How much is too much?

[GeorgieQ]

I realise that this is a tricky question to answer because jewellery and cost is subjective!
I've been on the look out for a (vintage/antique) rose gold trombone link bracelet and I came across something else that has really caught my eye, but so has the price tag. I've found a 10k rose gold watch chain by the Martin Copeland Company, circa 1920's. It's gorgeous and appears to be in lovely condition, but at 7.8 grams once I do the conversion from usd to aud plus 10% gst, it ends up being around $107 per gram, which is a lot more than I would normally pay ($55 - $70 per gram hits a bit easier!). I think it's well priced from a US point of view and if I was buying with usd I wouldn't hesitate.
Do you think that provenance and being (almost) antique makes an item worth paying a bit more for? Thanks in advance to anyone who answers!

 

[LilAlex]

You pay for beauty. The difference is a few hundred bucks. I didn't check your math.

I don't look at antique jewelry based on melt value. Think of all the beautiful Edwardian and Art Deco platinum work out there, etc.

 

[GeorgieQ]

You pay for beauty. The difference is a few hundred bucks. I didn't check your math.

I don't look at antique jewelry based on melt value. Think of all the beautiful Edwardian and Art Deco platinum work out there, etc.

Yes that's what I was thinking. The value is in the beauty and craftsmanship of the item rather than it's dollar value per gram. Thanks @LilAlex

 

[Bron357]

Antique pieces with more unusual links always command a higher price.
If you are buying a bracelet, you’re most likely buying a fob chain that’s been broken up Ie made into two bracelets. So from my perspective that greatly diminishes the “premium / antique ness” of the piece.
I wouldn’t pay $700 odd dollars for a 8 gram 9ct gold bracelet that was made from a fob chain, may as well buy a modern one in the style.

 

[GeorgieQ]

Thanks for that @Bron357 I was hoping you'd pop in! It's called a Waldemar watch chain so it hasn't been broken up, it's still entire, it's 13 3/4" so it would wrap around the wrist twice for a bracelet. It has an albert swivel clasp at one end and a spring ring clasp on the other end. With gst it ends up around the $800 aud mark so it isn't cheap. I haven't approached the seller as yet so I'm not sure if they'd be open to negotiation, it has been listed since Nov last year, so they might be. Even so with the usd to aud conversion rate it's a lot more than I was intending to spend, though I am sorely tempted.

 

[Bron357]

Thanks for that @Bron357 I was hoping you'd pop in! It's called a Waldemar watch chain so it hasn't been broken up, it's still entire, it's 13 3/4" so it would wrap around the wrist twice for a bracelet. It has an albert swivel clasp at one end and a spring ring clasp on the other end. With gst it ends up around the $800 aud mark so it isn't cheap. I haven't approached the seller as yet so I'm not sure if they'd be open to negotiation, it has been listed since Nov last year, so they might be. Even so with the usd to aud conversion rate it's a lot more than I was intending to spend, though I am sorely tempted.

That’s good to hear.
often times the chains are split into two to make bracelets as they aren’t long enough for a necklace.
Has it any hallmarks other than the 10kt?
Just be aware that many chains were produced as gold plate/ gold fill and you don’t want to be paying $800 for that!

 

[GeorgieQ]

Thanks @Bron357 next to the 10k stamp it has the makers mark, though both marks are on the albert swivel, not the chain itself. The seller has both an IG page and Etsy with positive reviews, so I'm fairly confident that it is what they're saying it is. It's just the currency conversion that really is a killer. I think I'll sleep on it.