Art Deco Cartier Jewellery

Posted on April 21, 2021March 17, 2025 by Aurélia Turrall

The Early Days of Cartier

In 1847 Louis-Francois Cartier takes over a studio in Paris, joined by his son Alfred, and later by his three grandsons, Louis, Pierre and Jacques. Within a decade their reputation precedes them and they provide jewellery to the Empress and Napoleon’s extended family.

The years 1910-1940 are considered by many experts to be the golden era for Cartier. It employed the finest designers and craftsmen, but not necessarily jewellery designers. They preferred to hire designers from all backgrounds: furniture designers and architects to get a fresh pair of eyes on jewellery design.

During the early 20th century, peace rules and the Exposition Universelle of April 1900 attracts over 50 million guests in 7 months. The Ritz opened its doors in 1898. It is overall a prosperous time during which Cartier move into their new quarters in the luxurious rue de la Paix, in Paris. From then, everything takes off. They have international purchasers, organise exhibitions abroad such as in St Petersburg to showcase exceptional pieces inspired by Easter and Christmas. When they officially open their new atelier (“shop”) rue de la Paix, they combine it with launching a new technique of jewellery making: setting stones and jewels into platinum all the while keeping the traditional style.

It was the beginning of a revolution yet to come in jewellery design and making.

The Beginnings of the Art Deco Movement

It’s generally agreed that the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris was the official launch of the Art Deco movement, though the style can be traced back at least a decade before.

The Great War is the catalyst for the movement to emerge. Women, having done men’s jobs during the war, come out of the shadow and step away from the delicate and fragile attire of the Belle Epoque era with bows, ribbons, swags, flowers, items mounted en-tremblant. From now on, angular stones, baguette and calibré-cut diamonds are favoured along with short hair “à la garçonne” (“like a boy”) and suits, giving women a masculine but sexy look.

Cartier Tank Original 1919

Art Deco was Synonymous with Freedom and Order

Launched in 1917, created by Louis Cartier and inspired by chaos, comes the Tank Original. This first wristwatch is rectangular, has a creamy-white dial which offsets the bold Roman numerals, chemin de fer chapter ring, with blue steel sword-shaped hands and a sapphire cabochon winder. The prototype was presented to General John Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force by Cartier himself and has become a symbol of chic and luxury.

It is a clear step away from the curves and fussiness of Art Nouveau with clear lines and no frills.

Louis Cartier, supposedly, was inspired by Renault F-17 tanks as seen from above: the brancards representing the tracks of the tank and the square case its main housing.
The wristwatch is a real symbol of freedom. No longer attached to your attire, there is freedom of movement in the wrist. It resonates the desire for structure in the midst of chaos, it celebrates technology and new machinery.

Art Deco Jewellery Echoes New Clothes and Hair Fashion

In jewellery, the Edwardian and Belle Epoque style are no longer accepted. Heavy tiaras are replaced with head pieces called bandeau.

Queen mother wearing a Cartier bandeau made up of three of the five bracelets which her husband, King George VI bought for her.

A diamond bandeau by Cartier sold by Christie’s in November 2019 for almost £900,000.

Some more “modest” bandeau would have been set with tarlatan and beads rather than diamonds. Or if jewellery was adorned with diamonds, smaller sized diamonds and gems were used, breaking from the past which favoured very large stones. Pieces were now set with detailed calibré-cut stones, meaning they are usually square or rectangle and cut to fit a piece.
The Art Deco head pieces were light and had straight lines rather than garlands found in Belle Epoque jewellery for example. It fits short hair and with that comes longer earrings for example and sautoir (long necklaces).

A Cartier pearl and diamond sautoir, circa 1925, sold at Christie’s in May 2012. Estimate £60,000-85,000 sold for approx. £400,000
Pearls are an important component for Cartier and were a sure thing to buy, until the Wall Street crash in 1929.

Monochrome Art Deco

In the earlier years of Art Deco jewellery, pieces were monochrome, black and white were key. Using rock crystal, onyx and diamonds as key gems. In the wake of the Great War, many were in mourning.

A diamond and rock crystal bangle, sold at Christie’s for $204,000 in Oct 2000.

This price reflects the constant desire for the sleek sober but luxurious look of Art Deco monochrome pieces, a style always in vogue and not likely to disappear anytime soon.
Vogue states that “A woman, in Paris, who knows how to dress, is almost always dressed in black. Not through laziness but by sophistication.”

