Market conditions in the gold market have been very interesting.  Gold seems to be inching its way upward again but its fluctuations have driven many non-professionals crazy.

We have had several clients offer gold for sale, but hesitate to sell at the day’s price due to a fear of a meteoric rise in a day or two.
Gold should be sold when it is the right thing to do for yourself or your family.  If you consider it as an investment I cannot give you advice as I cannot predict which way ithe gold market will turn from here.

Contact Fabon5th.com now to sell gold and gold jewelry!

The trend in diamonds seems to be a little bit of a mystery.  The diamond market is like most and fluctuations do appear.  They are not as frequent as gold but they do happen regularly.  Previous holes in the supply get filled and others open up.  Popularity of particular shapes sizes and dollar ranges effect supply and demand.

Demand for diamonds of size, (over 2+ carats) is still very strong.

Antique and estate jewelry remain the same as my last post on the subject.  Truly beautiful items, in great condition, bring very nice premiums. Jewelry in poor condition and pieces that are remade from old jewelry are more difficult to market and thus are a bit harder to get aggressive prices for.

Please feel free to send us your questions and I will be happy to help.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we, at Andrew & Peter Fabrikant, have ‘embraced’ some of our favorite jewels which signify romance and enduring love.

The Tiffany Key is a romantic tribute to lovers and their desire to unlock the key to one’s heart. The vast Tiffany key collection
includes an array of medallion-shaped keys that promise access to wondrous places; romantic heart-shaped keys that might keep love letters private and poetic flower-topped keys that are graceful and feminine.

Tiffany & Co. Key

Speaking of keys, this Cartier Love Bracelet, (first designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo for Cartier) can only be locked on a woman’s wrist by using a special “key” (a tiny screwdriver) and the “key” is then kept around the neck of another as a symbol of a couple’s commitment to their relationship. This bracelet still remains popular today for its provocative resemblance to a chastity belt.

Cartier Love Bracelet

As love is never perfect, neither is is this assymetrical Open Heart diamond pendant designed by Elsa Peretti’s for Tiffany & Co. It aligns with her philosophy that “Style is to be simple. I hate that impeccable, perfectly perfect look, all matched and pre-arranged.”

Tiffany & Co. Elsa Peretti Open Heart Diamond Pendant

Inspired by a romantic French poem by Rosemonde Gerard called ‘Les Vieux’, this 18k diamond & ruby pendant, which reads “Qui Hier- Que Demain” and it means “I love you more and more each day, today more than yesterday, but less than tomorrow.”
This jewel became very popular in the 1950’s and is still considered today as a token of love.

"Qui Hier - Que Demain" Pendant

This Lovebirds diamond brooch is the quintessential love token jewel as it was believed that birds chose their mates on February 14th.  Popularized in the 19th century for those hopelessly romantic Victorians, lovebirds and their ‘cooing love sounds’, took on many forms from doves to hummingbirds to birds of paradise.

Lovebirds Diamond Brooch

And we end with this ca. 1960s “I Love You” bracelet which says it all.

I Love You Bracelet

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at Andrew & Peter Fabrikant!

A.  Thank you for your question, I will be happy to help you and answer any other questions you may have.  We work with clients outside of New York everyday.  By using our Secure Nationwide Shipping Instructions, we are able to assist our clients nationwide, from anywhere in the U.S.

Registered, Insured, Return Receipt Requested Mail through the United States Postal Office is the most secure method of shipment and is the only method we advise our clients to use to ship their jewelry.

Through the USPS, you can insure your package for up to $25,000.  For packages over $25,000 we can provide additional insurance for you!

If you prefer, we can send you our “care package”.  A care package has all of the necessary forms required for Registered, Insured, Return Receipt Requested Mail completed for you.  You then bring the package to the Post Office and purchase the appropriate amount of insurance.

Once your package is received, we will contact you immediately to discuss the best ways in which we can assist you.  We will never act without your approval and have the knowledge and resources to get you the best possible prices for your diamonds and jewelry.

For a complete set of directions on how to send us your jewelry, visit our Secure Shipping Instructions, or to receive a free quote for your jewelry, contact us now.

At last Sunday’s SAG Awards, jewelry was eye-popping!

The L.A. Times reported “The days of just piling on the diamonds are over.  The jewelry on the red carpet at the SAG’s is really unique and different.”

And unique it was. From Mayim Bialik’s jewel-encrusted frog bracelet to Maya Rudolph’s black shiny drop geodes crystal earrings to Giuliana’s sculptural gold fold-over necklace.

Giuliana Rancic (photo Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times)

Colored Gemstones also took center stage in as they were showcased in Sofia Vergara’s stunning oversized ruby and amethyst chandelier earrings and and Octavia Spencer’s labradorite leaf-like drop earrings.

Sofia Vergara (photo courtesy Getty Images)

Octavia Spencer (photo courtesy Getty Images)

And who could forget Angelina Jolie’s very large vintage bold gold hoop earrings and bracelet which were striking accouterments to her sleek and shiny black satin gown.

