Journal
The Journal
Field notes from inside the antique and estate jewelry trade — what to look for, what to walk away from.
Victorian Mourning Jewelry: Jet, Hair, and Memory
For forty years the Victorians wore their grief in public, and built an entire industry to do it. How to identify jet...
Read more
Insuring Antique Jewelry: Appraisals, Riders, and Real Numbers
Your home insurance almost certainly does not cover the ring properly. What kind of appraisal you need, how a scheduled rider differs...
Read more
Antique Opals: Why the Victorians Loved Them, and How to Wear One
Opal is water and silica, soft enough to scratch on a doorframe, and the Victorians put it in everything. Where the bad...
Read more
Transitional Cut Diamonds: The Bridge Nobody Talks About
Between the old European cut and the modern brilliant sits a stone with no marketing behind it. Transitional cuts have antique character...
Read more
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...
Read more
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....
Read more
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...
Read more
Antique Lockets: How to Date One, Open It Safely, and Wear It
A locket is the only jewelry designed to hold a secret. How to date one by its construction, what the different styles...
Read more
Emeralds in Antique Jewelry: Oil, Jardin, and Fair Expectations
Almost every emerald you will ever see has been oiled, and that is normal. What jardin means, why emeralds are brittle despite...
Read more