Appreciating the Beauty and Uniqueness of Colored Diamonds
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When you hear the word “Diamond” you probably picture a clear, sparkling, faceted, brillian stone – often in an engagement ring. You may not be aware that diamonds occur naturally in every color including blue, red, orange, yellow, purple, pink, brown, black and combinations of these colors. Many of these colored diamonds are rarer and much more expensive than the well known “D” thru “Z” colors. However, some colors like black and brown can be both beautiful and very affordable. The most expensive colored diamonds ever sold were red and blue which were sold for approximately a million dollars per carat. Famous large, unique, colored diamonds are all rich in history and legend, and are on display at famous museums throughout the world. Perhaps the most famous of these is the priceless 45.52 carat Deep Blue cushion cut “HOPE DIAMOND”. Harry Winston jewelers donated the HOPE to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC where it can be seen today.

Scientists have successfully grown colored diamonds in labs and have even changed diamond’s existing colors to mimic the most beautiful diamonds in nature. To ensure that you are purchasing a naturally occurring, rare colored diamond, you should only purchase from a reputable, knowledgable jeweler and only if the diamond is accompanied by a Diamond Grading Report from a reputable lab – in my opinion the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the top diamond lab in the world. Once you purchase a colored diamond, the design and construction of the mounting is crucially important to showcase the beauty of the rare color. If you currently own rare colored diamonds, you should get them reappraised because of the upward price movement over recent years.

Let us answer your questions about Colored Diamonds. Feel free to post questions and we will be happy to assist you in finding the answers. You can also visit us at www.vividdiamonds.com for more information and products lists or contact us directly by calling (888) 970-GEMS (4367).

Liquidating Tangible Personal Property Including Gems And Jewelry, Fine Art And Collectibles
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Before you sell your jewelry and other valuables, make sure your appraiser has the credentials to accurately identify and value your property.

When faced with liquidating valuable tangible personal property, making correct and informed decisions will substantially improve your bottom line. This article focuses on gems and jewelry but the information and considerations expressed are applicable to all valuables.

WHAT AM I LIQUIDATING?

You should have your jewelry accurately identified by an appraisal professional with credentials. Unlike hiring an attorney or a medical doctor where state laws require schooling and exams to ensure proficiency, there are no educational requirements to legally call oneself a jewelry appraiser.

People often assume that when they enter a licensed jewelry store and an employee charges them for an appraisal that this ensures an accurate report. Shockingly, there are no assurances that the “appraiser” has received training, passed exams, or owns the necessary equipment. Anyone can open a jewelry store and legally sign appraisals by merely paying government licensing fees.

Ensure that your appraiser has the credentials necessary to accurately identify and value your property; minimum requirements include a gemologist diploma (e.g., Graduate Gemologist, GIA) and a gem lab. Require evidence of the continuing education that is necessary to keep up with new gemstone discoveries, new synthetic gems, and new and difficult-to-detect treatments. Since all gemstones, including diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires can be made by man and treated to improve their beauty, and some treatments are beyond the ability of appraisers to detect, it is also recommended to obtain lab reports. Use the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) for diamonds and the AGL (American Gem Lab) for fine colored stones, especially for determining country of origin. Even seemingly small identifying mistakes made by an appraiser can result in a major financial loss to the owner.

For example, if a 10-carat sapphire were graded as having a country of origin “Ceylon” (Sri Lanka) versus the correct location of “Kashmir,” the loss to the stone’s owner would be hundreds of thousands of dollars. These labs do not “appraise” or assign value. They only identify a gem and analyze it for color, cut, clarity, weight, treatments, and country of origin using the most sophisticated gemological equipment.

NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT I HAVE, HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH?

Amazingly, although professional jewelry appraisers learn to identify, and learn appraisal techniques and practices, they are not taught the value of the items that they assign values to. Unfortunately there is no “valuation diploma” or rating assigned to guide you in this critical area of choosing the correct appraiser. There are many resources available to the jewelry appraiser including diamond and color-stone price guides, sales records including major auction houses and online sales results, and information obtained by attending trade shows, seminars, etc. To choose an appraiser who is experienced and is good at doing research on the types of items you are liquidating, you must ask questions and interview several appraisal professionals.

I KNOW WHAT I HAVE; I KNOW WHAT IT’S WORTH, NOW WHERE DO I SELL IT?

