For Ascot it’s all about hats, at Henley it’s blazers, but what to wear for Wimbledon…?

Let’s start with jewellery and what more fitting piece than a tennis bracelet. One of the most sought after easily worn pieces in any capsule jewellery collection and beyond, this now ubiquitous item came to prominence in 1987 when, during a match in the U.S. Open, Chris Evert ‘lost’ her diamond bracelet when the clasp broke. Play was suspended so that it could be retrieved, which it was.

She later said “When I competed, I wanted to wear something that gave me confidence and empowered me, both as a woman and an athlete. My tennis bracelet added a personal element to my style on the court and served as a daily reminder that I can do and be anything.” Who wouldn’t want some of that?

This style of line bracelet has been popular since the Art Deco period, but it was Chris Evert that brought it to such wide prominence and caused the change of name.

You’ll also be needing a stylish watch and there is a plethora of choices endorsed by tennis stars. Roger Federer became a brand ambassador for Rolex in 2006 with what was, at the time the largest single endorsement for any professional athlete. He was contracted to Rolex for 10 years for which he received $15,000,000. Others now in the Rolex stable are Dominic Thiem for the Daytona; Garbiñe Muguruza with the DateJust and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga with the Milgauss. If you want to dress the part but favour other brands, Nadal wears a Richard Mille and Serena Williams an Audemars Piguet diamond outrage.

Perhaps you will fancy something unique and eye catching to adorn your outfit, you might look at vintage novelty tennis related items. These two tennis racket brooches were sold at auction and the ruby and diamond brooch is Edwardian and set with ruby, pearls and rose diamonds.

Last year Ralph Lauren unveiled new uniforms for the court officials. The instantly recognisable polo shirt is now produced in wide navy blue and white stripes and they stated that they were combining the heritage of the brand with sustainable modern fabrics and modern silhouettes.

As for the outfit itself no-one does Wimbledon better than The Princess of Wales. As Patron of the All England Club and a keen tennis player herself, she often attends the championships and well as presenting the trophies.

In 2022 she chose polka dots by Alessandra Rich and a bright yellow dress by Roskanda. If you wish to emulate her style, similar dresses are available by these designers at about £1,400 each.

Whatever your style choice and however you enjoy watching Wimbledon, we hope you enjoy the championships and regardless of your outfit, the event is definitely best served up with Pimm’s; and strawberries and cream.

The Princess of Wales jewellery trooping the colour

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What a year it has been for the Royal family and ceremonial events and on the 17th June, they did it again, for the King’s birthday, also known as Trooping the Colour. The Princess of Wales was as regal as ever, and her outfit full of meaning – as they usually are.

When I first glanced at her stylish green outfit, my first thought was how reminiscent of the late Queen it was.

But when looking closer at the jewellery, the true meaning of the green came to light. Earlier in the year The Princess of Wales took over the role from her husband as the 11th Colonel of the Irish Guards. Her outfit designed by the fashion designer Andrew GN is called “emerald green triple crème coat dress with satin trim” and retails for £2,839 and is a deliberate choice of colour on this very special occasion.

It is completed by handcrafted jewelled buttons which appear to be a mix of turquoise, chalcedony or chrysoprase, and echoes the British flag design.

The jewelled button was also carefully placed on the back of the wide trimmed hat, by Philip Treacy.

The coat dress was paired with her signature shamrock brooch which she has been seen wearing on St Patrick’s day.

The brooch of textured design, features a single emerald to the centre. It was crafted by Cartier and then presented to Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, by the regiment in 1961. Though others state that the piece may have belonged to Queen Alexandra first. When Princess Mary died, the brooch was sold at auction and bought by the regiment and it was worn by the Queen Mother until her death in 2002, followed by Princess Anne between 2002 and 2011, and is on these occasions, loaned by the regiment.

In 2014, a similar four-leaf clover brooch came up for auction, the brooch made in 1957 by Cartier sold for £2,000 (including buyer’s premium). Today, I would place an insurance replacement value of £10,000 on this brooch.

