How to appraise antique jewelry?
When you want to buy an antique piece of jewelry on a specialized site, in a gallery or in a jewelry store, you may ask yourself the following questions: " What guarantees me that it is gold ?", "What proves to me that it is a diamond ?".
This article allows us to explain how we appraise jewelry at Maison Mohs, and above all, how a piece of jewelry should be appraised in general.
Who appraises antique jewelry?
There are many "experts" in the jewelry world: gemologists, experts, antique dealers, auctioneers and jewelers. We detail what is important to know about the seller of your jewelry.
The gemologist
A gemologist is a professional who deals with the identification , evaluation and classification of all the gemstones set in your antique jewelry. He is qualified to identify and evaluate the authenticity of gemstones based on their physical, chemical and optical characteristics. Indeed, some gems sold as precious stones are actually made of glass or synthetic. In case of doubt, the gemologist goes to a laboratory to analyze the stone in question.
Angéline Chanson, our gemologist, trained at the National Institute of Gemmology in Paris (ING) for three years. This is an intense and expensive training where you learn to distinguish gems from synthetic stones and other imitations made either to deceive the buyer or to reduce the cost of a jewel.
The gemologist specializing in the history of jewelry
Being a gemologist is good; being an art historian specializing in jewelry is better!
Indeed, Maison Mohs has two art historians within its walls. The two founders of Maison Mohs, Céline Moret and Angéline Chanson, both studied art history in Paris and Lyon. This allows them to complement their expertise in precious stones.
These trainings are essential to fully understand and analyze a piece of jewelry as a whole. This requires a real method of work and research to evaluate the origin and era of a piece of jewelry and find the artist who made it.
Other jewelry professionals
Gemologists, antique dealers, auctioneers and jewelers are all professionals with knowledge of jewelry and precious stones. However, they do not have complete training in jewelry: study of gems, understanding of style, origin and period, learning jewelry techniques. This necessarily implies a lack of expertise that we detail below:
Antique dealer
The antique dealer has general knowledge and is sometimes specialized in a preferred field. If this field is not that of antique jewelry, the precious stones are not necessarily guaranteed. Ask him if the gems have a certificate of authenticity or if they have been authenticated by a gemologist. In the event of a negative answer, you have no certainty that the jewel purchased really has the precious stones mentioned by the antique dealer.
Auctioneer
Just like the antique dealer, the auctioneer is a professional in art objects. He has a wide range of expertise, but not necessarily a high level of specialization in the expertise of jewelry and precious stones. You can buy a piece of jewelry from an auction house if you encounter one of these situations:
- The auctioneer calls upon an expert in antique jewelry . In this case, the latter is mentioned in the auction catalog
- The auctioneer has specialized and completed training as a gemologist.
Otherwise, you are taking a risk when buying or selling jewelry at auction, since the jewelry may be misidentified. This usually results in a loss of money.
Jeweler
A jeweler is a craftsman who makes, repairs, cleans and sells new jewelry. They create jewelry using various precious materials such as gold, silver and platinum. They design and assemble these materials to create rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches and other pieces of jewelry. Thus, jewelers have technical knowledge. They have a good expertise in precious metals (gold, platinum and silver) and have notions of setting (even if it is a profession in its own right).
However, the jeweler has almost no expertise in the history of jewelry and gemology (study of precious stones) since he has not completed any additional training to be able to date your jewelry and certify your stone. Of course, this statement is false if, and only if, he has trained, which happens more and more frequently.
Gemologist
Only a specialist in gems (stone cut and polished to be used in the manufacture of jewelry and ornaments), the "pure and hard" gemologist does not have enough knowledge to be able to appraise a jewel. On the other hand, he can appraise stones. This is why training as a gemologist often comes in addition to a profession . Gemologists are found among precious stone dealers, lapidaries (the person who cuts a gem), antique jewelry experts and, rarely, among insurance experts, auctioneers and jewelers.
It seems strange to think that these professionals in the world of jewelry are not totally experts. However, this is the reality. It is therefore important to ensure that your interlocutor has a solid cultural foundation and training as a gemologist or a gemologist on his team.
The expertise of an antique jewel
When we have an antique jewel in our possession, several steps are necessary to appraise and evaluate the value of the jewel. These steps are decisive and allow you to buy a jewel with complete confidence.
Analysis of precious material (gold, platinum and silver)
First, our gemologist, equipped with her x10 magnifying glass, examines the precious metal of the jewel. It is important to know that any gold, silver or platinum jewel put on sale and weighing more than 3 grams must imperatively be hallmarked. In the case where our expert observes a hallmark, also called a "guarantee hallmark", she examines it carefully to determine which hallmark it is. When no hallmark is present on the jewel, it is sent to customs
Hallmarks in France
In France, there are a multitude of hallmarks to differentiate jewelry from a period, a region and a material. At Maison Mohs, we detail the common hallmarks engraved on jewelry and mentioned in our descriptive sheets (see the hallmark table below):
- Gold hallmarks: seahorse (24 karat gold), eagle's head, owl (18 karat gold), shell hallmark (14 karat gold), clover hallmark (9 karat gold)
- Platinum hallmarks: dog's head and mascaron (950 thousandths)
- Silver hallmarks: Minerva in profile, swan and boar's head (925 and 800 thousandths),
- Other hallmarks: ET (low grade gold), mixed eagle/wild boar (partly in gold and silver)
- There are other older hallmarks, such as the rooster, the horse, the ram, the rhinoceros, the bulldog, the lion, etc. These are special hallmarks dating from before the 19th century, differentiating jewelry made in Paris from jewelry made in the Provinces; from small gold jewelry (rings) to larger ones (necklaces/chains/bracelets); also distinguishing French regions from each other.
