Antique earrings - should we go for it?

[LJsapphire]

Happened across a small jewellers in Birmingham today, they had a lot of antique stuff. We went in because a ruby flower ring caught my eye, very similar to my engagement ring. But it was a reproduction/recreation and although the ruby was a lovely stone and the flower was very pretty, there was no more detail. It was just a plain shank. The lady behind the desk admired my engagement ring.
My fiancé asked about earrings because we have been looking for some to complement my engagement ring. She had these which were very close.
18 carat white gold and yellow gold. The backs were screw on, with a threaded post, so she said that was a sign of their age. She even let me try one in my ear, she said she could sterilise it again.
I didn't get a photo of them on their own. At £1100 my fiancé thought they were a little overpriced given their condition but he might be able to haggle.

 

[LJsapphire]

I probably haven't got enough information or good enough photos to be able to tell, sorry.

 

[natasha-cupcake]

The sapphires in the earrings look a lot darker than the one in your ring. Is that what you saw in real life?

 

[RosieR]

They are nice earrings @LJsapphire but I would need more information about the sapphire to be able to make a decision. What’s the carat weight colour clarity of the diamonds? Are the diamonds old cuts? Is the sapphire treated or even synthetic? What’s the carat weight of he sapphire and what’s its origin?
If they are true antiques with untreated unseated sapphire it’s a good price. I tried on something similar last year at the antiques for everyone fair at the NEC. The sapphires were untreated unheated and the diamonds are 0.60 in each ear. Please note the price, but with it being the fair, you are supposed to haggle.

 

[Bron357]

Bit confused, the price tag says £2,195?
If the price is £1,100 that’s a fair price IF the Antique store will give you a receipt confirming Natural earth mined diamonds and natural sapphires AND before you buy them you buy a Loupe (or borrow the shops one) and check the diamonds and sapphires for obviously flaws and chips. If you can see “stuff” under magnification in the sapphires, that’s usually a confirmation of being natural. Flawless is a red flag ie probably synthetic. You can’t assume being old they are natural, synthetics have been around over 100 years and while the setting is old who is to say someone didn’t change out gems.
Check that all the stones are secure, use a fingernail and see if any of the stones move under your fingernail with slight pressure (prong work can be expensive).
If you want to make an offer, make a fair offer slightly below what you’d like to pay.
If the ticket price is £1,100, I’d offer £950 and hopefully get them for £999!
Then obviously you can take them to someone who can examine them properly, if they aren’t as per the receipt, take them back for a refund!

 

[LJsapphire]

@Bron357 those aren’t the earrings I was looking at. They were posted by @RosieR.

In the shop the sapphires looked a similar colour. My ring is catching the light in the photo but the earring isn’t. When they were next to each other at about 30cm from my face they both look dark blue with a flash of lighter blue.

I think we need to go back with more time to see them. My fiancé has the details but she couldn’t tell us much about the diamonds. I will make sure he finds out more if he goes back. I’m hoping he doesn’t go back in secret to surprise me like he did with my ring.

It was only a quick look in the shop as we were visiting the Christmas market and we were with my son and fiancés mother.

 

[Bron357]

Ah, get it now. Rosie’s ones are lovely.
The problem with darker sapphires being bezel set and up against the earlobe, they nearly always look “black” as not much light can get to them.
Pretty, but you’d want to make sure they are natural not synthetic and use to Loupe to check the diamonds for obvious imperfections.

 

[LJsapphire]

If he goes back I will send him with questions. He asked how long they had them for, and I think he thinks they won't be sold before we go back.