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Buying Jewelry This Holiday Season:

How does your gift measure up?

by Kary Pardy

ow many times have you looked through a jewelry display at price, some imperfections are not
your favorite antique shop and was just a bit unsure about the visible with the naked eye and
Hquality or elements of a piece you wanted to get as a gift? won’t dampen your enjoyment of
When you’re considering buying antique jewelry or are curious your stone. When evaluating dia-
about something you already own, it may seem daunting to learn more, monds, first do your best to deter-
but information can be the difference between a real ring or a costume mine if they are real and worth
one, between an heirloom or something that you might wear just for your time, then take them to a
fun. The key to knowing your jewelry, and indeed most antiques, is to professional.
use common sense and to think realistically. While it may be more fun
to own a gigantic ruby, items are always fake until proven real, and if it Other Stones
seems too good to be true, it can be. But that doesn’t mean you can’t Gemstones are in some ways
do a little exploring. even more complicated. Use your
Shiny Stones gut and common sense again, and
Common sense is key when we after that, look at them closely.
consider precious stones. Is it True gemstones will have imper-
likely that a random ring in a fections caused by nature; fakes
costume jewelry box has a real will be pristine and
diamond? Not really. Your grand- shiny. The
mother passed down a brooch with a best bet with gemstones, though, is to take
blue stone the size of a grape. For most them to a professional if they pass the
people, that’s probably not a real common sense test.
sapphire. But if faced with these items, we still
have a few tricks up our sleeves. Pearls
Let’s start with diamonds. If you are examining a loose stone, try the Pearls are formed over time when an organic
water or the fog test. Diamonds are invader burrows deep into the soft tissues of a
dense and if you drop one into mollusk. The mollusk then coats the intruder with many layers of nat-
water, it will sink. If it floats, you’ve ural minerals and proteins, referred to as nacre (Nay-Ker). This is what
got a fake. Similarly, try breathing gives pearls their unique appearance, beautiful luster, and color.
on the diamond and fogging it up. According to the American Gem Society, most of the ocean’s natural
Diamonds are effective at dispersing pearls have already been harvested by pearl divers. Today, natural pearls
heat; the fog should clear up quickly. are extremely rare, so this process is re-created by oyster farmers who
If it takes several seconds, you’re out make cultured pearls.
of luck. If the diamond is mounted, The factors involved in choosing a quality pearl include color, luster,
check how it’s mounted. Real and the shape of the pearl. Freshwater pearls offer a wider diversity of
diamonds would have strong sizes, shapes, and colors than any other type of pearl. That’s
settings, likely made of high-quality why they are such a popular choice for fancy designer
metal. You can also invest in an jewelry as opposed to the classic round pearl. A good
electronic diamond tester, a gadget way to tell if your pearls are real is to rub them
that has saved many a thrift shop across your teeth – if it is coarse, it is most
owner. They work by measuring likely real. No two pearls are exactly the same shape
how well the diamond conducts heat and size, and making a graduated in size set of pearls
or electricity and are fairly reliable for a necklace takes a sharp eye and a high-end caliper.
once you get the hang of using
them. Ask for Help
Some of the best tools, however,
are a loop and knowledge of what to An accredited jewelry appraiser will have taken several courses on all
look for and what makes a diamond special. Diamonds are graded for facets of jewelry evaluation and will have the necessary tools to best
their carat, color, clarity, and cut. Jewelers will measure carats with spe- examine all of your valuable pieces. Don’t be afraid to schedule an
cial scales or size gauges, but you can’t price a diamond on size alone. appointment to learn more about what you’ve uncovered. While we
Some say that the cut of a diamond is most important because it is what can learn a lot from a basic inspection and a little science, it’s nowhere
really determines the diamond’s sparkle. Next comes color: the less near the level of precision you’ll get by calling in the big guns. Find a
color, the higher the grade. Clarity refers to any imperfections that may list accredited jewelry appraisers through the Gemological Institute of
be in the stone. This is least critical because while it will reduce the America (GIA). Visit www.Gia.edu or www.925-1000.com

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