How much are your jewels worth? What is the authentic value of a ring, necklace or pair of earrings? This is what determines the value of your jewelry ♦ ︎
The most famous financier in the world, or rather the long-term investor who doesn’t miss a beat, Warren Buffett, has the shares of Borsheim’s Fine Jewelry, a Nebraska jewelry company founded in 1870, in his portfolio of funds. This choice has convinced many that if Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, invests (also) in jewelry, then buying gold rings and necklaces is a good idea to direct their savings. This statement is right and wrong at the same time, let’s see why.
What are jewels for?
You might consider them useless, yet since humanity has existed, women have always chosen to wear jewelry, as evidenced by the archaeological findings. The jewels are, therefore, part of the culture, of the society, and consequently have an ideal value, which is added to the venal value, that is the material of which they are made. The value of a jewel is determined by the shape, the type of processing, the material used, but also by the fame of the Maison that made it. Not only. There is another important aspect, which usually those who buy and then sell a jewel do not calculate: it is the value in use, just like for an apartment or a car. In economics, use value means the ability of a good or service to satisfy a given need. This opportunity for jewelry can be translated into numbers, just like for other material goods. In short, a jewel was created to be worn and the use of a pair of earrings, a ring, a necklace must be taken into account. If you want to sell a jewel, remember that it is a used item. Therefore, from this point of view, a jewel offers an immaterial but real return: it is that given by use.
How much is a jewel worth?
The value is not absolute. Varies. For example, a jewel created in the nineteenth century has a different shape from that of a corresponding contemporary object: at one time even the materials and the cut of the stones were different, because the processing technique was different. Today what was the maximum a hundred years ago may seem outdated. It is therefore not surprising that a jewel has a value that changes over time. The price of a jewel can go up, but it can also go down if its shape corresponds less to the concept of beauty, what is in demand on the market. But a jewel of excellent quality, which has certificates of origin and is well made, is likely to maintain its value or increase it over time.
How much is a branded jewel worth?
Although the aesthetic criteria are changing, the jewels of famous Maison, such as Cartier, Tiffany, Buccellati, manage to keep their value more easily than those of anonymous artisans. This, however, is especially true for large jewels, pieces that can be enhanced in an auction sale. A simple silver pendant, even if it was sold by a famous company, still has little chance of increasing its value over time.
How much are gold and precious stones worth?
The value of a jewel is mainly determined by its appearance and the hours it took to create it. For example, high jewelery is made up of unique pieces, with craftsmanship that sometimes lasts weeks or even months, often with particularly expensive precious stones. The value of these jewels will be high, but not only for the material used. Instead, for a normal jewel, for example a ring like many others, the value will be very determined by the materials it is made of. The gold of a ring, for example, will often be valued by weight in the case of mass-produced jewels. In this case, keep in mind that the gold contained in the alloy with which the ring was made, or the earrings or necklace, will determine the value of the metal. 18-karat gold, so to speak, is 75% yellow metal, the rest is usually 7-12% silver and 13-18% copper. 14- or 9- and 10-karat gold jewelry contain even higher percentages of other metals and lower percentages of gold. The same goes for pink or white gold: also in this case it is alloys with other metals, which give it a different color (in nature gold is only yellow). For stones, the evaluation is more complicated. While usually a gold jewel is easier to classify, for stones that do not have a certificate issued by a universally recognized gemmology institute, one must trust the jeweler or an expert. In general, it is very easy for the proposed price for a small diamond to be much lower than your expectations: do not think that a 0.05 carat diamond on the engagement ring has a great value.
How is the value of a jewel determined?
With these premises, how is the true value of a jewel determined? If it is a vintage or vintage piece of jewelry, the best way to find out is to browse the catalogs and, of course, the auction results. It is easy for you to find a jewel similar to yours in terms of age, materials and aesthetics. Observe the result of the sale, the relationship between the initial estimate and the final award. This is a good indicator. At auctions, contemporary jewels are also sold, so even in this case you may find indications on the value of your jewel. If you want to sell a piece of jewelry, auction houses have experts who can offer you a rough valuation. But the result of the auction is not always consistent with the estimates, for better or for worse. If you have something more modern, you can start asking the jewelers of your city for an opinion. Not just one, but at least three different jewelers. Furthermore, if the jewels have stones, it is necessary to establish whether they are authentic and what their quality is, unless you have a gemological certificate that certifies it. A different and more uncertain way is direct selling with one of the many online auctions. But in that case the value is largely entrusted to luck and the ability to present the jewel. In any case, keep in mind that participating in an auction also has variable costs, better inquire first.
