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Stories of custom designs, high-value sales, exceptional estates, and appraisals.
2022 Retrospective
Year after year, I feel fortunate for the connections in my various circles and networking opportunities as a trusted jewelry designer and appraiser.
Every project I work on is different and unique. Here are a few of my custom designs from 2022 ✨
Wear What You Love
Some of the people I work with know exactly what they want in their jewelry. For example, a client of mine likes clean lines and an uncomplicated design.She was lucky enough that her husband gifted her a diamond tennis bracelet. Unfortunately, she didn't get much wear out of it, and it spent a lot of time in her jewelry box.
A Diamond Necklace Redefined
Recently, I met with a new client to appraise all of her jewelry. As we were talking, she showed me a necklace that never sat well on her neck.
It was made from an antique pin, with beautiful diamonds set in platinum. Though the design was gorgeous, the pin was hung horizontally and never sat well on her décolletage. We worked together to completely reimagine the piece.
Making the Most of Your Jewelry
As some of you might know, the way that I have built my business is through networking. I am proud to be part of three networking groups.
One of the members in one of those groups referred me to her client, who is going through a divorce. She asked me to evaluate her engagement ring, wedding band, and diamond bracelet, so we could sell them for the highest value. Before speaking with me, she had already received multiple offers.
Creating a Custom Ring from an Inherited Diamond
Over my three decades in the jewelry industry, I've met many other jewelry designers. We all have our own unique way of working, whether that be building our own lines of jewelry, representing other designers, or as I do, creating custom pieces.
Recently I was contacted by one of the designers I know. She has a friend who inherited a woman's diamond ring from his mother.
Lost an earring? You're not alone.
As you may already know, many of us have a collection of single earrings that have lost its mate. A client came to me after she lost a single diamond earring.The good thing is she already had them appraised and insured many years ago, as they were once her mother's earrings.
When Costume Jewelry Just Isn't Enough
What happens if you find a piece of jewelry with a design you love, but it is made of synthetic stones and base metal? This is what happened with one of my good clients. He likes to treat his wife to beautiful jewelry and she found this design. So he wanted to give her these rings made of real gold and fine gems.
New York City: The Best Place to Sell Your Diamonds
What do you do when you live out of New York City and inherit a valuable diamond, but don't know who to turn to to sell it? Referred by distant relative, a recent client of mine needed help selling her mother's emerald cut diamond engagement ring. She knew it was a valuable diamond but needed a knowledgeable, trustworthy, transparent, and honest industry expert to guide her through the process.
When You're No Longer Loving Your Jewelry
After years of collecting jewelry, my clients often want to meet with me to sell, redesign and repair their items. Typically, when I'm called in to look at an estate to evaluate the jewelry my clients have inherited, the first step is often to determine the disposition of each piece before deciding what to keep or not. Some items just need a quick repair, while others carry strong emotions.
The Jewel is in the Lotus | Om Mani Padme Hum
A client of mine loves to travel. She really likes South East Asia and the interesting jewelry found there. Sometimes, living in New York City, she sees jewelry that is inspired by these cultures.She bought a silver bracelet with a beautiful design. The letters are raised to give the impression of an intaglio design and spell out "Om Mani Padme Hum," or "the jewel is in the lotus," a key Tibetan Buddhist mantra.She loved it, but always wanted it in gold.
Boxes of Plenty
I'm lucky to be considered a resource for daily money managers. Recently, I was called in to review an estate and went through boxes of jewelry and various items from the collection. We found gold and silver that could be sold, with the proceeds going to the heir of the estate.
When Jewelry is a Real Surprise
Most people know me as a custom jewelry designer who works closely with her clients to make one-of-a-kind pieces. Yet, on a few occasions I've been asked to make a piece of jewelry that was a total surprise. Here are 4 examples.
Contemporary Designs from Classic Pieces
What do you do when you inherit a collection that just isn't to your taste? This recently happened to a client of mine. She showed me several pieces (some are pictured below), and we worked together to custom create two special rings and a pair of earrings.
More Than the 4 C's
Diamond prices have risen dramatically over the past year. I even recently received a generous five-figure offer for a diamond ring just this past week. What this means for you is that now is a great time to sell your diamonds.
Emeralds: Romance & Rebirth
As Spring finally approaches, I notice all the seasonal colors like green, light blue, pink, and peach. My eye is always drawn to emerald, due to the intense color and because it is my birthstone.
Did you know emeralds are symbolic of rebirth, renewal, and vitality?
The Ruby Ring She Always Wanted
A great client of mine loves rubies. In fact, she wanted her engagement ring to be all rubies (but her husband wanted to buy her a diamond engagement ring instead). Recently, there was a special occasion in the family that she saw as the perfect opportunity to get the emerald-cut ruby ring she always imagined.
Always Learning
As Michelangelo once said at age 87, "I am still learning."
During these past few years of the COVID Pandemic, I've had to adapt and readjust the way I run my business. For instance, I have spent less time in front of my clients as well as the partners I work with to create unique pieces of jewelry.
Measuring for the Perfect Fit
What happens when you inherit a piece of jewelry you know you will never wear?
This happened to my client who received a pair of rectangular, diamond gold cufflinks from her father. She was never going to wear them herself. Instead, she wanted to make a pair of unique earrings that would fit her style.
Giving Your Diamonds a Second Life
Do you have a piece of jewelry in your collection that reminds you of a time you'd much rather forget? In this case, yes. I had a client who had several pieces of diamond jewelry, including a diamond tennis bracelet, earrings, and a few smaller pieces.
From Just "Okay" to "Wow!"
A good client of mine who I've worked with a few times before had a ring that she wasn't really wearing anymore. She loves bright, vibrant colors and owned a blue topaz and gold ring. She loved the stone but never really liked the setting.It had heart-shaped cutouts and was a little wider than she cared for.