Estate
Estate Jewelry is jewelry that has been previously owned. Under this umbrella falls Antique jewelry and Period Jewelry

Antique
Antique Jewelry is that which is older than 75 years. Antique jewelry might include any item from the Art Deco Period and before.

Period
Period Jewelry exhibits characteristics that reflect certain design, style, or period of time in history.
Victorian: 1837-1901
Edwardian: 1901-1910
Art Nouveau: c.1880-1915
Art Deco: 1920-1930
Retro Art: c.late 1930’s – late 1940’s

Pearls
Pearls range in size from 1mm to 18mm and come in a wide variety. They are valued by luster, color, size and shape.

Elements of Value

Types of Pearls:
Akoya, South Sea, Mabe, Biwa & Fresh Water

Colors of Pearls:
Rose, Black, White, Cream, Gold & Blue/Gray

Lustre:
clear color tones, not dull or muddy

Size:
Determined in Millimeters

Shape:
Baroque, Pear, Barrel, Round , Oval and many more..

Pearl Necklaces Sizing:
Choker 14” – 15”, Princess 16” – 18”, Matinee 22” – 23” & Opera 30” – 36”

Colored Gemstones
Because there is no universal grading standard of color and clarity for colored gemstone, there may be instance where you may see “AAA”, “AA”, “A”, or “B”. Sometime combined color and clarity grades are used in replacement estimates. Gemstones can be genuine, synthetic, imitation or heat treated.

Colors of Gemstones:
The color of the gemstone is the most important element in determining the value. Acceptable terms that describe color are intense, dark, medium, extra fine, fine, good, and commercial. The component determines 50-70% of the stones value.

Birthstones
January – Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October - Opal
November - Citrine
December – Blue Topaz

Cuts of Gemstones:
Round Oval, Emerald Marquis, Baquette Pear, Heart Trillion, Princess Radiant & Cushion

Clarity of Gemstones:
The clarity of the gem is the second most important element in determining its value. Acceptable terms are extra fine, fine, good, and commercial. GIA uses a grading system ranging from 1 to 10.

Diamonds

The 4 C’s of Diamonds
Cut
Cut is the most crucial of all the variations that affect the diamonds beauty and value. The make, or cut or a diamond refers to its proportions which influence the brilliance the diamond radiates. We have a sarin machine that measures the exact cut of the diamond.

Color
Color is the most difficult characteristic to judge and should be done by a graduate gemologist using his or her expertise as well as the latest technology. The purest color in a diamond is no color at all. They range from colorless to almost every hue with the majority containing some tint of yellow. We have a GIA machine, the colorimeter, which measures the exact color of a diamond.

Clarity
To determine the clarity of a diamond, a 10 power magnification device must be utilized by a skilled diamond grader. The finest clarity is one that is free or internal or external blemishes or inclusions. Minute inclusions do not diminish the beauty but lower the cost of the diamond; while larger inclusions can obstruct the passage of light making the stone worth less.

Carat Weight
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 parts or points.
Example: 1/4ct. = .25ct.
1/2ct. = .50ct.
3/4 ct. = .75 ct

The weight of a diamond is the easiest to determine. When multiple diamonds are used in jewelry items, the weight is expressed as total weight (tw). We also have a GIA approved scale that measure the exact weight of a diamond.