What is it about gemstone jewelry that attracts antique and estate customers?
Clients who are drawn to estate and antique jewelry are looking for something unusual and rare. In antique and estate gemstone jewelry, you can often see the hand of the artisan who made it; that is really what sets it apart. I deal in unique pieces, and it’s this that my clientele seeks out.
Has Covid-19 changed the way clients buy gem-set pieces?
In the midst of the pandemic, I do occasionally hear, “Where am I going to wear it?” However, that does not preclude marking occasions — birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and so on. Even if the way we travel in society has changed, it hasn’t changed our ideas about giving and receiving sentimental gifts. Gemstones are often a good way to communicate sentiment.
What factors do you consider when choosing gemstone jewelry to stock?
I am not a gemologist. My own personal taste when I buy colored-gemstone jewelry is weighted toward design and construction. It’s about the proportions of the piece.
I think the important consideration in stocking this type of jewelry is to start with the basics. Find what appeals to you — a color you’re always drawn to, what design period speaks to you — and go from there. There are clients who want to wear the jewelry every day as decoration or as an accessory. When you get into gemstones, you’re already talking about something that is exuberant and makes a statement. There’s an enormous range of feelings gemstones can express.
Are certain categories of gemstone jewelry selling better than others?
Rings, far and away, because they traditionally communicate love and eternity. When people are building a jewelry wardrobe, they are going to want a nice statement ring, which often incorporates color. Certainly, gemstone engagement rings have become not just acceptable, but more popular in the past 10 years. I think more sophisticated jewelry buyers like to set themselves apart by buying a colored stone.
If clients are inclined to collect bracelets, many start with basic metal and then work their way up to colored stones. Once they develop an affinity for a particular stone and learn more about it, they tend to stay in that lane, often moving into more expensive categories of that gem.
What are the best places to source colored-stone jewelry?
Due to the pandemic, a lot of things have moved online to platforms like 1stDibs. I, myself, buy in the trade. We have a salon in Bergdorf Goodman, and we have been in business for a long time. I have my reputation to uphold. I look to buy things that are top-notch quality, and usually it’s from other dealers. It is rare that a private client will come to me with all of her nana’s jewelry and I want to buy everything.
True gemstones are often found in jewelry from the great houses that worked with the highest-quality material. But you may pay a premium, based on the brand and the integrity of the stone. Increasingly, clients who are buying something that has a significant gemstone — gem-quality, not just semiprecious — will want a report from a lab.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2021. To subscribe click here.