Journal

The Journal

Field notes from inside the antique and estate jewelry trade — what to look for, what to walk away from.

A Victorian gold locket with a pearl star, an old-cut diamond spray brooch and an Art Deco onyx and diamond ring on green velvet.
August 2026

Art Nouveau Jewelry: Reading the Curve (1890–1910)

Art Nouveau lasted barely twenty years and broke the rule that jewelry should be valued by its stones. Enamel, horn, glass —...

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Antique jewelry on green velvet in a gilt tray: a star-set gold locket, diamond cluster brooch, pear drop earrings, emerald ring, cameo and a brass loupe.
August 2026

Georgian Jewelry: What Survives, and What to Pay For (1714–1837)

Georgian jewelry is the oldest thing most collectors will ever realistically own — handmade, candlelit, and rarer than people assume. What survives,...

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A hand wearing an antique old European cut diamond ring on green velvet, with two antique halo rings and a diamond necklace nearby.
August 2026

Edwardian Jewelry: The Garland Era Explained (1901–1915)

Edwardian jewelry is the lightest antique jewelry ever made — platinum lace, milgrain edges and diamonds that look like they are floating....

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An empty gold engagement ring setting beside an Asscher-cut diamond made into a pendant, an heirloom redesign.
August 2026

Heirloom Redesign: How to Turn Inherited Jewelry Into Something You'll Actually Wear

You inherited a ring you love and never wear. Here's how to redesign an heirloom into something you'll put on daily —...

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Chart of common gemstone treatments — heat, oil, dye and glass filling — marking which are accepted and which reduce value.
August 2026

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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A couple wearing layered antique gold rings, bracelets and diamond necklaces, on the ZHIVA guide to whether antique jewelry is a good investment.
August 2026

Is Antique Jewelry a Good Investment? An Honest Answer

An honest look at whether antique and vintage jewelry actually holds value — what appreciates, what doesn't, the liquidity nobody mentions, and...

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Mohs hardness scale chart ranking gemstones from diamond at 10 to talc at 1, showing durability for everyday jewelry.
August 2026

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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A champagne cushion-cut diamond beside a colorless pear-cut diamond on dark green, comparing natural and lab-grown stones.
August 2026

Natural vs. Lab Grown Diamonds: An Honest Comparison (and the Alternatives Worth Considering)

Natural or lab grown? The honest breakdown on cost, value, and resale — plus the antique-world alternatives that give you more stone...

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Gold toi et moi engagement ring with a pear blue sapphire and pear diamond set side by side.
August 2026

What Is a Toi et Moi Ring? The Two-Stone Design Behind 2026's Biggest Trend

Two stones, one ring, and a love story that starts with Napoleon. Here's what a toi et moi ring actually is, and...

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