I recently returned from a trip to New York City that included an afternoon visit to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. The special exhibit, Jewelry – The Body Transformed, was of particular interest to me for two reasons. As a Graduate Gemologist and Jewelry Appraiser, the subject of this exhibit is my passion. But most importantly, it was particularly satisfying to me to view the exquisite “Sweet Pea” brooch.

Marcus & Co.

The “Sweet Pea” brooch was crafted by the hands of a father and sons’ team, Marcus & Sons, circa 1900, and is one of the most complicated forms of jewelry made, even in today’s standards. Founded by Herman Marcus, a German immigrant to the U.S. in 1850, he worked for the venerable Tiffany & Co., eventually striking out on his own. His sons joined him in creating some of the most ornate Art Nouveau and Revivalist jewelry of their period.

The enamel work on this brooch is called “pliqué -a-jour”, a French term meaning open to light. The leaves and flowers are much like a miniature stained-glass window in an 18 karat yellow gold frame. This enameling technique is complicated on flat surfaces, so the three-dimensional form of this piece proves to be an extraordinary work of art. There are four articulated sections allowing the flowers and buds to flutter as the wearer moves. The buds that drop at the bottom consist of four conch pearls. Unlike the more common oyster pearl, conch pearls are produced by the rare Queen Conch mollusk. Only 1 in 10,000 mollusks hold a conch pearl. The leaves are adorned in platinum with diamonds set on a curve to create dimension and shimmer throughout.

One-of-a-Kind

The “Sweet Pea” brooch came across my desk in 2015. The owner had inherited the brooch many years prior and had kept it in its original box in safe keeping. It was in excellent condition for a century-old piece. Many pliqué-a-jour pieces have cracked and broken enamel, but this one showed none. The owner wished to sell the brooch to augment his impending retirement. After a less-than-pleasant experience at a “we buy gold” store, where the owner was offered $2,500, he decided to look for a second opinion. A referral from a trusted friend led him to call me and we met.

At first sight, I knew that this brooch was one-of-a-kind and of extraordinary design and quality. The trademark stamp “Marcus & Co.” indicated the maker. I immediately called a longtime friend and colleague on the east coast, Virginia Salem, and Director of the Fine Jewelry Department at Freemans Auction house. The owner of the brooch agreed to consign to the auction house, and the brooch made its way back east. Ms. Salem had seen other pieces by Marcus & Co. come across her desk, but this was one of the finest examples yet. With her knowledge and connections to dealers and collectors, she visited NYC to personally present the brooch to interested parties.

The Market Speaks

Eventually, the hammer fell at $161,000, far above the pathetic offer of $2500. The owner was thrilled. But there is more to the story. The winning bidder donated the “Sweet Pea” brooch to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Now in its new home, thousands of visitors will be able to view an exquisite brooch they may well had never enjoyed the opportunity to see. Knowing I was able to facilitate in the journey of such important history in jewelry is deeply satisfying and is an experience that I will never be forget.

Tracey Kahle is a Certified Appraiser of Personal Property and GIA Graduate Gemologist, offering by-appointment jewelry appraisal services. She can be reached at 913-912-9122 or tracey@kahleappraisals.com.

Why did I pay so much, and when I consider selling my jewelry, I can expect only fraction of the price I paid? I thought diamonds were valuable…

First of all, to understand the value of jewelry in the retail market, it’s important to consider the source. Or should I say sources? That shiny object sitting in the locked case under perfect lighting in the jewelry store has been on quite a journey. And that journey involves many people who are just like you and me with families and a community they live in and support.

Tracey Kahle, GIA Graduate Gemologist and ISA Certified Appraiser of Personal Property (CAPP) has successfully completed the requalification process for maintaining her ISA CAPP as an appraiser of personal property by the International Society of Appraisers. ISA is the nation’s largest organization of personal property appraisers.

Requalification for professional appraisal credentials is required of all ISA members every five years. Candidates must pass an examination based on updated knowledge of appraising and report writing and submit documentation of having earned the required points for professional development activities, such as continuing education in their field.

Personal property appraisers must maintain proper professional credentials, essential for those who are dedicated to excellence in their field. To attain the ISA CAPP designation is a major professional achievement for personal property appraisers. The presence of the ISA logo is an assurance to the general public that they are working with appraisers who are dedicated to upholding the highest standards in accuracy, competency, and integrity in their professional endeavors.

