#ART #DECO #JEWELRY: Always in style & valuable to Collectors

If there's one era of vintage jewelry that never seems to go out of style, it's Art Deco. My eyes just about pop out of my head every time I come across a ring, pendant, bracelet from the Art Deco period dating to the mid 1920's.

It was after I discovered, learned about and began collecting the jewelry and bronze works of ERTE, recognized by many as the "Father of Art Deco" that my passion for Art Deco skyrocketed. And now, as I peruse one jewelry shop after another, it's incredible to see just how well art deco jewels continue to sell despite the often high prices.

I just found this unique art deco diamond and sapphire ring being sold by TheIdolsEye at Etsy:

Art Deco Sapphire Diamond Ring from TheIdolsEye at Etsy

How's that for different? Sapphire and Diamond Art Deco rings aren't all that rare: there's plenty of them being offered by sellers on Ruby Lane and Etsy. But the one above stands apart with its triangular shield shape and pear cut diamond.

One of the sweetest art deco #Engagement rings I've seen is the one carried in our own Forevagems shop at Ruby Lane and shown below. 46 visitors to our shop have already added this darling to their carts for future consideration. It offers 0.70cts of excellent diamonds in a design reminiscent of a heart...just perfect for the bride-to-be who treasures vintage jewelry. 

ArtDeco Diamond Engagement Ring from ForEVAgems

Want an even better idea of just how our sweetheart ring glitters? Here's a short video from our YouTube page:

Over the years, we've sold some glorious art deco earrings at ForEVAgems, and those are always popular and always in style. We don't have any right now, but I found the hand-crafted pair shown below in an Etsy shop called EthicallyEnchanted, and as an earring lover,  enchanted I am!

Art Deco style 18k Earrings with South Sea Golden Pearls from Ethically Enchanted at Etsy

Now what fascinates me about these earrings above is what the seller tells us about their construction: How very clever and creative!

"These amazing earrings were made using an Art Deco Brooch. The brooch was split into two with a post soldered to one end where the golden pearl is resting."

How very clever and creative! Now, for sure, you and I can locate plenty of genuine art deco earrings made in the mid-20's, but the fact that today's artisans are continuing to create jewelry that emulates traditional art deco by using parts from vintage jewels tells us that buyers are as keen today...or maybe even more so...for the looks and beauty of that by-gone but ever alive era!

Art Deco Diamond Bracelet sold by Laurie Steig Vintage Jewelry on Ruby Lane

WHAT RED GEMSTONE IS RARER THAN #RUBY? RED #SPINEL!

Many of ForEVAgems' clients want a ruby ring but really good, non-synthetic rubies, depending on the size, can be very expensive. So what's a ruby lover with a limited budget to do? Settle for a tiny ruby or synthetic ruby? Is there an alternative?

What they might do instead is consider the gemstone, #Spinel. No, it's not a ruby but if you can find a red spinel ring, you should consider this beautiful gemstone as its deep red variety most closely resembles rubies. But here's the surprising rub: according to the website, Minerals.net, 

"Fine red spinel is actually rarer than ruby of equal colour". 

Wow! So doesn't that mean it'll be even more expensive? Not really...because its rarity prevents jewelry makers from "pushing it", meaning you might find a red spinel ring for 30% less than you'd pay for a similar ruby ring.

Below is an absolutely gorgeous purplish pink/red Spinel and diamond ring we acquired at a Dupuis Estate Auction some years ago. I was so excited when I won it! Even though its colour wasn't deep ruby red, it was spinel...and given spinel's rarity, that was good enough for me:

Superb Designer Signed Pink/Red/Purple Spinel & Diamond Dinner Ring available from  http://www.forevagems.com 

But you see, that's the interesting thing about spinel: it also comes in other colours. One of the loveliest rings we ever sold was a deep blue spinel, similar to this 1940's Blue Spinel ring I found in ONERS shop on ETSY:

1940's Blue Spinel 14k gold ring from Oners on Etsy

Or how about this Purple Spinel and Diamond Ring from GemsTreasuresofGrace on ETSY:

