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Stories of custom designs, high-value sales, exceptional estates, and appraisals.
Finding Treasures in Your Jewelry Box
I worked with a dynamic Manhattan attorney who is a busy mother, who loves her jewelry, but doesn't have time to update her collection. She invited me to look at her jewelry box full of necklaces and earrings that she was no longer enjoying.
Worth More Than Its Weight in Gold
Several years ago, I had a client who needed to sell several pieces of her family's jewelry and asked me to negotiate the best price for her. I hadn't heard from her in a while, but recently I received a call from someone in her network who needed to speak to a trusted professional in the fine jewelry industry.
Oh Baby, What A Ring!
One of the pleasures of my job is creating custom jewelry for my clients and their extended families. A very good client asked me to work with one of her family members. He had inherited his father's gold and diamond ring, but disliked the style.
Money Found in the Most Unlikely Places
The executrix of an estate came to me to sell jewelry after a loved one passed away. To her surprise, she and her family found a diamond ring hiding somewhere they never expected to look.
New to JB Jewels: Items from Estates for Sale
I'm selective with my clients' jewelry, and occasionally do not accept offers that are presented to us. With that in mind, I have decided to add a feature to my business where I will be posting items from estates for sale.
Turning a Family Heirloom into Four Contemporary Styles
Earlier this year, a former neighbor contacted me and told me her grandmother suddenly passed away. She was left with an antique diamond circle pin and requested guidance on how to maintain the integrity of the pin while turning it into several new pieces of jewelry that match her current style and taste.
Create a Hug You Can Wear
Many of my friends know that I create unique pieces of jewelry and some have a need for my unique services. This was the case for a good friend who commissioned me to create a custom ring for his wife. As a collector of stuffed bears, as well as I am, he had an idea of creating a ‘bear hug’ ring for his wife.
Finding Wealth in Your Jewelry Collection
It's always a pleasure when I work with someone who has an interesting collection of jewelry. Most of my clients have changing tastes and lifestyles, which leads them into selling their jewelry. These clients had several pieces. Over the course of a few months, we have successfully sold most of them.
Blue Topaz Earrings Reimagined
When meeting with a client, we always seem to discover old pieces in their jewelry box. These pieces naturally come up in conversation and clients tell me they are not fully enjoying their entire collection.
Just recently I went to deliver earrings to a client. During our conversation, she mentioned how pleased she was with the finished product and wanted me to do more work for her.
How to Effectively Maximize the Proceeds from Your Estate
Some clients with inherited jewelry come directly to me from an estate manager; some come to me from a referral. My job regardless is to help them sell their estate for the most money.
I recently worked with one client to create a custom ring for her. During our discussions, she mentioned to me she had jewelry listed with a consigner that wasn't selling.
From Antique to Contemporary
You never know what ideas you’ll come up with during a consultation. Recently, a professional came to me for two simple fixes: resizing a wedding band and turning a tie bar into a necklace. While we met and discussed the mechanics of her repair, she noticed the earrings I was wearing and placed a special request…
Organizing Your Collection
Over the past decade or so, I've worked with clients to appraise, sell and redesign their jewelry. When I work with them, they walk me through their pieces and collections. I've noticed lots of tiny boxes with jewelry inside of them, and have some advice on how to better organize your collection.
What's Hot About Watch Sales?
Recently, I was contacted by a professional organizer who had been tasked with clearing out a luxury apartment. He needed to get the most money possible for two watches on behalf of his client - an 18K Solid Gold Rolex and an original Cartier watch with a leather band.
Diamonds are forever, but styles change.
Diamonds and gold don’t spoil, and when styles change to fit the fashions of the time, I help my clients re-imagine their jewelry. Here are three beautiful examples of re-imagined diamonds.
3 pieces in 1: redesigned sapphire diamond ring
One of my clients had jewelry made for her years ago that she never really wore. My challenge was to create one special bespoke ring that combined her taste and lifestyle with all the gold and gemstones she supplied to me.
Creating a Clasp
The clasps made for pins and brooches originated from clasps that held clothing together, which date back as far as 25,000 years. Clasps can also lock a necklace in place. Like clothing clasps, they can be displayed and have become elegant. A beautiful clasp can be worn to the side or even the front of a necklace in order to show off its beauty.
Turquoise For All Seasons
A client had a pair of turquoise, pearl, and gold earrings that she wasn’t wearing. She also had a turquoise necklace she really liked, and wanted to update the design of that piece as well.
Bringing Your Vacation (Jewelry!) Home
A very good client contacted me a while back because her husband’s birthday was coming up, and she wanted to make him a special piece of jewelry. They traveled to Africa, through Tanzania, and fell in love with the tanzanite gemstone without buying any when they were there.
Great Design Through Clear Communication
I've learned through more than a decade of designing highly personal, custom work for my clients that my job is to listen well in order to hear and interpret their vision clearly. Design is never about me.
It's always about my client.
Estate Sales: Three Services In One
Some of you know that I collaborate with many different types of professionals. One such group is professional organizers, to whom I provide appraisal, design and sales resources for their clients. In this blog, learn about how we partnered together to evaluate a client’s jewelry collection.