Art Deco Jade Ring—Need Advice!

[Pinkmartini87]

Hi all, I’m considering this ring below. Around $14000 USD.

Jadeite Jade Art Deco ring - Rocks and Clocks

Platinum, jadeite jade, diamond and enamel ring from the 1920's.the marquise shaped cabochon cut jadeite jade weighs approximately 8 ct. and measures 25 x

www.rocksandclocks.com

Some snapshots from the site:







Pros:
1) I love love the unique look, I’ve a weak spot for Art Deco pieces

Cons
1) I know next to nothing about jade and my newbie eyes think the quality of the jade here isn’t great (not very translucent, too light in color, I see some faint lines on the surface too that I don’t know if it’s wear or something worse).

Questions:
1. Can someone comment on the jade color and quality? And does price seem fair?
2. Does jade wear and tear easily? Do I need to baby it? What are the lines I’m seeing in the photos of the jade above—are they hairline cracks? Color lines? Should I be concerned? Can someone show me via pictures cracks vs other lines that are not cracks in jade? What types of lines other than cracks affect durability?

Thanks!

 

[LilAlex]

Pros:
1) I love love the unique look, I’ve a weak spot for Art Deco pieces

This is the big "Pro" for me, too, for this ring.

I love jadeite and am pretty good looking at it. Color-wise, it's more the apple-green than tending to Imperial. It is mottled, and not very translucent; the experts here would say it looks "dry" and lacks "water." It's big! 8 cts (and 25mm) is big for a jadeite.

Jadeite is tough -- way more durable than that gossamer-and-enamel ring! No worries there. I guess the ring is a little more robust than that when I look at the basket. Not full-on Edwardian tissue-paper.

Not for everyday wear but that ring, though -- hard to even know what's a fair price since it is (simultaneously) unique and iconic.

Put it on hold while you are debating. The jadeite alone is not worth the price, imo, but it would undoubtedly be a joy to own (and wear sparingly).

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Did you add an extra zero by mistake? $1400 is fine! Have at it! Enjoy!

$14000 Nooooooooooooooooo

 

[Pinkmartini87]

This is the big "Pro" for me, too, for this ring.

I love jadeite and am pretty good looking at it. Color-wise, it's more the apple-green than tending to Imperial. It is mottled, and not very translucent; the experts here would say it looks "dry" and lacks "water." It's big! 8 cts (and 25mm) is big for a jadeite.

Jadeite is tough -- way more durable than that gossamer-and-enamel ring! No worries there. I guess the ring is a little more robust than that when I look at the basket. Not full-on Edwardian tissue-paper.

Not for everyday wear but that ring, though -- hard to even know what's a fair price since it is (simultaneously) unique and iconic.

Put it on hold while you are debating. The jadeite alone is not worth the price, imo, but it would undoubtedly be a joy to own (and wear sparingly).

@LilAlex I think you get it too—Can’t say I’ve seen many other jade rings as interesting as this one myself.

I’ve always an unfortunate taste in jewelry where I’m hopelessly “seeing the forest but missing the trees”—I like the whole look of this ring so much, but truly am an ignoramus when it comes down to the individual components. So I probably usually end up overpaying compared to the other more level-headed PSers here, although often still pleased with my acquisitions, being the simple fool I am .

 

[Pinkmartini87]

Did you add an extra zero by mistake? $1400 is fine! Have at it! Enjoy!

$14000 Nooooooooooooooooo

Haha no unfortunately it is a 5 digit ring. If it had been $1400 I would have snatched it up and then gloated about it here.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Haha no unfortunately it is a 5 digit ring. If it had been $1400 I would have snatched it up and then gloated about it here.

You are really really really really really overpaying!!!! I respect your right to overpay but this is insane levels of overpaying!!!

That said, do you love it beyond rationality? I can vaguely understand that as long as you know you’re paying for the feels and not the product. Sometimes we just need the feels.

 

[LilAlex]

I like the whole look of this ring so much...