The Move to New Materials and Daring Combinations

As we move forward so does the colour scheme in jewellery. Cartier attempts daring combinations of colours which no one had previously tried. There are two factors which contribute to this new direction. In the Cartier archives, we find that Leon Bakst, a Russian painter and costume designer, and part of the Ballets Russes, was a great source of inspiration for Charles Jacqueau, one of the great designers for Cartier from 1909 until 1954. Leon Bakst had designed costumes for a ballet, Scherehazade, mixing only blues, greens and red. This had a big impact on Jacqueau. This colour combination had always been considered to be of bad taste until Jacqueau decided to take a risk and integrate it in his jewellery designs. Simultaneously, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 created waves in the Cartier design. Louis Cartier pushes his designers to familiarise themselves with all things Egyptian: heading to the Louvre to study their collection or simply walking through Paris, filled with Egyptian artefacts, to understand the style. Never before had anyone combined carnelian with turquoise and lapis lazuli, until now.

Renewed interest in Asian art meant that jade, lacquer, coral and enamel were also integrated. At this time, Jacques Cartier, who was running Cartier London, often travelled, and would return with many exquisite gems to be added to the Cartier jewels. These stones could be carved or made into cabochon. Cartier was the first to create these new colour and gem combinations. In the 1970s the style was named Tutti Frutti.

Contrast and Colour comes into Vogue

The Collier Hindou

Fransesca Cartier Brickell speaks about this necklace in her book “The untold story of the family behind the jewellery empire, The Cartiers”. The necklace belonged to Daisy Fellowes, the heiress to the Singer sewing machine. She had this necklace commissioned, using her own stones. It was designed to be tied at the back with a black silk cord, as would Indian jewels be. However, the big difference here is the use of sapphire, thought to bring bad luck in India. This is a statement of combining far away travels and traditional Western European gems. His daughter, the Comtesse of Casteja, inherited the necklace and in 1991 it was sold at Sotheby’s for $2,655,172. It was a world record for an Art Deco piece of jewellery sold at auction.

The Constant Desire for Exceptional Jewels

Tutti Frutti ruby, sapphire, emerald, diamond and enamel bracelet, by Cartier, circa 1930

The meandering vines, set with carved rubies, emeralds, sapphires, calibré-cut onyx, black enamel and diamonds is the perfect marriage of West meets East, a perfect artful arrangement. It belonged to an American family and had been in the family for 30 years. It came up for sale at Sotheby’s on 28th April 2020, during the pandemic. It was presented online only, during a four-day sale, during which five bidders competed to purchase the bracelet. Its estimate was $600-800,000 and sold for $1,340,000. It has become a record for any jewel sold in an online-only auction and any jewel sold at auction in 2020. Sotheby’s stated that it “follows a trend observed across all our global jewellery auctions in 2019 in which more than half of the jewellery buyers place their bids online.” This bracelet also illustrates that demand for such exceptional jewels, even during the most challenging times, will always exist. Cartier’s exceptional savoir-faire is timeless.

Exploring the Bvlgari Jewellery Brand

Posted on March 29, 2021March 17, 2025 by Mary Waterfall

The luxury brand synonymous with style, power, boldness, vivacity and colour. As with most high end jewellers the story of Bvlgari is steeped in history.
It was founded in 1885 by Sotirios Boulgaris, a Greek Silversmith who relocated to Italy in 1881. He changed his name to Bulgari, which became Bvlgari in line with the classical Italian alphabet using a V in place of U.

Over the years the Bvlgari family have encapsulated the glamourous passionate Italian spirit in their jewellery design. They have produced magnificent pieces for royalty, the rich and the famous, truly embracing ‘The Dolce Vitta’

The Trombino ring is a classic example of this. Translated as ‘Little Trumpet’ the first was made in 1930 for Mrs Bvlgari. As you look at examples of this stunning ring you can almost hear a fanfare of trumpets serenading the central gem as it stands proud in a raised domed design complimented by pave set brilliant cut diamonds to the band and a line of graduated baguette cut diamonds. Both coloured gems and diamonds were used as the central stone, always of the finest quality and most spectacular colours. A real statement piece that has now become highly sought after and collectible at auction. One of the most famous examples being Elizabeth Taylor’s ‘Sugar Loaf’ sapphire and diamond Trombino ring which sold for $866,500 at auction in 2011.

