Journal
The Journal
Field notes from inside the antique and estate jewelry trade — what to look for, what to walk away from.
Sourcing: How a Specific Antique Ring Actually Gets Found
You know exactly what you want and it is not for sale anywhere. Sourcing is the work of finding it — what...
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Designing a Ring Around an Inherited Diamond
Resetting an inherited stone is the most emotionally loaded work in jewelry, and the technical decisions get made badly when the conversation...
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How to Read a Diamond Report on an Antique Stone
Grading reports were designed for modern round brilliants, and on an antique stone half the document is misleading. Which fields to trust,...
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Garnet, Amethyst and Citrine: The Underrated Antique Stones
Amethyst was once priced with emerald. Then Brazil happened. The stones that lost their value to supply are now the best way...
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Natural vs Cultured Pearls in Antique Jewelry: Why the Difference Is Enormous
Before the 1920s every pearl in jewelry was natural, and natural pearls frequently cost more than the diamonds beside them. Most people...
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Antique Halo vs Modern Halo: Why They Age So Differently
Both surround a centre stone with smaller ones, and there the similarity ends. Antique surrounds are built from individually set stones with...
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Signet Rings: From Seal to Style
The signet ring is the oldest ring with a job. It was a signature, and the test of a real one is...
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Cocktail Rings: The Statement Ring With a Prohibition Backstory
The cocktail ring was designed to be seen holding a glass you were not legally allowed to hold. Where the style came...
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Three-Stone Rings: The History, the Marketing, and How to Choose One
The past, present and future story is 1990s advertising, not history. Three-stone rings are far older and far more interesting than that...
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