The Journal · Topic
Buying Guides
How to buy antique and vintage jewelry without getting burned: what to ask, what to check, what the paperwork does and does not prove.
Buying Antique Jewelry Online Without Getting Burned
Almost all antique jewelry now sells online, where you cannot hold the piece or see it in daylight. The photographs to demand,...
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Can This Ring Be Resized? A Guide by Setting Type
Some antique rings resize easily, some resize badly, and some cannot be resized at all. A setting-by-setting guide to what is possible...
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What a Real Dealer Should Tell You Before You Buy
The difference between a good antique dealer and a bad one is not knowledge. It is what they volunteer before you ask....
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How to Spot a Reproduction Art Deco Ring
Art Deco is the most reproduced era in jewelry, and “Deco style” does a lot of quiet work in listings. Eight checks...
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Common Gemstone Treatments: What's Accepted, What Kills Value
Heat, glass-filling, dyeing, irradiation — a plain-English guide to which gemstone treatments are normal, which quietly destroy value, and what a seller...
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Gemstone Hardness: What the Mohs Scale Means for Jewelry You Actually Wear
Mohs hardness tells you which gems survive daily wear and which belong in earrings. Here's how to read the scale and choose...
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How to Choose a Vintage or Antique Engagement Ring: A Collector's Guide
A collector's guide to choosing a vintage or antique engagement ring — how to read the eras, judge the diamond, check condition,...
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How to Tell If a Gemstone Is Fine: A Collector's Field Guide
"Fine" is about the quality of the material, not the age of the piece. What separates a fine gemstone from a merely...
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How to Start an Antique Jewelry Collection (Without Getting Burned)
Most people start collecting the expensive way — they buy first and learn second. A collector's honest guide to building an antique...
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