Better with Age - Art Nouveau

Jewelry from a specific era or period is often sought after in the secondary market, and in general, the older the better. This piece is no exception. It's a lovely Art Nouveau pendant depicting a woman's profile accented with delicate enamel flowers.

The Art Nouveau movement, which means "New Art", began at the end of the 19th century and flourished until approximately 1910, with Europe as its epicenter. The style was a radical change from the somber mood and adherence to strict rules that characterized both French and English jewelry in previous periods. The Art Nouveau era ushered in a new "organic" style, meaning it portrayed nature very realistically. It also marked the beginning of the use of the natural female form in jewelry.

This particular pendant has many of the features that characterize Art Nouveau jewelry, and is instantly recognizable as a piece from this period. It has a floral motif and showcases delicate enamel work. It also shows a woman's profile with soft, flowing lines and gives the appearance that she is intertwined with nature.

CIRCA Participates in Madoff Auction

On November 14th, CIRCA participated in an auction that benefited the victims of Bernie Madoff. We felt obliged to participate in this event to help Madoff's many victims reclaim a small part of what they lost in the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Some of these victims have come to CIRCA because they unfortunately have been forced to sell their jewelry. As someone who has witnessed the devastation that many of these people feel, I think it's fitting that Madoff's estate be sold for their benefit.

The U.S. Marshals auctioned everything from boat buoys to a personalized Mets jacket, which fetched a hefty price. In an effort to participate in some small way, CIRCA purchased this Art Deco diamond and emerald bracelet for an amount that is in excess of the piece's value. The piece is from 1925, and in my opinion, was the standout in a somewhat unimpressive collection. It has six emeralds surrounded by approximately 25 carats of diamonds. It's been mislabeled in the press as an Edwardian bracelet, but this piece has the geometric look that makes it a classic Art Deco piece. Art Deco pieces are very collectible, and often garner a lot of attention at auctions regardless of their previous owners.

In line with the original purpose of purchasing this piece, we would like to maximize the benefit by donating a portion of the resale proceeds to two deserving charities. The first is the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation in Florida, which lost almost $2 million by investing with Bernie Madoff. The second is the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a charity that CIRCA has supported since 2002. We encourage you to visit their websites and consider donating to these two worthy charities this holiday season.

Chris Del Gatto
Chairman & CEO

FOR THE PRESS: Click here for an image of the bracelet

What's in a Name - Van Cleef & Arpels

We recently purchased this Van Cleef & Arpels “Alhambra” Necklace. This is a great example of a trend dictating the value of an item. This is a collection that is red hot right now, so if you’re interested in selling, there couldn’t be a better time!

The Alhambra collection was first introduced in 1974 and has recently seen a strong revival. The word “Alhambra” is borrowed from the Islamic palace in Granada, Spain which is known for its geometric architecture. The Alhambra “clovers” were inspired by the scalloped arches found within the palace and throughout Muslim architecture. This collection also includes rings, bracelets and earrings.

Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the top international jewelry companies, founded in 1896 in France. VCA is associated with quality and an elite style that has adorned the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy, Catherine Deneuve, Audrey Hepburn, and other timeless beauties.

Better with Age - Retro

We recently purchased this beautiful Retro ring. Retro jewelry is from the 1940’s and is often the easiest to identify as it tends to conform to certain aesthetic guidelines. Retro pieces are typically made with large semi-precious stones set in rose gold with diamond and ruby accents. This ring is a classic Retro piece: it’s rose gold with rubies and diamonds and consists of stylized curved lines.

While Art Deco jewelry consumed the 1930’s, when World War II broke out, platinum became scarce and extremely expensive. Since platinum was out of the question for most jewelers, there was a trend towards using yellow, rose and green gold – yes, green gold. It’s a wonderful example of how world events can dictate styles and trends.

What's in a Name - Cartier

We recently purchased this Cartier Trinity Ring. No offense to Shakespeare, but this is a case where the name means everything. Not only is Cartier one of the biggest names in the jewelry industry, but the Trinity collection is one of their most famous and popular collections.

Cartier’s Trinity rings are made up of three interlocking bands: one white gold, one rose gold and one yellow gold. These three colors symbolize friendship, love and fidelity. The original Cartier Trinity ring was introduced in 1924, and since then has taken on many new forms and styles. There are bracelets and diamond encrusted versions, but they all still have that same harmony that the simple tri-colored ring is known for.

This particular ring is a contemporary version of an old classic. Our client sold this piece to help fund the new Prada bag she had been eyeing. Now that’s how to make your old jewelry work for you!

Watch This - Cartier

We recently purchased this lady’s Cartier Tortue watch with diamonds around the face. Certain watch brands command the highest prices on the secondary market, and Cartier is one of those brands. With a reputable name as one of the world’s leading jewelers, and a long history in the watch industry, Cartier watches are well respected and generally very sought after.

Watches always have a higher value if they are sold with their original box and paperwork. Condition also plays an important role in determining the value of a watch. Watches with stretched bracelets, scratched faces, or those that show general signs of wear will bring less money than the same watch in better condition.

This particular watch was in great condition and came with its original box and papers, thus commanding a higher price.

Better with Age - Art Deco

We recently purchased this pair of Art Deco clips signed by the famous French jeweler Mauboussin. Art Deco jewelry spans roughly from 1918-1938, and is one of the most sought after styles of jewelry. It is very popular among collectors due to its powerful aesthetic.

Art Deco jewelry is known for its strong geometric design. It is typically composed of platinum and diamonds and accented with small precious stones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. These clips are made using both round and baguette diamonds and accented with carved emeralds and rubies.

We often pleasantly surprise our clients, who don’t realize the value of their Art Deco jewelry. These clips are particularly valuable not only because of the era in which they were made, but also because of the Mauboussin signature.

The Appraisal Myth

In our continuing effort to bring transparency to the marketplace, we felt that it was time to tackle one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of selling one’s jewelry - the role of the retail replacement appraisal. This is the document that you receive or pay for after you’ve purchased a piece of jewelry. At CIRCA, we spend a lot of time discussing with our clients the significance of appraisals in determining resale value. Here are two of the most common misconceptions:

Misconception 1: The offer you receive for your jewelry should be about 50% of the appraisal value.
Reality: Contrary to popular belief, there is no magic formula to determine what percentage of your appraisal you should “get back” when selling your jewelry. That’s because there is no standard methodology for appraising an item. In fact, we often see differing appraisal values for similar, if not exactly the same, items. Yes, appraisals are important in protecting your purchase, but they can not be used to determine the resale value of that item.

Misconception 2: An appraisal represents the current value of an item.
Reality: An appraisal is obtained primarily for insurance purposes, and represents the replacement value of an item, or what the item can be bought for new, if you should need to replace it because of loss or theft. As such, the appraisal value is typically an inflated number that allows you to replace your jewelry in a retail environment. While appraisals are useful for this purpose, they don’t speak to the actual “value” of the item, meaning what someone is willing to pay for that specific item.

Keep in mind the true value of something, jewelry or otherwise, is always based on supply and demand. Old, rare, or signed pieces of jewelry have high demand and limited supply, thus driving prices up. Lesser quality, mass produced jewelry is readily available, which translates to a lower price.