Estate Junkies, what is your rubric…

[nala]

I have almost finished my inventory of all my pieces. I itemized 124 total and prob have 30 or so to go. As I do this, I separate what I deem to be heirlooms from what i deem to be casual wear—meaning I wear these pieces and don’t worry about babying them, tho I’m always careful. My casuals get the most wear. My heirlooms are in the vault but as I write this, I think to myself—start enjoying them!! Ok. Just gave myself permission to do so, lol.

As I move forward in my collecting obsession—I won’t stop, why claim that I will—I want to establish a rubric for future pieces.
So far, I think I have been buying:
A. What jumps out at me as rare or artistic in design
B. Art deco. Retro. Victorian. Any era piece
C. Deals—as in paying maybe gold weight plus up to 50 percent (most of my casual pieces fall under this—especially bands)
D. Diamond shapes I don’t have
E. Finger coverage

Please share yours!

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I have been inventorying my collection, too, as a way to learn Excel. If anyone has a template that can include a picture, please share!

Another plus is that I want my daughter to know if something is fine or costume when the time comes, and if she needs or wants to sell something, that she has the paperwork—receipt, description and possible certification.

On my wish list are old gemstone eternity bands. Very hard to find in a size 8!

Unheated untreated is also something I look for in gemstones.

I also ‘remodel’ jewelry by resetting stones, so look for old settings And wonderful gemstones.

I will take a risk sometimes on a beautiful stone that seduces me and I think the seller doesn’t know what they have. Latest example was when I visited Dallas over the holidays and went to a second hand ‘jewelry exchange.’ They had an ‘orange‘ sapphire that looked fluorescent and neon and orange/pink. I took it to a local appraiser who verified that it was a sapphire, so now it’s off to GIA. (I would have sent it to AGL but came home to a ‘needs boot disk’ computer fail, so am currently without a working printer, and my local jeweler will only send to GIA).

 

[nala]

That is just yum!
I did forget settings, lol! Always on the hunt for those with the end goal to to create an heirloom piece.
I’m using this bound book. Not too sophisticated but I do enter a good description.

 

[LilAlex]

I want my daughter to know if something is fine or costume when the time comes, and if she needs or wants to sell something, that she has the paperwork—receipt, description and possible certification.

Our list is not long but spouse recently asked me to do this for this very reason.

We recently divided up a relative's modest jewelry many years after she passed -- it took that long to get everyone in the same room.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

Our list is not long but spouse recently asked me to do this for this very reason.

We recently divided up a relative's modest jewelry many years after she passed -- it took that long to get everyone in the same room.

I have heard too many stories from estate dealers whose friend bought a sapphire from a family, suspecting it was kashmir or Burmese or Ceylon, but not saying so. The dealer certs it after they own it, and crow to their friends about their score.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

I've been thinking about this lately. For the last year or so, I've worn only rose gold and can't imagine going back to any other colours. Everything else is just a hoard, and not an accretion to my skin. Sounds a little loopy. But I can't justify owning things anymore, just to bring them out to admire them in my own little museum collection, and never really wear. It's a bad habit for me, wanton acquisition. I was a magpie.

I had to stop.

Hence, new rules for my addiction are in play. Rose gold only, but varying shades of rose (blush, peach, etc) are sought. Prefer antique settings, but since they're hard to find second-hand, sometimes modern settings are an acceptable choice until I eventually find an oldie.

As for diamonds, they must be real antique, with natural unpolished girdle and visible culet. Flea bites, chips, naturals, all good. The wonkier, the better. Symmetry irrelevant, low colour welcome, size unimportant, but clarity is super crucial. No visibles.

For other stones, cabochons (which I suppose includes rose cut diamonds) are the only ones that capture me, and inclusions welcome! (Yah, I know it makes no sense). Opal, moonstone, amethyst, labradorite, and pastel sapphire, are on my shopping list now.

I've been rocking a bracelet stack that I just adore every day, and the sense of satisfaction is inexplicable. Love it. Want more. Small precious beads, but no pearls. String should be pastel colour rather than plain white. If it's "classic" or minimalist, it doesn't work.

The good news for my budget is that rose gold that looks right with my existing stack is hard to find. The bad news for my impatient heart is that rose gold that looks right with my existing stack is hard to find. So the bottomless pit of gnawing hunger for new pieces may be ever-present, but is also kept to a low roar.

 

[lala646]

<whispers> Not to derail this thread, but @PreRaphaelite if you ever decide to part with any of your YG pieces, please let me know. There's a ring of yours I'm bonkers in love with.

 

[Mreader]

<whispers> Not to derail this thread, but @PreRaphaelite if you ever decide to part with any of your YG pieces, please let me know. There's a ring of yours I'm bonkers in love with.

I think everybody was thinking the same thing so glad Lala said it lol!

 

[Mreader]

I've been thinking about this lately. For the last year or so, I've worn only rose gold and can't imagine going back to any other colours. Everything else is just a hoard, and not an accretion to my skin. Sounds a little loopy. But I can't justify owning things anymore, just to bring them out to admire them in my own little museum collection, and never really wear. It's a bad habit for me, wanton acquisition. I was a magpie.

I had to stop.

Hence, new rules for my addiction are in play. Rose gold only, but varying shades of rose (blush, peach, etc) are sought. Prefer antique settings, but since they're hard to find second-hand, sometimes modern settings are an acceptable choice until I eventually find an oldie.