To complete the look, the Princess of Wales wore Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond cluster earrings.

The earrings feature two cabochon sapphires within a diamond surround, each cluster connected by a single diamond. The earrings are said to be part of a suite gifted to Princess Diana for her wedding by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The suite comprises of Burmese sapphire and diamond pendant with matching earrings, a ring, bracelet, and a watch.

The author of The Queen’s Jewels, Leslie Field described the Saudi set as, “Made by Asprey, it consists of an enormous Burmese sapphire pendant set in a jagged sunray fringe of baguette diamonds and hung on a thin diamond necklace; a matching pair of earrings and ring; a two-row bracelet of brilliant-cut diamonds with a smaller version of the sapphire pendant as a centrepiece; and a wristwatch, the face set in the same diamond sunray fringe and the strap consisting of seven oval sapphires set in clusters of diamonds.”

In 2007, Sotheby’s sold a similar sapphire and diamond cluster ring, comprised of a 3.52cts Burmese sapphire within a diamond surround, totalling 5.50cts. It sold for USD 12,000 (including buyer’s premium). Today, I would place an insurance replacement value of at least £50,000 for this piece.

For every event, The Princess of Wales carefully curates and matches her outfits including jewellery with the attention to detail simply impeccable.

Look at for her next time and spot the details within her dress and jewellery.

As jewellery replacement values continue to increase, please can we remind you to update your insurance valuations and if you have never had a valuation please call us to discuss.

The Crown Jewels for the Coronation

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On May 6th King Charles III will be crowned in Westminster Abbey. A tradition dating back nearly 1000 years since William the Conqueror who was crowned in 1066. Charles’s will be the 38th coronation in the Abbey, most, like Charles’s, having been conducted by the incumbent Archbishop of Canterbury.

We are expecting a simpler and more paired back coronation for King Charles, but this does not mean that it is going to be light on tradition and ceremony. This historic event will still be an occasion for spectacle and celebration.

It is a ceremony that has remained essentially the same for a thousand years and the Coronation Regalia are at the heart of proceedings, imbued as they are with cultural and spiritual significance. They represent the powers and responsibilities of the new King and the solemnity of the occasion.

The last time we saw some of the regalia of the coronation was on the late Queen’s coffin, which was adorned with the crown, orb and sceptre.

These three items will play an integral role at the heart of the coronation service, but they are not the only pieces that we will see on the day.

St Edward’s Crown is the crown historically used at the moment of coronation and worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at her coronation in 1953.

It was made for Charles II in 1661, as a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down in 1649 by Parliamentarians. Charles will wear this crown. The crown is 22 carat gold, so almost pure gold. It stands 30 cm tall and weighs an impressive 5lb. It contains tourmalines, white and yellow topaz, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, peridot, zircons, spinel and aquamarines. The three superstar gems in the crown are the Black Prince’s ruby, the Stuart sapphire and the Cullinan II diamond. No wonder Queen Elizabeth used to practise wearing it before the coronation, so its weight was not overwhelming on the day.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, will wear the Queen Mary’s Crown. This was removed from display at the Tower of London for modification work ahead of the coronation. It is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a Consort. For previous coronations a new crown was commissioned. However, as a concession to the prevailing economic climate; sustainability and efficacy this crown, originally made by Garrards for the 1911 coronation, is being repurposed. Some minor changes and additions will be undertaken by the Crown Jeweller. These changes will pay particular tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, as the Crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds. These diamonds were part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection for many years and were often worn mounted in brooches.

At the heart of the ceremony itself are the sceptre, orb and the coronation anointing spoon. The Sovereign’s Sceptre and Cross symbolises the crown’s power and governance. It has been used at the coronation of every monarch since 1661. It was first used by King Henry VIII in 1509 for his own coronation. It is a golden rod, enamelled and set with multiple gemstones, the best known of which is the Cullinan I, or Star of Africa, a heart-shaped diamond weighing a colossal 530.2 carats.