It’s no secret that many of us watch these award ceremonies to catch a glimpse at what these lovely ladies of screen & television are wearing.  It provides us with a hint as to what’s in and what’s not as far as fashion is concerned.  The statement being made this year is that bold is back!

But for those of us that still prefer the ‘classic look’, take a peek at Natalie Portman’s jewelry on the Red Carpet.  It was the quintessential Harry Winston all diamond bracelet and lovely ruby & diamond drop earrings -apropos for her age, simple but stunning.  And how fortunate that we, at Andrew & Peter Fabrikant, have acquired a fitting match for Natalie Portman’s earrings with our magnificent Harry Winston Diamond and Ruby Necklace? (Click here to see our blog dedicated to this stunning piece).

Natalie Portman (photo courtesy Getty Images)

Harry Winston Ruby & Diamond Necklace

So what’s your jewelry style for this year? Please tell us about it!  The ‘bold gold beauty with bravado’ or the ‘classic goddess look.’ The choice is yours.  Just know that if you want to dispose of your elaborate diamond jewelry for a more modern look, then we can help you.  But if ‘diamonds are forever’ will always be an essential part of your jewelry wardrobe, then we can help you with that as well.

One thing is for sure – we will never tire of watching the jewels gracing the Red Carpet.

To tell us all about your personal jewelry style, please comment below.  We love hearing from our dedicated readers!

Living in the jewelry capital of the world proves to be interesting once again.

If you have a diamond, especially a diamond that is over 3 carats and is an older style and you sell it anywhere but in New York City, you have missed a great opportunity to get much more money.

We had a client in 3 weeks ago who asked us to assess a diamond set in platinum that measured just under 5 carats.  Of course if the diamond had weighed 5.01 carats or more it would have been worth quite a lot of money.  We could not be sure of the exact weight of the diamond since it was in the mounting as instruments that are used to measure diamonds can be 10% off in their calculations.

Our client, a 65 year old professor of science and mathematics understood how the calculations could be off and allowed us to remove the diamond from the mounting.  It weighed 4.98 carats and we could tell that the construction of the diamond was done before the more modern specifications had been developed.  We call these diamonds Transitional Cut Diamonds.

A diamond weighing 4.98 carats is a good size, but as the diamond was out of round and imperfect on the girdle or perimeter of the stone, we suggested he allow us to get a diamond cutting report and have the diamond carefully examined by our cutter to find out what we could do to improve the value.

I can report to you that he is very happy we made that suggestion.  Our cutter reported that the stone could be improved with a little diamond loss but a large jump in value, effectively changing the diamond from a SI2 diamond to a SI1 diamond.  With this improvement we could increase the diamonds value by $20,000.00

I cannot promise this to all of those who have diamonds in this size category, but I can assure you that we will explore every option that may increase the value of your diamonds and jewelry.

India’s Economic Times, reports that diamond prices could rise faster than gold due to “increased spending on luxury goods in China, India, and the Middle East.” The theory is that as their middle classes grow, they become consumers.

A few things we should remember are that diamond prices have gone up over 25% in the last 1.5 years, but that they have just now reached the levels of 4 to 5 years ago before the world markets crashed. I expect them to stay at current levels until world economies rebound.

As well, there are supply and demand and economic issues that affect diamond prices. If economies all over the world fail, there will be much less upside pressure on diamond prices and they could move down sharply.

Listening to today’s news, you’ll hear comments about countries collapsing and the fear of worldwide depression and financial ruin. I am not sure that diamonds will act as a commodity the way that gold does.

Be that as it may, today’s increase in diamond prices, supported by the emerging middle class in India, China and the Middle East, has provided us, at Andrew & Peter Fabrikant, a wider pool of international clients for your unwanted diamonds.

Therefore, this is a fortuitous time to consider the sale of your diamonds if you are not wearing them, if you have financial considerations, if the relationship is over or if you have inherited jewels that do not fit your lifestyle.

Logic dictates that if the market is strong and at record levels, and particularly if you own a diamond over 1 carat, now is truly an opportune time to sell diamonds and jewelry.

To say that we, at Andrew & Peter Fabrikant, are thrilled to own this fantastic VCA “Belvedere” necklace is an understatement.

Who but Van Cleef & Arpels can create such grand ‘haute joaillerie’, like the necklace featured below, using Russian nephrite jade beads and peridot beads interspersed with purple pink sapphires. Dangling from this spray of gemstones is a lantern ornament lit with 313 round diamonds totaling 2.23 cts., 33 baguette diamonds totaling 6.47 cts. and a pear shape briolette diamond drop weighing 5.01 cts. And how apropos to name this necklace Belvedere, as it is derived from Italian which means “beautiful light.”

Van Cleef & Arpels “Belvedere” Haute Joaillerie Necklace

This is the creative genius of VCA. The firm uses interesting combinations of exceptional gemstones designed with an artistic flair. Lovely, in and of itself, as a piece of jewelry, this necklace also has artistic merit one would only find in great museums.