I agree with this and that's the unquantifiable part, imo. So many rings are commoditized and I think "gem value + $3K" or whatever. But for real Art Deco or Nouveau or even iconic MCM, it is less about the intrinsic value to me. How much would it cost to find another and how many years would it take? How heartsick would you be if you saw it marked SOLD? I wouldn't eat beans and rice for a year to own it (although that sounds kinda good right now) but if it's easily in the budget to the extent that you would ask opinions here, then only you can answer.

You can see if they will move by 30% -- but even then there are those here who would howl. If it were a nothing ring, I'd say it's 3X too high. I honestly don't know what that ring "should" cost!

If you had just posted that navette and not that ring, I'd have had a much shorter answer.

 

[LilAlex]

From 1st Dibs (not where I shop but not terrible for seeing if you are truly off by an order of magnitude; search terms jadeite navette):



I don't like any of those at all -- the jade or the ring (and I do not know which are even "A" jade). I sorted all 600+ jade rings by descending down your price-point.

I see these:




The spendiest one is clearly better jade. The Deco one is nowhere near as pretty as the one you like, imo.

Clearly there are a million rings not shown there.

I have a horse in this race. We hesitated and lost a lovely jadeite ring some years back. Much smaller and nicer jadeite but a sort of nothing ring.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@mellowyellowgirl Thank you—I’m on Ps so that folks with more knowledge can give it to me straight, so I really appreciate you!

@LilAlex I totally relate to you! Thanks for doing some 1st Dibs homework on my behalf. Sorry for your loss years ago—the ones that got away are the ones we never quite forget, and who’s to say we don’t end up “paying” more for it in the end by trying to chase/reproduce some inferior phantom of that initial desire?

I’m going to sleep on it. First world problems for sure.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@Pinkmartini87 I dramatically overpaid for one of my rings. Cost me the earth! I would never do it again but I do love the ring and I could never reproduce it! So it’s not like I haven’t done stuff like that!!! Don’t get my started on my IF diamond either (mistakes of my youth but I wanted what I wanted at that point in my life).

Whatever you do, as long as you love it and your heart skips a beat when you wear it, then it’s worth it.

 

[Timor]

The style is fab but the jadeite not so much! Do you think you can go custom in a similar vibe? I would say the price is way over the material value, but if the design is “the one” for you and the the wallet is deep enough then I guess whatever makes your heart happy

 

[Crimson]

@Pinkmartini87, I agree with @mellowyellowgirl ans @LilAlex. The asking price is much too high.
Hete is some info I shared this earlier on another thread. Hope it is helpful here!
Top jadeite should glow indoors and not just out in the sun. Of course, the sunlight will intensify whatever glow the jadeite inherently has. It’s important however to know that some lower quality, treated jadeite can fluoresce, because of the resin that is used in treatment.
Below is an image from Sohu.com that shows the desired features of top quality jadeite. From the left, the columns are:
Nong, which means saturation or intensity. The column goes down from high to low.
Xian Yang, meaning liveliness, vibrancy and brightness. Again, down the column, you will see decreasing/less desirable levels of vibrancy and liveliness.
Zheng, the extent to which it is the highest standard — the desired shade of green. Besides imperial green, sun green is also highly regarded.
Cun - evenness , with no inclusions or blotches.
Besides the above, there is Zhong, which refers to origin. It’s not geographic origin, but refers to texture. The most desirable texture is Old Pit, which is the finest. Texture also relates to transparency or translucency. There are many terms for this, from peas/beans to glutinous, hibiscus, icy, and glassy (the best).
When all the desirable features are present, the jadeite will command a higher price. For cabochons, there are certain standards such as proportion and thickness.

i agree with @Timor the style of the ring is nice, but the jadeite doesn’t justify that price.
To answer your other question, jade is the toughest gemstone. This is toughness (ability to withstand knocks and breaking) as opposed to hardness (Resistance to scratching.).
You might also like to look at this post and the thread on which it was posted.

 

[dk168]

Did you add an extra zero by mistake? $1400 is fine! Have at it! Enjoy!

$14000 Nooooooooooooooooo

That's my opinion too, way over priced at 14k USD!!!

The jade is not that good to be worth that much IMHO.

The most I would pay for it is probably 4k USD.

DK

 

[Crimson]

Here is a navette jadeite ring thar is around the same price as the one that you are considering,. It has a higher quality stone. The price is in Singapore dollars.