As for diamonds, they must be real antique, with natural unpolished girdle and visible culet. Flea bites, chips, naturals, all good. The wonkier, the better. Symmetry irrelevant, low colour welcome, size unimportant, but clarity is super crucial. No visibles.

For other stones, cabochons (which I suppose includes rose cut diamonds) are the only ones that capture me, and inclusions welcome! (Yah, I know it makes no sense). Opal, moonstone, amethyst, labradorite, and pastel sapphire, are on my shopping list now.

I've been rocking a bracelet stack that I just adore every day, and the sense of satisfaction is inexplicable. Love it. Want more. Small precious beads, but no pearls. String should be pastel colour rather than plain white. If it's "classic" or minimalist, it doesn't work.

The good news for my budget is that rose gold that looks right with my existing stack is hard to find. The bad news for my impatient heart is that rose gold that looks right with my existing stack is hard to find. So the bottomless pit of gnawing hunger for new pieces may be ever-present, but is also kept to a low roar.

This is so beautifully worded! I love that you have gotten to the heart of what you want

 

[lala646]

I think everybody was thinking the same thing so glad Lala said it lol!

Omg, I immediately felt like an a**, so thank you for this.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Actually laughed out loud so thank you for that! And shall honour the rules of the forum by not addressing this here! I'm very flattered and I do thank you!

 

[chere]

My rule: Patience! Something better will come along.

I made my inventory in Excel and I have it saved to Google Drive. I added pictures, hyperlinks and files (insert object, display as Icon). I thought about what I might need if I had to make a claim while traveling, if I wanted to sell the piece or if I lost hard copies of my documents and certificates for whatever reason.

Taking pictures and embedded them into Excel was the easy part and took a weekend to do. But cleaning up my collection (selling, repairs and resets) and figuring out how to divide up the remaining pieces “fairly” has taken me over a year. My collection is small and it has been a very hard process.

My template looks something like this at the moment. I circled how to add pictures, links and files.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

My rule: Patience! Something better will come along.

I made my inventory in Excel and I have it saved to Google Drive. I added pictures, hyperlinks and files (insert object, display as Icon). I thought about what I might need if I had to make a claim while traveling, if I wanted to sell the piece or if I lost hard copies of my documents and certificates for whatever reason.

Taking pictures and embedded them into Excel was the easy part and took a weekend to do. But cleaning up my collection (selling, repairs and resets) and figuring out how to divide up the remaining pieces “fairly” has taken me over a year. My collection is small and it has been a very hard process.

My template looks something like this at the moment. I circled how to add pictures, links and files.

Thank you for the example. When I add pictures, they are tiny. I know I can figure this out!

 

[chere]

Thank you for the example. When I add pictures, they are tiny. I know I can figure this out!

I think I can help with this one!

Click on the image, look for Format on the Tool Bar ribbon and there should be Size option somewhere on the right. Or right click on the image, select Size and Properties.

 

[LorettaB]

I have been inventorying my collection, too, as a way to learn Excel. If anyone has a template that can include a picture, please share!

Another plus is that I want my daughter to know if something is fine or costume when the time comes, and if she needs or wants to sell something, that she has the paperwork—receipt, description and possible certification.

On my wish list are old gemstone eternity bands. Very hard to find in a size 8!

Unheated untreated is also something I look for in gemstones.

I also ‘remodel’ jewelry by resetting stones, so look for old settings And wonderful gemstones.

I will take a risk sometimes on a beautiful stone that seduces me and I think the seller doesn’t know what they have. Latest example was when I visited Dallas over the holidays and went to a second hand ‘jewelry exchange.’ They had an ‘orange‘ sapphire that looked fluorescent and neon and orange/pink. I took it to a local appraiser who verified that it was a sapphire, so now it’s off to GIA. (I would have sent it to AGL but came home to a ‘needs boot disk’ computer fail, so am currently without a working printer, and my local jeweler will only send to GIA).

I just have to say....I love your band! I have its twin!!

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I just have to say....I love your band! I have its twin!!

YAY! Twins. I just saw this. Don't you love the band?

 

[Cerulean]

I have been inventorying my collection, too, as a way to learn Excel. If anyone has a template that can include a picture, please share!

Another plus is that I want my daughter to know if something is fine or costume when the time comes, and if she needs or wants to sell something, that she has the paperwork—receipt, description and possible certification.

On my wish list are old gemstone eternity bands. Very hard to find in a size 8!

Unheated untreated is also something I look for in gemstones.

I also ‘remodel’ jewelry by resetting stones, so look for old settings And wonderful gemstones.

I will take a risk sometimes on a beautiful stone that seduces me and I think the seller doesn’t know what they have. Latest example was when I visited Dallas over the holidays and went to a second hand ‘jewelry exchange.’ They had an ‘orange‘ sapphire that looked fluorescent and neon and orange/pink. I took it to a local appraiser who verified that it was a sapphire, so now it’s off to GIA. (I would have sent it to AGL but came home to a ‘needs boot disk’ computer fail, so am currently without a working printer, and my local jeweler will only send to GIA).

holy smokes, what a score! dying to see the GIA when it comes back!!!!

im also a size 8...(really more an 8.25) and would kill for a sapphire french cut eternity or 2. the only one ive ever seen that was truly what i wouldve wanted AND in my size was badly damaged...