Van Cleef & Arpels has a long history of being innovative in their designs. Last year I attended an exhibition at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and was taken aback with their ingenious Zip necklace, created in the 1950s, which was actually inspired by a zip fastener. And of course, many of us admire their mystery setting jewelry (where stones were set without any metal showing) perfected by VCA in the 1930’s- a technical tour de force in jewelry. Today Van Cleef & Arpels continues to intrigue us with their latest The Voyage Extraordinaires of Jules Verne collection.

Van Cleef & Arpels Fabrikant Purchases "Belvedere" Haute Joaillerie Necklace

To purchase this magnificent VCA “Belvedere” necklace was a tour de force for Andrew & Peter Fabrikant as well!

I met a man today who has really moved us all.

He came into the office with hundreds of pieces of jewelry from his mother and his first wife who had passed away.  We had never met before but he was rather forthcoming about his situation.

He had lost his wife to cancer five years before.  He never had any children, had become despondent over the last several years and joined a Cancer Survivors Support group.

There he met a wonderful woman with 5 children who had lost her husband in a similar way. He did not feel comfortable giving jewelry he had given to his previous wife to his new wife.

So he decided that his wife’s jewelry could be put to better use by making someone else happy, just as she had been.  There was quite a bit of value in the jewels and he asked us to go to work for him and see how we could be of assistance.  It took several days to examine all of the jewelry properly and then we began to market it for him.   Five days later we had effected sales for every piece of jewelry.

He plans to put the money to good use and spend it on his new found family.

I hope he spends or saves it well.

Please leave a kind comment or you may contact us directly.

I have been asked many times how to sell gold jewelry and if this is the best time to sell. Everyone seems so obsessed with gold values. Will gold reach $2,000 or even $5,000? I cannot begin to guess. The question always seems to be, “Is now a good time to sell?”

My answer would be, absolutely, yes. I do not know if gold will go up or down from present values, but it is our opinion that the down side risk is greater than the upside risk at the moment. Playing the gold market is like any other market and I cannot predict the future.

Sell Your Gold - FabOn5th.com

How to sell your gold is a different question. The first thing I would remember is that you should not rush to sell gold. A difference of $50 an ounce will make a tremendous difference in the value of 14k or 18k gold jewelry. It is more important to take your time and make sure you are getting a fair percentage of the gold value.

This will depend upon how much gold you are selling and of course where you are selling it. If you have any further comments or questions please feel free to send them to me.

The Art Deco period of the 1920s and 30s was an exciting era and so were the bracelets created at that time.

Contributing to the spirit of the Art Deco design were cultural events and movements like the Ballet Russes, Orientalism, the Roaring Twenties, Hollywood glamour, cubism, and the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb.

As the Art Deco style drew inspiration from exotic eastern cultures, patterns from Islamic tilework, Persian rugs and Chinese or Japanese artifacts were incorporated in bracelet designs. Femininity also gave way to the restrictive Victorian era’s look that downplayed womanly curves. So bracelets were now shaped by a new geometry that emphasized vertical lines and flattered a lady’s uncovered expanses.

Fashioned in platinum, (the favored metal of the time), thinner single line bracelets were flat and sleek and under an inch wide. Wider bracelets were patterned in a variety of continuous geometric patterns usually in a series of linked sections that were completely paved with gemstones.

Art Deco Bracelet

Single line bracelets (which were the precursor to the tennis bracelet) were worn in endless combinations to complement bare arms and slender waists. Multiple bangles also appeared on the upper & lower arm.

Art Deco Bracelet

The finest bracelet examples of the period were ingeniously linked box settings set with all diamonds or diamonds and colored stones, embellished with millegrain work and exquisitely hand-engraved thin sides.

Art Deco Bracelet

New ‘geometric’ gemstone cuts were also introduced to be in sync with the prevailing Art Deco aesthetic. Gem cutting advances introduced the shield, trapezoid, baguette and emerald cut for diamonds. Colored stones were frequently calibre cut, French-cut or cabochon cut. Interesting combinations of precious and less precious material- coral & diamonds, turquoise & sapphire, ruby & rock crystal, were very characteristic of the Art Deco style. Synthetic stones (particularly ruby & sapphire) were used frequently as well to facilitate the task of proper matching of size and color.

Distinguished jewelry houses and designers created some of the most outstanding Deco bracelets to date that have stood the ‘tests of time.’ Led by Cartier, other great designers of the period included Van Cleef & Arpels, Chaumet, Fouquet, Boucheron, Mauboussin, C.D. Peacock, Shreve, Crump & Low, Marcus & Company and Black, Starr & Frost.

The enduring appeal of the Art Deco style continued to influence future designs of bracelets (like the Van Cleef & Arpels sapphire and diamond bracelet featured here) for decades to come.

Art Deco Bracelet - FabOn5th.com