Hi Everyone, I’m looking for some insightful, helpful, and
trustworthy reccomendations for ideas and/or appraisers who are
especially savvy with estate jewelry.
A client brought in extraordinary heirloom pieces…her aunt was a
Baroness in Budapest. One item is a Platinum Diamond studded
watch…beautiful. Another a piece ( I’m guessing) was worn as
clips on a cape that have been now soldered together. The two main
diamonds measure 10 mm in their setting, and it includes many other
diamonds as well. She has other items also, and all the stones are
old mine cuts! I am trying to advise my client as to the best thing
to do with her pieces: Sell them as is, have the larger stones recut,
or remake several pieces w/o removing the diamonds or destroying the
settings.
To date, I have removed sixty (carefully) diamonds from one setting
from which the family decided they wanted to have the diamonds made
into new pieces. Perhaps this setting has a greater value than I am
awaRe: could be reproduced etc. ? It is stunning…they just aren’t
the kind of folks to wear elegant items such as these.
Antique buyers in the jewelry trade are going to offer the bottom
line…if even that, but I heard that Old Mine cuts are very hot
now.
Your suggestions will be well appreciated.
Mary Ann Archer
Mary Archer Designs