In the photograph of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation you will see a second sceptre. This is the Sovereign’s sceptre with Dove. It is also known as the rod of Equity and Mercy and depicts an enamel dove wings outstretched alighting on the golden orb and cross. It represents the monarch’s spiritual role as head of the Church of England.

The most ancient piece of the coronation regalia is the coronation anointing spoon. The monarch is anointed with holy oil. The Chrism oil which will be used on May 6th has already been consecrated in Jerusalem. The oil itself comes from olives grown on the Mount of Olives and has been infused with sesame, rose, jasmine and other essential oils.

The spoon is silver gilt. Its existence was first recorded in 1349, but it may be even older. It is ornate with a central division and has been used to anoint monarchs for nearly seven hundred years. The central division may have been so that the archbishop might dip two fingers into the holy oil as he anoints the head, breast and hand of the new monarch.

It is traditional that the choir sings ‘Zadok the Priest’ during this sacred part of the ceremony; music originally composed by Handel for the coronation of King George II in 1727 and which has become an integral part of the proceedings.

The anointing is followed by dressing of the monarch in the spectacular robe of cloth of gold called the Supertunica and the long Imperial Mantle. The monarch is then presented with other items from the Coronation Regalia.

These include the gold spurs, the jewelled Sword of Offering and the Armills. The Armills are gold bracelets representing sincerity and wisdom. It is at this point that the monarch also receives the Sovereign’s Orb, as well as a ring and two sceptres.

The Orb is placed in the right hand of the monarch, during the investiture as the symbol of sovereignty. As a cross mounted on a globe, it represents the Christian world and the power of God. It is a reminder to the monarch that their authority is given by God. It is bisected with applied bands incorporating clusters of emeralds, rubies, sapphires and rose diamonds between bands of pearls. Having been handed to the King, it will be removed and placed on the altar before the moment of crowning.

The King will also be presented with the pair of golden spurs. These were first included amongst the regalia of the coronation in 1189 at the coronation of Richard the Lionheart. These represent his ‘knightly values and virtues’, such as protecting the poor, and defending the church. The current spurs are gold, made in 1661 for Charles1 and adapted in 1820 for George IV. In the past, the spurs were attached to the sovereign’s feet, but on May 6th they will be held at the ankle of the king.

The Sovereign’s ring will be placed on his fourth finger. The ring has the cross of St George at the centre formed from five rubies, overlaying an octagonal cut sapphire and bordered with fourteen old cushion cut diamonds. The ring was originally made by Royal Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Rundell, Bridge and Rundell for the coronation of William IV. It is said to be a symbol of ‘kingly dignity’.

The coronation sword, also known as The Jewelled Sword of Offering, will be presented by the archbishop, who first blesses the sword and then presents it with the direction that it should be used for the protection of the good and the punishment of evil. First used in 1821 by George IV, it has been used at all coronations since 1902. Like the Sovereign’s ring, the sword, made from blued steel, with a gold, jewel encrusted hilt and jewelled leather scabbard, was a commission from Rundell Bridge and Rundell.

The ceremony culminates with the placing of the St Edward’s Crown on the monarch’s head, the actual ‘coronation’.

The new King will change his crown for The Imperial State Crown as he leaves the Abbey. This is the crown that he will wear for future state occasions like the annual opening of Parliament. Although set in gold with 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and four rubies, it weighs a mere 2.3lb and is a more practical choice. It was worn by the Queen when she left Westminster Abbey in 1953. It was originally made for the coronation of her father, King George VI, in 1937.

Many of us grew up listening to older relatives tell tales of the Queen’s coronation. Televisions were purchased for the first time for the occasion, families huddled round radios to hear the ceremony live, and there is the enduring account of Queen Salote Tupou III who refused to be cowed by the rain and rode through London in an open topped carriage. No doubt King Charles’s coronation will be a different meld of old, new and unexpected acts of generosity and kindness. We can but wish for a day of joy and hope, amidst the tradition and ceremony.

The French Crown Jewels – Transformations and Fate of The Collection

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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

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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

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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

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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.