Archive for November, 2011

By now, you probably know that Elizabeth Taylor's expansive fine jewelry collection is being auctioned off by Christie's, but did you know that some of the baubles will be sold online rather than in New York?

According to Forbes, about 950 pieces out of the 2,000 item collection will be sold online from December 3 to 17. The baubles will be separated into categories, including costume jewelry, designer fashion and accessories and decorative arts and objects.

Christie's has offered real-time bidding for auctions online, but this is the first time a private collection will be sold exclusively online. The auction in New York will take place from December 13 to 16, featuring the most iconic jewels and film memorabilia. The company is holding an online sale in order to make the special collection accessible to buyers worldwide.

The auction will certainly be one of Christie's finest, and if you're looking to get your hands on a piece of historical, iconic jewelry, there's no better time to do it.

Skinner, Inc. is New England's premier auction house. It's setting up for a sale in Boston on December 6 that will feature Art Deco fine jewelry, colorful imported stones and a wide variety of wristwatches.

The most notable Art Deco items include a Chaumet emerald, ruby and diamond pendant brooch estimated to bring in around $150,000 to $200,000. The estate brooch is from the Lillian S. Timken Collection of Precious Stone Jewelry, Parke-Bernet Galleries, 1960, according to Diamond News. Also featured will be a fine Art Deco platinum and diamond bracelet with dragon figures, which descended from a prominent New York family and is expected to generate around $25,000.

Rare colored stones will also be a large portion of the auction, just in time for those looking to spruce up their holiday gifts. This includes imported sapphires, rubies and emeralds of all shapes and colors. A distinguished collection of watches will also be up for grabs.

If you won't be up in Boston any time soon, you may want to check online to see what kinds of vintage jewelry in the Art Deco fashion is available. You might be able to find a cocktail ring or a pair of estate earrings for a decent price.

Black Friday, the shopping holiday after Thanksgiving, proved to be particularly successful for the fine jewelry industry, making it seem like the holiday season will continue to bring in buyers.

According to JCK magazine, sales were much higher on this year's Black Friday compared to last year's. Some jewelers made more in one day than they did all weekend last year. Many of the most popular items included charm bracelets, watches and diamond jewelry.

A portion of the increase could be because of the new marketing strategies that jewelry stores have been turning to, such as social networking sites. Facebook and Twitter pages are becoming a great way to get in touch with clientele and give them a heads-up about deals and promotions.

The source reports that many of the customers who showed up on Black Friday were just looking to get a feel for what fine jewelry options are available. They haven't yet committed to pieces, but the stores are hoping they'll be back before the holiday season is over.

Heritage Auctions' Fine Jewelry Signature Auction in Dallas, Texas, is going to feature an intense fancy yellow diamond on December 5.

The ring weighs 10.02 carats and features a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant cut diamond. It's an estate ring from a property in Arkansas, according to ArtDaily.org. The ring also features two diamonds, a gold setting and a platinum band. It is expected to be sold for somewhere around $100,000.

The auction is set to feature a number of noteworthy jewels that should appeal to buyers from all over the country. An elegant diamond and platinum engagement ring with a square modified brilliant-cut gem weighing 9.02 carats will complement the fancy yellow diamond. It's also expected to fetch around $100,000.

Baubles from The Gladys Glad Jewelry Collection will also be up for auction. Glad was one of the highest paid showgirls on Broadway in the 1920s and 30s. Buyers will have a chance to purchase a piece of Broadway history.

If you haven't got $100,000 dollars around, you may want to look for vintage diamond engagement rings or estate cocktail rings online. You could find a much better price and a style that fits your taste.

You may have heard stories about women buying fake diamond engagement rings to fool their family members into thinking they're getting married. This usually happens around the holidays, when family gatherings are full of inquisitive mothers and aunts who would love to see nothing more than a ring on their beloved daughter or niece's finger.

It's never fun to be badgered about things you can't control, like when your fiance is going to propose. You can't help it that he hasn't popped the question yet! If you're thinking about fooling your family this holiday season with a fake engagement ring just to avoid those annoying questions, you may want to reconsider. It could create a big mess you'll have to explain later.

Instead, why not distract your family with a stunning right-hand ring? Vintage cocktail rings and estate rings are gorgeous enough to be worthy of fawning over, and your female family members will be so enthralled by your purchase that they won't even think about your other hand. Problem solved!

A stunning 22.87 carat diamond ring is set to be featured in Bonhams upcoming fine jewelry auction on December 13.

The rare solitaire ring is just one of four extraordinary jewelry pieces from a private collection from California, but its quality sets it apart from the others. The emerald-cut diamond is rated D color, flawless clarity, type IIa, which is very rare indeed. Superior qualities like these are rarely seen in diamonds, as they're mostly associated with historic Golconda diamonds, according to Diamond News.

The diamond is the color and transparency of water, which is only true of 2 percent of the world's popular gems. The pre-sale estimate for the bauble was projected at $3 million to $3.5 million.

The remaining pieces in the collection are a fancy yellow diamond necklace with alternating clear diamonds, a similar matching bracelet and pendant earrings.

Even if you can't afford to spend $3 million dollars on a fantastic diamond ring, there are plenty of vintage jewelry options that could fit nicely into your budget.