I have not yet had the pleasure to appraise a Trombino ring, however one Bvlgari design I do regularly come across is the B.Zero1. This elegant, bold design is very accessible and has become one of Bvlgari’s most popular and successful collections. It was launched in 1999 and true to the company’s Italian heritage it was inspired by the architecture of Rome’s Colosseum. The ring is designed as a flat core band composed of one to five spiral lines that are sandwiched between two flat rings engraved with the brands logo. It is made using the Tubogas technique, which creates flexible bands without the use of solder. It is a stylish, simple comfortable collection that has been adapted over the years to create variety, incorporating different metals, ceramics and gemstones.

The B stands for Bulgari and the Zero1 marks it as the first design of the second millennium. The collection also includes pendants, bangles and earrings and it continues to thrive and evolve. The latest evolution is the Bzero1 Rock which is described by the company as an ‘unapologetic rulebreaker’ with its studded core.

The continued strength and popularity of the collection means prices continue to rise. The current price for a ring purchased in 2005 would be significantly higher that the price originally paid. Is this reflected in your current valuations? An example is this Bzero1 18ct white gold four band ring, pave set with diamonds which currently retails for £9,800. Is this value reflected in your insurance documentation?

£5k spend – Jewellery Investment Mission

Posted on March 23, 2021March 17, 2025 by Mary Waterfall

The Brief: My Great Aunt Winnie has kindly gifted me £5K in her will. However she has also specified that I must spend it on something within my field of expertise, something that I believe will increase in value over the next five to ten years.

The Options:

1) Gold

My immediate thought is that I would invest it in gold. The gold price does fluctuate but over a long period of time it usually increases. As I write this, in the final months of 2020, the gold price is quite high. One of the reasons for this is because of the uncertainty in the stock market due to the COVID 19 pandemic, traditionally when share prices go down, the gold price goes up. My plan would therefore be to wait until the markets stabilise, which could take a year or two, to ensure I’m not buying gold at a price peak time. I would then go to auction and buy gold in the form of Sovereigns, chains etc., put it all in a safe for five to ten years, keep an eye on the markets and look for an opportune time to sell and hopefully profit on the investment. I wouldn’t sell at auction though because I would have to pay commission for the privilege. I would go to a jewellers/dealers who buys gold. Then tend to give you a better price per gram the greater quantity you have.
However, that all sounds very good but I wouldn’t get much enjoyment out of that experience. I don’t really wear plain gold jewellery so it would just be locked away and not looked at. Wouldn’t my Great Aunt Winnie prefer me to buy something I would actually wear and love? So my next thought is:

2) Vintage Designer Jewellery

Historically the vintage jewellery of certain brands, such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, can hold and increase in value. Pieces made in the early to mid-twentieth century can be very desirable and sought after. Clearly it’s a piece by piece case and does not apply to all jewellery made at this time. The ‘rule’ doesn’t necessarily apply to more modern designer jewellery such as the Cartier Love bangle. If you do an auction house online search for these bangles you will see many examples come up. The market is pretty flooded with them at the moment and some of them are the amazingly impressive fakes that are coming out of Dubai, some of which are hard to tell from a genuine bangle if you don’t know what you are looking for.

Fake Cartier Love Bangle

There is also a bit of a myth that if the jewellery is ‘old’ it will naturally increase in value. Again it depends on the piece but generally this is not the case. I was recently asked to value a diamond bangle that had been marketed as ‘Georgian’ and ‘very rare’. However in reality it was a modern piece manufactured in India and was not as valuable as originally thought.
So I know I need to have my wits about me if purchasing at auction. Another question is will I actually find such a piece that is £5k or under because such items can command high prices.
There are a lot of beautiful brooches out there, which were highly fashionable at the time but not so nowadays. I may be tempted by something like these earrings.

Cartier earrings c1970

They are by Cartier, circa 1970 and sold for £3,800 plus buyers premium. They are beautifully made, signed and numbered by Cartier and I would wear and enjoy them. However I may also be tempted to extend my search and try and find something within my price range that was made by Cartier slightly earlier.

Conclusion
I think there is more certainty of a profit in strategy one but more fun and enjoyment in strategy two. Which would you choose?