Purple Spinel & Diamond 18k Ring from ETSY

On the other hand, if you're not afraid of spiders,  here's a delightful Boho ring featuring blue spinel that I found in the ErieCanalCollectors Shop at ETSY:

Boho Spinel Spider Ring from ErieCanalCollectors at Etsy

On a parting note, you might be interested in this story I found on Minerals.net where you can see many variations on Spinel gemstones in both finished and raw state. Back in the 1400's, a deep red spinel gemstone, believed at the time to be a ruby, was set in this crown shown below. This became known as "The Black Princes' Ruby". Just goes to show how closely a really good red spinel resembles the more often desired red ruby!

This photo of Black Princes' Ruby Crown as shown  at Mineral.net

#REDTAG #SALE at ForEVAgems on #RubyLane begins AUGUST 17, 2018

Do you love sales? Who doesn't right? If there's one thing I've learned over the past decade, when it comes to buying/selling high end #fine #Vintage or #Antique Jewelry, given how expensive it can be and especially if you're a collector, folks just love saving 25-50%. And why not?

The online shopping mall known as Ruby Lane holds #RedTag #Sales several times a year and encourages vendors with shops there to participate. So ForEVAgems is participating in the upcoming Red Tag Sale which starts this Friday, August 17th and lasts for 72 hours. Here's a screen shot of some of the gorgeous vintage items ForEVAgems is offering at 50% off:

This screen shot shows the current price of the item, but that "RED TAG" is letting you know that very item can be yours, come August 17th, for 50% off that original price. Wow! 

ForEVAgems has 20 items listed at 50% off in this upcoming RedTag Sale. Here's a second screen shot of what's up for grabs:

Now those screen shots aren't all that wonderful, so I suggest you click this link to slip over to ForEVAgems RED TAG SALE items so you can take a really close look at each item, read the descriptions, study the appraisals where one is included, and if you just love it and the 50% off price suits your budget, add it to your wish list and get over to ForEVAgems as soon as you can on Friday. 

I hate to say it, but you know how it goes: "Snooze and you lose!"

Jewelry, like art, speaks to each of us in different ways. #Pearls

When I decided to re-enter the fascinating world of Estate, Vintage and Antique jewelry, one of my first stops was an online Dupuis auction. It was on that stop that I found the exquisite gray baroque  pearl ring below:

Talk about love at first site! This antique ring with its 14k gold leafy setting was so different. I just had to buy it. Well I didn't have it long. Almost as soon as it was listed on #Forevagems, it was sold. But what it did for me was rekindle my appreciation of pearl jewels. 

I even started a board called PEARLESSENCE dedicated to pearls on Pinterest. Check it out when you have time. There's some incredible pearl jewelry on there, including this Coral Black Pearl beauty created by Arosha on ETSY:

Coral Black Pearl Ring by Arosha on ETSY

Isn't Arosha's work superb? And the colour of that black pearl...well it's breathtaking!

At an online auction run by HERITAGE AUCTIONS, I discovered and bid on this outstanding Pearl & Diamond Spray ring shown below.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this one for the first time. Then I couldn't believe my eyes when within a week, a diamond had fallen out and had to be replaced! Just after that was done, a prong holding said diamond fell out altogether! Oh the woes of buying vintage jewelry! 

Of course, I had to get it repaired and was most fortunate to discover a jewelry repair service offered by Rudix Jewellery in Hamilton. His jeweler did a fantastic job, and just this past week, the lady who purchased this ring from me, left me this lovely feedback on her beautiful pearl diamond ring: 

"This is the most amazing ring. It is like wearing the universe on your finger. The pearl is the sun and all the diamonds are the planets. I love this ring!"

Needless to say, her comment made my day! But it also showed how jewelry, like art, speaks to each of us in different ways. 

Just today, one of Forevagems' pearl loving clients in Australia received this absolutely adorable Victorian Cultured Pearl Daisy Ring below. We know she will love it because as good as our photos are, no camera lens with only one eye, as it were, can quite capture what we see with two eyes! The glitter in the diamonds in that daisy ring is unreal!

