Professional Gemologist Appraiser

Earrings Question: I bought some vintage amethyst earrings in Harrods, London. All they could tell me was that they are yellow metal.

500 Earrings: New Directions in Contemporary Jewelry (Lark Jewellery)

Price: $15.01

They are very unusual.

Drop earrings that remind me of upturned champagne glasses, with enlongated open prong setting with the large brilliant cut amethysts set pointing down facing.

Assay and makers marks also very unusual. Not English.

Looks like an axehead lying horizonal and a crown. Not an English crown but more like this vvvv.

Also what could be 3 dolphins or SH or 555.

Difficult to be accurate as these are on the wires of both earrings.

They are of excellent quality and weighty in yellow gold and look contemporty

Deborah

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Gold Karat mark Question: Hi Bill or Sally,

Recently, before purchasing a pair of gold earrings on eBay, I sent the seller a question asking if the earrings in question were stamped with the 14k mark as they were reported as being.

Buying & Selling Jewelry on eBay (Buying & Selling on Ebay)

Price: $12.83

I got the response, that yes they were, so I placed my bid in confidence, and won the auction.

Upon receiving the earrings, I saw that only the clasp had the 14k stamp, not the body of the earring.

I sent the seller another email asking:
"if the body of the earrings gold, and if they are, whey don't they have a karat mark. Isn't it the law that all gold bare a karat mark?"

The response I got from the seller is:

"The law is that the earring (including the clasp/ post) of the earring has to be all 14k gold in order for it to be stamped 14k. Almost all earrings are stamped on the post because otherwise the design of most earrings would get ruined by the stamping."

My question to you is, is that true? Can I pretty much relax, and not feel "taken"?

I eagerly await your response, and thank you in advance.

Patti

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Vintage jade and 14k set Question: Greetings Mr. Foard!

I just discovered this site, but have been wondering about my set for a while.

Jade (Fred Ward Gem Book)

Price: $14.95

Please bare with me for a moment as I hope you find it a wonderful story!

I attended an estate auction about 15 years ago, and it was getting to the end when they get rid of the lesser desirables. The auctioneer said that the item was "costume" jewelry.

My mother and I were so far back that I could not even see the box he was holding let alone its contents.

The starting bid was $2 and no one was bidding so my mother nudged me and said "I see green so whatever it is would look nice with your red hair for 2 bucks!"

Young and impressionable, I raised my number and bought it.

When I got home, I looked at my mystery purchase to discover that a pair of earrings and a ring set in rich 14k (stamped) yellow gold and amazing green jade lay in my box! The 3 stones are identical, measuring about an inch long with a dark emerald green color - not the light, hazy, waxy green jade that some sell today.

The stones are in wonderful condition with no chips, cracks, scuffs, etc.

When my husband told my tale to a jeweler friend right after my discovery, he offered $200 for it.

I am not ready to part with it, but I am wondering does older fine jewelry appraise higher than today's makes or is it normally based on commodity values, market, etc. to estimate its worth?

Thank you much for your time and assistance, and I will be happy to leave a rating for you!

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