An unusual item I have valued

Posted on February 23, 2021March 17, 2025 by Mary Waterfall

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Mary Waterfall, Jewellery Specialist

An Unusual and Memorable Valuation

One of the most exciting facets of my profession is that I never know what I am going to see. When I embark on a valuation I usually have a list of the items I am going to appraise, such as: five gem set rings, three diamond necklaces, six bracelets etc… However those three necklaces could include anything from a dramatic 19^th century two row festoon, to a delicate Art Nouveau floriate pendant or a dazzling modern diamond single stone collet.

On this particular valuation day there were a number of brooches on the list. Brooches have unfortunately fallen from fashion these days and are not worn as much as they were last century. Therefore many of these beautiful jewellery examples are locked away in safes, or kept concealed in bedside cabinets and only get to see the light of day when being appraised by the likes of me. I actually feel quite privileged to get to see them and hear the owner speak of their history and the long forgotten memories that their reappearance suddenly trigger.

Mauboussin, shrimp brooch

One of the most striking pieces I have seen of late was rather unusual, a rose quartz and diamond brooch crafted in the form of a shrimp. The beautifully carved rose quartz panel curved to form the body and connected to the golden head with dancing tentacles, brilliant cut diamond eyes and textured detail. With gold overlaying the body to form the ‘legs’ and terminating at the skilfully scalloped tail. It spanned 11cms to give you an idea of size, so certainly would not be missed when worn to adorn a lapel or dress top. I can imagine it would be a real conversation starter at many a soiree.

Mauboussin, shrimp brooch, side view

The makers mark on the brooch was Mauboussin, a French jewellery company who are famous for their Art Deco and Retro pieces. The company dates back to 1827, but it started gaining international recognition and acclaim in the 1920’s. It is definitely a brand to look out for, especially at auction and antique shops because, as with many of the great designers, the older pieces tend to be so flamboyant, interesting and unique, compared to the more modern, especially from the Deco and Retro era.

The Mauboussin brand remains strong, with boutiques all over the world. Although it doesn’t have a shop in the UK, it would definitely be a store to explore when we are able to travel and go on foreign adventures again.

The second hand replacement value of this shrimp brooch is £6,600 and the memory of this valuation will live with me for a long time.

My favourite item that I have valued

Posted on November 24, 2020October 18, 2024 by Mary Waterfall

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!

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.

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 October 14, 2020August 22, 2024 by James Lowe

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, 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.

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 October 9, 2020August 22, 2024 by Mary Waterfall

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.

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.

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.

Chopard

Posted on August 7, 2020August 21, 2024 by Mary Waterfall

Chopard has recently stepped into the spotlight as the official sponsors of the latest James Bond movie ‘No Time To Die’. Caroline Scheufele, the Artistic Director and Co President of the much loved brand, has designed a collection that embodies her vision of the modern ‘Bond girl’ and represents courage and determination. It is called The Happy Hearts Golden Hearts Collection and it is a limited edition of 7007 pieces. She has taken the classic ‘Happy Hearts’ and filled some of the usually openwork hearts with ethically mined rose gold, as well as adding the famous 007 logo.

In 1860 Louis Ulysse Chopard founded the luxury brand in Switzerland. He was a watch maker and gained a strong reputation with his innovative designs which took him overseas to such places as the court of Tsar Nicholas II in Russia. The company continued to thrive as it was passed down through the Chopard generations to Paul Louis and onto Paul Andre. However after the war the company met with challenging times, coupled with the fact that there was little interest from the next generation to continue the family business. Hence in 1963 Paul Andre sold the faltering brand to the Scheufele family, jewellers and watchmakers in Germany. Following on the tradition, they too have passed the company through the family generations, strengthening the brand and building the mighty Chopard empire that we know today. The current Company Presidents Caroline and Karl Fiedrich are a brother and sister team. Caroline has had a massive influence in developing the ladies collections, in particular their high end jewellery. While her brother has developed the gentlemen’s collections and the Chopard sports watches.

One of Caroline’s visions was to create gemstone masterpieces but without sight of the settings. She and her team created the magnificent ‘Magical Setting Collection’ which enhances the gems interaction with light, producing a magnificent sparkle because of the innovative setting technique

‘Happy Diamonds’ are perhaps the most famous Chopard collection. The free moving diamond collets dance freely within their transparent surround, symbolising freedom and a real ‘joie de vivre’. Their strapline being ‘little diamonds do great things’.