Victorian Cultured Pearl Daisy Ring recently sold by Forevagems

Well, that's it for today's post, except to give you advance notice that starting Friday, August 17th, Ruby Lane is holding a 50% off RED TAG SALE for 72 hours. These are sales you don't want to miss. And of course, ForEVAgems is participating. You can already preview ForEVAgems RED TAG SALE items now. Looking forward to having you browse our selection. Ciao for now!

Discovering #Hand #Made #Jewelry on #Etsy

As much as I love vintage, antique and estate jewelry, since joining ETSY I have been discovering some of the amazing creations by gifted artisans. Oh how I envy their skills. But at my age, twisting wire and threading pearls and gemstones to make necklaces and bracelets, or gluing swarovski crystals into a brooch is too much for my arthritic fingers and poor eyesight. So I have to be content with enjoying what others have created, and at Etsy, creativity abounds!

Here's a lovely necklace I discovered this morning in the shop, rekamistworzone, located in Poland:

The designer and maker of this piece, Iwona,  calls this stunning necklace "Art Nouveau Violas". Well I can certainly see the Art Nouveau influence. It's fashioned out of silver and gold-plate, and look closely: there's a lovely bit of Australian opal in that viola bud. Isn't it beautiful?

With work like this, it's no surprise that Iwona has had over 425 sales since she opened her Etsy shop in 2011. Want to know more about this Art Nouveau Violas necklace or see what else rekamistworzone has in her shop? CLICK THIS LINK.

ATTENDING HIGH END #ESTATE #AUCTIONS

#Antique Aquamarine & Gold Earrings dating to approximately 1870

ATTENDING HIGH END #ESTATE #AUCTIONS

Over the past decade, I've had the pleasure of attending and participating in the high end Estate Auctions hosted by DUPUIS, located in Toronto, Canada. Some of my most treasured pieces have been purchased through Dupuis. The jewelry consigned to this auction company ranges from antique to vintage and the quality is always very high.

Dupuis carries designer signed pieces, but it's their Art Deco, Edwardian, Victorian, Art Nouveau jewels that simply make me drool with desire. Unfortunately, I can rarely afford to purchase more than a couple of pieces at any one time, since there's also a 25% buyer's premium...not unusual for Estate Auction Houses of Dupuis calibre and reputation...but for the most part, this old girl can dream about owning jewelry like what Dupuis offers.

Dupuis' next Estate auction is online only and is scheduled for the week of August 8-15, 2019. Registered and approved buyers can begin placing bids right now. Would you like to see what is being offered during this auction? Browse their online catalogue here.  Apart from the stunning pair of antique aquamarine earrings above (needless to say I'm a sucker for beautiful earrings)  here's another pair below that caught my eye.

#ArtDeco Jadeite, Onyx & Diamond Dangling Earrings dating to 1920

I'm not sure I'm game to look at all the other lovely items in that upcoming auction! But if you're curious, and can afford it, slip over to that upcoming Dupuis Online Auction,  browse, and if you dare, bid. Online Estate Auctions are fun...not quite the same as sitting right in the audience and feeling the tension mounting in the room...but still quite a buzz. Try it! You might like it.

An incomparable #brooch for #ArtDeco fans and collectors

While surfing then net a month or two back, I came across this rather incredible Art Deco brooch that sold at a Leonard Joel Auction back in 2010 for $26,000!  I have never seen a piece like this so I thought there might be other Art Deco jewelry lovers out there who would be as awed as I was. 

It's a brooch made of opals, conch shell and diamonds. Apart from the magnificent design, what caught my eye first was that large fiery opal. Look at those colours! The entire piece is set in platinum. The original estimate for what this brooch would fetch was $10, 000- $12, 000. At a guess, the person who consigned this must have been thrilled by what someone else wanted to pay for it. 

If I had that kind of money, I would have bought it too. Oh well, a girl can dream. 

You can read all the details on this Art Deco marvel at THIS LINK. It is definitely something I'd classify as a "forevagem", wouldn't you? Let me know what you think of it in your comments or feedback. Thanks for visiting.