Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
One woman browsing through a car boot sale in Isleworth, West London. Spotting some interesting bangles in a box of costume jewels, she paid no attention to a cocktail ring made up of a single clear stone. It might have been a gobstopper of a gem but it didn't sparkle like one: sitting in a rusty, old setting, it looked dull and filthy – certainly nothing special. The seller was offloading the lot for £12—our heroine haggled her down to £10. The bangles— and the ring—went home with her.
It was only in 2017, thirty years after that unremarkable car boot sale, that the owner thought to have the ring appraised...
The Sotheby's team sent the piece to the Gemological Institute of America for evaluation. It came back with quite the report: the cushion-cut diamond is enormous, weighing in at 26.27 carats, bears a color grade of I and an impressive clarity grade of VVS2. Once Sotheby’s had the diamond confirmed as genuine, the story of the car boot sale find—suitably nicknamed the “Tenner” diamond—went viral, making international headlines. When it entered the Fine Jewels Sale in June 2017, the high estimate was listed as £350,000.
After some frenzied bidding, the stone ultimately sold for £656,750, a life-changing sum for the owner.
The mount was unusual in a modern context. Composed of a blend of silver and gold (common in the late 19th century which is when we believe it was made), it tarnished over time, becoming darker and duller than mounts we typically see today...
Here is the link for that story.
The “Tenner” Diamond: How a Flea Market Find Became a Six-Figure Sensation | Jewelry | Sotheby’s
I've found a number of rings with gemstones over the years, but I still don't feel in identifying gem stones.
Fortunately, some of the good ones are marked.
The mark might be a microscopic alphanumeric inscription laser‑etched onto the stone’s girdle that links the stone to its official grading report.
A 2‑carat diamond would be indicated on the band by a microscopic alphanumeric inscription laser‑etched onto the stone’s girdle, visible only under magnification. This is part of the diamond’s diamond inscription — a permanent, high‑precision mark linking the stone to its official grading report.
The inscription would typically include the carat weight in a standard format, such as “2.00” or “2.0” for a 2 carat diamond.
In some cases, the inscription may also include the GIA report number (e.g., GIA23478912) alongside the weight, so the full mark reads something like “2.00 GIA23478912”
The numbers are precise to the hundredth of a carat (0.01 ct) for clarity and authenticity.
It might not be easy to find or read those numbers, but sometimes the band is marked with the stones weight. Those can be easier to find, but not all rings are marked like that, especially the older ones.
My first hint is usually the quality of the gold. I don't expect to see a good stone in a low quality or junk ring. If you find a quality gold ring there is a good chance the stone will also be good - but how good.
And jewelry fashions have changed. I've found rings that were made of gold and silver and wondered why anyone would do that, but it seems that was more common in the past, as illustrated by the valuable ring featured in the story. These days you might expect a gold or platinum ring to hold a valuable stone, but it can be a mistake to dismiss a silver or mixed metals ring. Again, fashions were not always the same and always changing.
Of course, you can use a diamond and gem tester. I've talked about that before, but for myself, I don't find that necessary. If I think something might be good, I make sure to get a genuinely qualified expert to take a look and maybe even pay for a written appraisal.
In the above story, Sotheby's sent the diamond to the GIA for an evaluation, even though they have some pretty good experts of their own. And they will look at items for you. I've had them give value estimates on items.
Here is a link where you can request an estimate from Sotheby's. Valuations | Departments & Services | Sotheby's
Other high end auction houses will do the same.
You can do a lot to learn to evaluate your own items, but if something might be valuable, you want to be sure to get the best and most authoritative opinion you can. For really valuable items, don't play around with some guy you know or some place you trust just because you know them.
And don't be too quick to assume a ring is junk or fashion jewelry. It is possible to be mistaken.
For treasure coins and items, Sedwick Ltd. will always be glad to look at your items and give you an auction estimate if they are interested.
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I found an article that tells some of the factors that influence prices of gemstones. It never hurts to know a little more, even if in the end you rely upon an expert opinion.
Here are a few excerpts that tell some of the factors can make a gemstone more valuable.
For diamonds, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the most widely accepted lab. Their certificates provide information on color, clarity and other key factors that go into determining a stone’s value. Colored stones, with their many subtleties, are more difficult to quantify. The labs used by Sotheby’s include the American Gem Laboratory (AGL), the SSEF and Gübelin. Here, country of origin and the presence of treatment are most significant.
Value for diamonds and colored stones alike extend far past their size to include color, cut and treatment. “Emeralds, for example, are naturally more included compared to an aquamarine,” says Abbott. “Generally speaking, however, the clearer and cleaner the stone, the higher the price it will fetch.” It is helpful to note the quality of the cut, too. “I find the cut of a colored stone to be one of the most underrated factors in its appearance. The better the cut is, the more ‘alive’ it looks with the light bouncing around off the facets of the stones in the perfect way,” she explains...
White diamonds are the closest thing to a commodity in the gemstone world. Diamonds of specific sizes, colors and clarity tend to trade within a prescribed value band. This band is set by the Rapaport Report, a chart that tracks prices paid in the wholesale market and widely used by the industry. There is nothing that compares to this in the world of colored stones.
While depth of color and clarity are central considerations, a colored stone’s country of origin can have a tremendous impact on value. Much of this is tied to tradition. For centuries, the most highly prized emeralds have come from Colombia. For rubies, Burma (Myanmar) is the country of choice, and for sapphires, it’s Kashmir. Country of origin is so important, in fact, that an inferior stone from one country might command a higher price than a very fine example from another.
“The reason why country of origin, or provenance, is so important is because in certain cases, such as with Kashmir sapphires, there was only one mine producing these stones for just ten years in the 1880s, making them incredibly rare, and it's fascinating to see how strong they hold in the market due to this rarity,” explains Abbott. “That said, just because a stone comes out of a specific location doesn’t always mean that the stone will be extraordinary—it’s still crucial to see a gemstone in the flesh.”...
Ultimately, rarity is the number one factor in influencing a gemstone’s value.
Here is the link for the entire article.
A Simplified Guide to Buying Loose Gemstones | Jewelry | Sotheby’s
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| Source: nhc.noaa.gov. |
The system headed our way is expected to fizzle out and/or turn north and stay away from Florida.
No real threat at this time, but something to watch.
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net