The Chopard brand is certainly doing ‘great things’ when it comes to ethical and responsible business practices. In 2013 they launched ‘The Journey to Sustainable Luxury’ which prioritises responsible sourcing of raw materials, environmental management and investment in people and local communities. The James Bond Collection is made using sustainably mined materials. The gold is mined by small scale operations that guarantee that the gold is extracted in an environmentally and ethically responsible way.
The necklace pictured above currently retails at £6,520. As with all luxury jewellery brands the prices continue to rise. When was the last time your jewellery was professionally appraised? Is your insurance cover adequate in the event of a claim?

Graff Jewellery, Following a Passion

Posted on July 1, 2020August 19, 2024 by Mary Waterfall

The House of Graff approach making jewellery from a slightly different angle than their more traditional rivals. For them it is all about the gemstones themselves. As they say on their website:
‘Imagine dedicating your life to discovering the world’s most remarkable diamonds and gemstones, a treasure hunt that takes you to all corners of the globe, in search of these elusive wonders. This quest has consumed the Graff family ever since the House was founded almost 60 years ago, and continues to do so today’

The story behind Graff is one of vision, determination and focus. Laurence Graff did what we all should do in life: he followed his passion, dared to dream big and believed in himself.

The Graff Lesedi La Rona Diamond

He started out working as an apprentice in a workshop in Hatton Garden when he was 15 years old. It is said that naysayers tried to discourage him but Graff didn’t listen. He believed he was born to work with diamonds. He not only worked with them, he studied them and seemed to develop an innate understanding of all gemstones. In 1960, aged 24 he founded Graff diamonds and within a couple of years two shops had opened in London. He took his stunning jewellery creations around the world to exhibitions and to showcase to potential clients in their palaces and private yachts. Graff soon began to develop a global reputation and his pieces became highly sought after. There are now over forty shops worldwide and Laurence Graff is said to have handled more important diamonds than any other ‘diamantaire’ this century.

What makes Graff jewellery so special is that they pride themselves on being part of the whole process of jewellery making. From the responsible sourcing of beautiful gem crystals to the meticulous cutting and polishing to optimise their colour and brilliance. With their incredible combination of pioneering technology and age old jewellery making techniques their designers and craftspeople create sculptural works of art. It is all about perfection. As Laurence Graff said himself:
‘No stage is bypassed. No shortcuts are taken. Only perfection matters.’

It’s such a treat to look into a Graff shop window because there is always a dazzling display. They have handled some of the rarest, the largest and most beautiful gems in existence, encompassing them in magical jewellery designs and really honouring these wonders of nature.

Last year they unveiled The Graff Lesedi La Rona Diamond, the world’s largest square emerald cut diamond weighing 302.37cts. It is the largest highest colour and clarity diamond ever certificated by the GIA. It took 18 months to extract and sculpt this record breaking gem from the 1,109ct rough crystal.

Other amazing gems in their collection include the Golden Empress, an intense yellow cushion cut diamond weighing 132.55cts and the Graff Pink, is a vivid pink, internally flawless diamond of 23.88cts.

Graff’s philosophy is the same across all of their jewellery collections. As a jewellery valuer it’s a privilege to be able to examine and appraise such beautiful creations. It comes as no surprise that the price of such jewels continues to rise.

Ruby and diamond earrings and pendant from The Lotus Collection. Originally purchased in 2015 for £102,750. To replace them today would cost £128,500

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to value these stunning ruby and diamond earrings and pendant from The Lotus Collection. They were originally purchased in 2015 for £102,750. To replace them today would cost £128,500. That’s quite a significant increase over a five year period. When was the last time your jewellery was professionally valued? Do the values on your spreadsheet really reflect the increase in the price of gold, diamonds and coloured gems, not to mention the rise in manufacturing costs? Or is the figure just a random percentage increase which may lead to a shortfall in compensation in the event of loss? Surely it’s not worth the risk, especially when it comes to such magnificent pieces as these.

Is it Time to Update Your Jewellery Insurance Valuation?

Posted on June 27, 2020August 19, 2024 by James Lowe

A pair of platinum and diamond ‘Victoria’ ear studs

We have chosen four items of jewellery from four of the top manufacturing brands – items that have been in production virtually unchanged for nearly 20 years – unchanged that is except for the price to demonstrate how important a regular jewellery insurance valuation is!