Navette Jadeite Diamond Ring

18KW Jadeite Diamond Ring 1 Jadeite 12 Tapered-0.234CTS 44 Diamonds-1.512CTS Ring Size: HK16

bennysgems.com

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Here is a navette jadeite ring thar is around the same price as the one that you are considering,. It has a higher quality stone. The price is in Singapore dollars.

Navette Jadeite Diamond Ring

18KW Jadeite Diamond Ring 1 Jadeite 12 Tapered-0.234CTS 44 Diamonds-1.512CTS Ring Size: HK16

bennysgems.com

That’s so pretty!!! I’ve never been into that shape but that ring is gorgeous!

 

[Crimson]

That’s so pretty!!! I’ve never been into that shape but that ring is gorgeous!

Yes, quite flattering - makes fingers look longer! This one takes the cake (and of course costs more). The ring has a similar shape but with an oval cab.

Blessed Affluence Jadeite Diamond Ring - On Cheong Jewellery

On Cheong Jewellery offers a wide suite of jewellery ranging from bracelets to earrings, jadeite to sapphires! Each piece is intricately crafted only by experienced craftsmen to ensure your pieces will last the test of time and cherished for generations.

oncheong.com

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@Timor Thanks! I tend to shy away from antique reproductions; I’ve not yet found a local bench that is able to do the original piece justice. I’ve only seen what I call “bad sequels” when it comes to antique-inspired pieces here locally.

@Crimson Thanks for the very helpful chart and helping me to look around. I definitely see the superior jade in the pieces you linked. For me, having an antique jade jewelry piece however is a must, hence I’m struggling a bit.

@dk168 Thanks for weighing in! I think the consensus is pretty strong here that this piece is overpriced for the components, helpful for me to know.

I suppose I’ll have to decide if I want to overpay to get exactly this look.

 

[lala646]

@Pinkmartini87 I agree with most here that the ring feels very overpriced for the components. But we all also know antique jewelry is never just about the components. I would say, if the jeweler has a return policy, see it in person. Then you will know if it moves your heart enough to justify the price. If there isn't a good return policy, I would be verrrrryyyyy hesitant. That's not a "take a risk and see what you get" price.

 

[Neptune]

@Pinkmartini87 I agree with most here that the ring feels very overpriced for the components. But we all also know antique jewelry is never just about the components...

+1

 

[cloud_less]

I recently overpaid 3X for an art deco ring (a design without a "valuable" main stone no less) just because I knew it would be very hard to find another one. For me a genuinely unique antique piece brings happiness while a reproduction just doesn't cut it.

It appears that this vendor is located in the Netherlands. Would that make it hard for you to see the ring in real life? There's also the ~5% import duty to consider.

If you are dead set on the ring I would try to negotiate the price. Usually there are some rooms for antique dealers. For most "higher-end" dealers I've seen their asking price being 3-5 times what they paid for the stock. Perhaps try aiming for 30% off like @LilAlex suggested?

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@cloud_less ”For me a genuinely unique antique piece brings happiness while a reproduction just doesn't cut it.” My thoughts exactly!

High end antique jewelry has always been priced accordingly. However, in the last two decades, I’ve seen a surge in prices for mid and even lower tier antique jewelry as well due to newfound general interest in this niche. For instance, I remember in the 90s one could quite easily locate and purchase a genuine higher (15ct+) karat Victorian gypsy gemstone cabochon gold ring for well under $500 USD, and now not only do reproductions abound, even a lower 9k gypsy ring goes for that same $ range if not more. Even for common designs like the gypsy rings, I’ve usually seen mark ups of at least 3-4x at B&M vs what the same design would go for on eBay, etc. For me if I pay the B&M premium, it’s usually for peace of mind (ie knowing I’m getting a real antique instead of a reproduction), ie my commission to the B&M for their knowledge. Although for the more common design or less pricy items, I don’t usually feel the need to pay for this vote of confidence/B&M’s curating abilities.