Your valuables should receive exposure to multiple qualified buyers. A qualified buyer is one that understands the item, understands the value, has the desire to own it, and has funds to purchase it. One option would be to show your jewelry to several stores that deal in similar merchandise. Get multiple offers. This option has the benefit of immediate and known cash payment.

Another option would be to obtain information from the major auction houses like Sotheby’s or Christie’s. Ask “What would be my reserve bid and what is your estimate of what the item would sell for?” The auction advantage is high exposure but the disadvantages are high commissions, fees, and significant delays to get paid. Although auction houses may only charge the seller a 10-percent commission, there are other seller expenses. Also, by charging the buyer a 20-25 percent “buyer’s premium,” the buyer will bid that much lower. Additionally there are seller fees for insurance, shipping, and photography. Your item may not come up for auction for months and if it does not receive a big greater than the reserve, it will be returned to you. If it sells, it could take six months between the time you send your jewelry and the time you get paid. Even if you decide to auction your items, it is still important to have an independent appraisal and offers from qualified buyers to ensure that the auction reserve is not below existing offers and estimates are high enough to offset fees.

Ultimately, finding professionals to help you make informed choices about liquidating your gems and jewelry will protect your investment.

Click here for the original article published in the Palm Beach Daily News The Shiney Sheet.

Art Samuels is a Graduate Gemologist
GIA, Appraiser, owner of wholesale and retail gem/jewelry businesses and a nationally recognized expert.
561-818-1306 mobile / 888-755-GEMS office
Art@EstateBuyers.com
www.EstateBuyers.com

Interesting Diamond Facts
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– You may have heard that diamonds are the hardest substance known to man, and if you hit your diamond with a hammer, it would not break. This is NOT true and such action would probably result in great financial loss. A diamond is the hardest substance, however hardness is resistance to scratching and not breaking. Resistance to breaking is called toughness, and jade is the toughest gemstone. The jade is much more likely to survive the hammer blow. The good news is that if your diamond has accidentally chipped, it can often be restored with minimal expense and minimal weight loss.

– You may have heard that the eye-visible black inclusions in some diamonds are called “carbon”. This is NOT true. The diamond crystal itself is carbon that has been under high temperature and pressure. The dark material that is encased in the diamond (carbon) is an impurity that can be many things, but not carbon. The good news is that if your diamond has eye-visible black inclusions, they can often be made to seemingly disappear by “boiling” the diamond in acid. This may require a laser drill to let the acid reach the black. The end result is often an eye-clean and much prettier stone.

– You may have heard that diamonds are the most brilliant gemstones. Brilliance or brightness is a measure of how much light is reflected back up to your eye. It is true that some diamonds are dazzling, however some are quite dull and reflect almost no light. Often the dull lifeless diamonds either have dirt on the underside or they have been cut with little regard towards maximizing beauty. The good news is that if your diamond has caked on dirt on the underside, a professional jewelry cleaning can easily restore the original brilliance. If it is dull because of poor proportions, a gemologist should advise you if re-cutting makes sense.

The Luxury of Owning A Pink Diamond
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Searching for Pink Diamonds?

Come on, you know exactly what we are talking about. It’s what most women have only dreamed of and few actually own.

It’s one of the most coveted and whispered about gems, in the world.

Many of the most beautiful and powerful women in the world, own these colored diamonds. Now, you have the ability to purchase colored diamonds in Miami and South Florida.

I’m sure by now you’ve realized, we could only be talking about a Pink Diamond. And now that we have you thinking about the available shades of pink and the exquisite shapes like Cushion Cut and Round Brilliant, let’s discuss why this is the diamond that you will want to own and wear.

Have you ever notice an elegantly dressed and accessorized, woman?
There’s something about the way she adds, just the right touch of color or maybe she owns a spectacular ring, or wonderful diamond hoop earrings. The fire in the gemstone ring and the sparkle in the diamond earrings. You want that look. And, it’s all about choosing a Fine Jewelry Company, like Vivid Diamonds & Jewelry.
Let Vivid Diamonds & Jewelry premiere luxury diamond specialists, show you how to create the look of your dreams. Whether it be Pink Diamonds, Chocolate Diamonds, Beautiful Watches, Earrings Or Rings.
We look forward to speaking with you and extending an invitation, to our elegant showroom. Let us create the “Jewelry of Your Dreams”.