The price of gold in 2003 was about $450 per ounce and it’s about $1510 per ounce today having peaked around 2012 at $1750 per ounce – so the roughly 350% rise in bullion price over the period in question is a price increase factor but a surprisingly small one in gem set pieces like these. The Cartier ring is quite a chunky piece, but its basic bullion value today is probably about £400 as opposed to approximately £125 in 2003. OK, the VAT rate has risen from 17.5% to 20% in the same period but again that’s had a pretty small effect on the retail price, so that leaves gem stone prices, manufacturing costs and retail profit mark ups as the main ‘culprits’ for the 2.5/3 times price increases.

Van Cleef and Arpels.

An 18 carat yellow gold and mother o’pearl 20 motif Vintage Alhambra necklace.
2004 £6,210
2012 £10,800
2021 £13,700

Diamond prices for good commercial grade stones which these top manufacturing brands would use have largely stalled over the past few years; it’s only the highest quality and rare coloured stones which hit the headlines with their huge prices. And we’re all waiting to see what the effect on retail prices will be when the full impact of the introduction of synthetic diamonds is felt. Also to be taken into account is the effect that internet has had on diamond prices. There are numerous well-established and reliable web sites making available to all millions of unmounted stones at basically ‘trade prices’ (plus VAT) and most with recognised laboratory certificates. The ‘closed shop’ trade only which has prevailed in the jewellery business for centuries is breaking down. The coloured stone market is swamped with cheap, very heavily treated and colour enhanced rubies, sapphires and emeralds that come mainly from the Far East. Another factor is the huge increase in the use of coloured stones that 20 years ago would have been classified as ‘semi-precious’ but are now appearing at serious stone prices. The stones that have shown a huge increase in price over the past 10 or so years have been natural untreated sapphires, rubies and emeralds – but the stones have to have an independent laboratory certificate stating they are natural colour and untreated to come in to this category. A few exceptional stones of this type – mainly in pretty 1920/1940’s period pieces – have fetched more per carat than decent comparable size commercial grade diamonds.

Cartier.

An 18 carat white gold, diamond and emerald Panthere ring
2003 £26,000
2010 £42,100
2021 £73,500

Manufacturing and jewellery workshop costs in Europe have certainly risen sharply over the past 20 years – as anyone who has had to have jewellery items repaired will know. Nearly all items are still hand made or finished so the cost of making up of jewellery is a big factor in the resulting retail price. The exception to this being the type of items available from online sites and lower grade retailers that are mass produced in the Far and Middle East – usually pretty poor-quality workmanship and poor-coloured stones. The second-hand and auction market for jewellery of this type is very weak – so don’t expect to cover the cost of your Far Eastern travels if you try to sell your purchases back in the UK.

Chopard.

A pair of 18 carat white gold and diamond ‘Happy Diamond’ drop earrings.
2003 £1,875
2011 £3,120
2021 £4,290

Profit marks up are a big variable – about 30 years ago when I was first involved with jewellery the tacitly accepted mark-up was to double the cost price and add VAT. Now, for a retail shop mark-up can be a whopping 300% to 350% plus VAT. But don’t be too harsh on the retailer – he has frightening fixed overheads and outgoings, and jewellery can be slow moving stock. Also, some jewellery and watch manufacturers do dictate a fixed retail price to the shop for their products. But it’s always worth a little haggle!!

Tiffany.

A pair of platinum and diamond ‘Victoria’ ear studs
2003 £3,100
2010 £4,925
2021 £8,775

If you had bought any of the four illustrated items back in the very early 2000’s at these prices and had applied an across the board annual percentage increase to cover insurance you might well have ended up in trouble in the event of a claim due to the variable cost factor increases. We recommend a review of a jewellery insurance valuation every 3 years. A desktop revaluation is fully acceptable within this timeframe, but a complete revaluation at 5 years especially as the valuation would include a close examination of the condition of claws, clasps and links, is something more and more insurers and brokers now insist on.

I’m afraid I must end on a cautionary few lines. Most of the big brand names like the ones above suffer from faking and copying. Allegedly more Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra jewellery has been made in the Middle and Far East than in France!!. All the brands we have illustrated are meticulous in their marking and all their products will have a brand name and in most cases also reference and individual serial numbers, so if you’re shopping for some big name goodies on your Eastern travels be sure to take a good magnifying glass with you!