Customs control
When no hallmark has been placed on a piece of jewelry weighing more than 3 grams, the seller is required by law to have it affixed at a customs office. This allows:
- Checking the precious metal titration: the buyer must know whether he is buying an antique 18 karat gold ring or a 9 karat gold ring (the latter is worth much less, because it contains much less gold).
- Be in compliance with the law: if you buy a ring on a platform and the hallmark is not mentioned, reserve the right to ask the question.
- Exception: some jewelry is exempt from hallmarks if marking it could damage it.
At Maison Mohs, our jewelry is all hallmarked and verified by the guarantee office . Our jewelry is generally French and in 18 karats (750 thousandths) and our descriptive sheets mention all the hallmarks on jewelry weighing more than 3 grams.
Gemstone expertise
The expertise of a precious stone by our gemologist is a meticulous process which takes place in several stages:
- Client identification: The gemologist begins by taking information about the client, their expectations and the reasons for the appraisal. They may also check the provenance of the stone if relevant.
- Initial Visual Examination: The appraisal begins with a visual examination of the stone. The gemologist examines the gem with the naked eye to identify initial characteristics such as color, size, shape, and visible inclusions.
- Preliminary identification: The gemologist uses gemological tools, such as a magnifying glass, a refractometer (for refractive indices), to determine the nature of the stone.
- Weight: The stone is weighed with a precision scale to determine its carat weight.
- Measurements: The gemologist takes precise measurements of the stone using a gauge to determine its dimensions (length, width, depth) and calculate its volume.
- Color Evaluation: The color of the stone is evaluated using specific color standards for the variety of stone in question. Comparisons with reference samples may be made.
- Clarity and inclusions: The gemologist carefully examines the stone under a 10x loupe looking for inclusions (frosts, crystals, detachment, etc.), scratches and chips or other internal or external imperfections. He then assigns a clarity rating based on the quantity and visibility of these imperfections.
- Cut: The quality of the stone's cut and shape is evaluated. This includes observing the stone's symmetry, light reflection, brilliance and scintillation.
- Quality and Value Evaluation: Using all the information previously collected, the gemologist assigns a quality evaluation to the gemstone. This evaluation is generally based on the “4 Cs” for diamonds (Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut), but other specific criteria apply to other types of stones.
Appreciation of the jewel in its time
The expertise aimed at determining the age and geographical origin of a jewel is a complex process that requires skills in gemology, art history and documentary research. Here are the general steps of this expertise:
- Naked eye examination: The expert begins with a visual examination of the jewelry. He examines the characteristics of the piece, such as the design, materials, manufacturing techniques and any hallmarks or signatures.
- Material Identification: The expert identifies the materials that make up the jewelry, including precious metals (gold, silver, platinum), gemstones, pearls, etc.
- Manufacturing Techniques Assessment: The expert examines the jewelry's manufacturing methods, including soldering, setting, engraving, and stone cutting techniques. Manufacturing styles and techniques can provide clues to the period and origin.
- Documentary research: The expert undertakes documentary research to find information on similar jewelry from the same period or region. Archives and specialized books in libraries, auction catalogs and online databases should be consulted.
- Hallmarks and Signatures: If the jewelry has hallmarks or signatures, the expert examines them to try to identify them and link them to specific periods or places.
- Stylistic analysis: The expert analyzes the style of the jewelry, examining the motifs, ornaments and decorative details. He compares these elements to the artistic and cultural trends of the time and the presumed region of origin.
- Age Assessment: By combining all the information gathered, the expert assesses the likely age of the jewelry, providing a range of possible ages.
- Assessment of geographic origin: Based on stylistic clues, materials used and available documentation, the expert attempts to determine the probable geographic origin of the jewel.
The certificate of authenticity
Finally, our gemologist compiles all the information and findings collected into a detailed appraisal report . This report includes the complete description of the stone and the jewel. This certificate is usually given to the client for future use, such as selling, insuring or purchasing a gemstone.
It is important to note that determining the age and geographic origin of a piece of jewelry can be complex and it may be necessary to seek the assistance of experts in fields such as art history, antique jewelry, and gemology to obtain accurate results.
The sale of antique jewelry
The sale of antique jewelry combines expertise, restoration, enhancement, evaluation and a crucial relationship of trust between seller and jewelry lover.
Cleaning
We begin with a thorough cleaning of the antique jewelry to reveal the original beauty of the pieces, removing dirt and residue that can tarnish them and restoring the shine to the precious metal.
Possible restorations
If necessary, restorations, such as re-stringing pearl necklaces, or changing gemstones are carried out to ensure their durability and preserve their authenticity.
The enhancement
Attractively presenting jewelry through quality photographs, videos and detailed descriptions is essential to attract potential buyers and collectors.
Price assessment
Careful price assessment, taking into account age, rarity, quality of materials and gems, is crucial for a fair transaction.
The relationship of trust
Ultimately, buying and selling is based on a strong relationship of trust between seller and buyer, between Maison Mohs and you, based on authenticity and transparency , allowing antique jewelry to continue to shine and be appreciated across generations.