Where I struggle is with the big ticket items. For the rarer models, it can be truly hard to know what the “market price” for those are, but IMHO the markups (if one can even call it that if there are no truly similar pieces to compare them to to gauge market value) are often 5-6x or more I would guess, in some cases the retail value even approaches full insurance replacement value.

All I can say is, when it comes to antique jewelry, the rarer a piece/design is, the more the math of its mere components does not simply add up: 2 + 2 does NOT equal 4. When done and preserved well, beauty, rarity, and age carry a premium in addition to the actual material/components. The hard part for us buyers is to know just what is a reasonable premium in those cases.

 

[Crimson]

All I can say is, when it comes to antique jewelry, the rarer a piece/design is, the more the math of its mere components does not simply add up: 2 + 2 does NOT equal 4. When done and preserved well, beauty, rarity, and age carry a premium in addition to the actual material/components. The hard part for us buyers is to know just what is a reasonable premium in those cases.

I agree. It might be helpful look at other vintage pieces with jadeite, or art deco designs, to get a feel for what a fair price might be, Here is a site that has several jadeite, art deco and art nouveau pieces, just for comparison.

Jade Jewellery Singapore | Gem Gardener

Slowly collected, finely curated. Fine, Vintage & Antique jade jewellery Singapore. Certified Type A jadeite & natural jade, no exceptions.

www.gemgardener.com

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@Crimson Thanks for much for taking the time to share the link.

This is just me, but to me some of these pieces on the site don’t look like genuine antiques, more antique-inspired, which is fine if that’s what they are going for. For instance, these earrings below have quite clunky settings and perhaps too uniform in details suggesting cast rather than hand made settings. Also unusual to mix different colored metals in most Deco pieces. Deco was all about a smooth, streamlined look. The closed back of the jade pieces is also an odd touch (like a mingling of Georgian inspired).

Art Deco Jade Ruby Diamond Earrings Dangle | Gem Gardener

Fine dangle Jade Ruby Diamond Earrings in 18k. Due to its luminous quality, this is the deep green tone that has very often been sold as imperial green jade.

www.gemgardener.com

 

[glitterata]

High end antique jewelry has always been priced accordingly. However, in the last two decades, I’ve seen a surge in prices for mid and even lower tier antique jewelry as well due to newfound general interest in this niche.

Yes. While there still are bargains to be had if you search hard and REALLY know what you're looking at, I'm glad I bought the things I did decades ago. I only wish I'd splurged on more jewels that seemed expensive at the time and are now completely out of reach for me.

 

[Crimson]

Yes, they indicate on the s

@Crimson Thanks for much for taking the time to share the link.

This is just me, but to me some of these pieces on the site don’t look like genuine antiques, more antique-inspired, which is fine if that’s what they are going for. For instance, these earrings below have quite clunky settings and perhaps too uniform in details suggesting cast rather than hand made settings. Also unusual to mix different colored metals in most Deco pieces. Deco was all about a smooth, streamlined look. The closed back of the jade pieces is also an odd touch (like a mingling of Georgian inspired).

Art Deco Jade Ruby Diamond Earrings Dangle | Gem Gardener

Fine dangle Jade Ruby Diamond Earrings in 18k. Due to its luminous quality, this is the deep green tone that has very often been sold as imperial green jade.

www.gemgardener.com

Yes, they indicate on their front page that some are inspired by vintage (and from their bench), some are vintage and some antique. So it takes some filtering and browsing. Of course not all the vintage or antique pieces will be of the same period or inspiration. There is a lot of Straits Chinese jewellery which tends to be a mix of East and West.

 

[LilAlex]

I'm wondering: are bleach and acid safe for other gems? Or is this a little-known fact about jade?

 

[Pinkmartini87]

I'm wondering: are bleach and acid safe for other gems? Or is this a little-known fact about jade?

I think jade is porous, so perhaps more susceptible? (At least that’s the idea behind Gwyneth Paltrow and her jade Goop eggs, the concept of which I personally find ridiculous, but hilarious nonetheless)

(Not sure if you are asking seriously or merely making a joke lol. First time I find myself using bleach and gems in the same sentence anyway )

 

[LilAlex]

(Not sure if you are asking seriously or merely making a joke lol

I was just teasing the bot until someone makes it go away