The International Society of Appraisers (ISA), founded in 1979, provides education, certification, and advocacy to 1000 appraiser members in the United States, Canada, and other countries.

Be aware of these 5 jewelry appraisal myths:

1. Myth – All Jewelry Appraisers are the same.

Fact – Unlike Real Estate Appraisers, Jewelry Appraisers are not required to be licensed. Look for an Appraiser who is a GIA Graduate Gemologist and has been credentialed through an Appraisal Organization, i.e, International Association of Appraisers, American Society of Appraisers, or National Association of Jewelry Appraisers. These organizations offer education in Appraisal Theory and Methodology, require formal education related to the specialty practiced, and review the work conducted by the appraiser.

2. Myth – By-appointment appraisal services are expensive.

Fact – Kahle Appraisals’ service fees are competitive with jewelry stores who offer the service. Service fees with large jobs (15+ items) are even more affordable, often averaging $35-$55 per item.

3. Myth – Jewelry increases consistently in value.

Fact – All precious metal, gemstone, diamond, and pearl markets move independently of one another; and sometimes decrease in value.

4. Myth – Automatic inflation bumps on insurance policies eliminate the need to update jewelry appraisals.

Fact –Advise your client to update the appraisals of their collection at least every 5 years. This prevents duplicates, catches condition issues, discovers newly acquired items that are not yet covered, removes items the client may have sold or handed down to a family member. It also accounts for any extraordinary changes in market values.

5. Myth – Motivating my client to get their jewelry appraised is a pain.

Fact – It’s as easy as a-b-c:

1. Connect your client with Tracey Kahle in a shared email.
2. Tracey follows up with client to schedule appraisal appointment and handles any details or questions.
3. Upon completion, Tracey immediately emails the new appraisal to you.

How to tell if your diamond certificate and appraisal are legitimate.

Starting the diamond buying process by educating one’s self about diamonds is the smart thing to do. Learning the Gemological Institute of America’s “4 C’s” of diamond quality to help determine how best your money is spent is important. Many diamonds these days are accompanied by a “diamond certificate” or diamond grading report. This is a third-party assessment of quality factors. But how do you know if your diamond certificate is legitimate or even worth the paper it’s printed on?

I was driven to write about this subject after having a few separate clients seek an appraisal on their recent new diamond purchases. Each of these clients had bought their diamond rings online. They all felt like they had done their due diligence in determining what quality of diamond they intended on purchasing. And the rings were delivered with what appeared to be an authentic lab report issued by the Gemological Institutes Services (GIS).

But it turns out the diamond certificate delivered with their new ring was bogus. Not only was the clarity overstated, resulting in a gross exaggeration of quality. The “replacement value” reported was also extremely inflated, indicating that the diamond was worth triple the price paid. As it turns out, all the diamonds were very low quality (I-2 to I-3) and had been clarity enhanced to improve their appearance. The clarity enhancement used is called “fracture filling” and is a process by which leaded glass is injected by vacuum into fissures inside the diamond. Fracture filling is relatively stable. But it can be damaged with heat during repairs and sometimes harsh chemicals used in cleaning products. None of my clients were aware they had purchased a treated diamond. Furthermore, the clarity grade stated on each of these so-called “diamond certificates” did not accurately reflect the apparent clarity post-treatment.

Did they get what they paid for?

Yes and no. Was the price they paid fair for what they received? Yes. Were they accurately informed about what they were getting? No. You’ve likely heard the proverb, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.” The GIS diamond certificate is the lipstick in this case.

How to avoid a similar experience when shopping for diamonds? Look for a diamond certificate, or grading report, issued by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA is the leading authority on diamonds and diamond grading. Accept nothing less and you are guaranteed accurate reporting of diamond qualities and any treatments that may be present.

Also, take a look at the appraisal that may have been issued with your purchase. If the replacement cost stated is well above your purchase price, consider that a red flag and get a second opinion. The seller of your new ring is motivated to make you feel that you received an exceptional deal. That inflated value will only disserve you.

When insuring your new ring, the premium you pay is, in large part, related to the value stated on your appraisal. And, if you suffer a loss, your insurance company is most certainly not going to pay out more than your diamond is really worth. Don’t get sucked into paying more in insurance premiums than you should. If you feel you have an inflated appraisal, seek out an independent jewelry appraiser for an accurate assessment and appraisal report.