How to determine the value of antique rings?

[brut]

I'm in search of the perfect engagement ring for my wonderful girlfriend. Looking at everything from new rb to emerald and radiant. Also considering some antique options...we're open to anything really. Feel free to throw in your two cents

I was looking at this ring http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.c...d-Cut/21738776_2p45Qv#!i=1733126642&k=xJr5gkH, but curious how to judge the value of an antique ring like this one. Any thoughts? Also welcome thoughts about the crack mentioned.

BTW, been reading this forum all day, you folks are an amazing group.

 

[Mayk]

Re: Hot to determine the value of antique rings?

Call Grace and ask her... She's awesome and she will tell you straight... In my opinion...

 

[brut]

Re: Hot to determine the value of antique rings?

Sorry, just noticed the title is "Hot to determine". While I'm certainly eager to, I am by no means Hot to determine the value Oops! I would like advice on "How to determine the value of antique rings and diamonds." Thanks!

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Hot to determine the value of antique rings?

You can Erica Grace. The side diamond is cracked on this ring though. It is NOT a good candidate for every day wear.

 

[vinjewels]

Re: Hot to determine the value of antique rings?

Gypsy, I was looking at this one just out of curiousity... (don't worry brut, I do NOT have the funds to buy ANY more jewelry).
Wouldn't he be able to replace the diamond and it still be a good deal? I was looking at comps for it on OWD and they are not that expensive.
Just a thought. This is a pretty substantial three stone for the price (and maybe the cost of replacing the cracked diamond?)
Good luck with the search brut!

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Hot to determine the value of antique rings?

Gypsy, I was looking at this one just out of curiousity... (don't worry brut, I do NOT have the funds to buy ANY more jewelry).
Wouldn't he be able to replace the diamond and it still be a good deal? I was looking at comps for it on OWD and they are not that expensive.
Just a thought. This is a pretty substantial three stone for the price (and maybe the cost of replacing the cracked diamond?)
Good luck with the search brut!

The problem with replacing old cuts is the faceting and appearance matches. If he could do it with a jeweler that has a lot of stock in person he would be able to find a nice stone as a replacement that has the same crown height and faceting. But there really aren't many jewelers that have that kind of stock (I know of 2) and if you aren't in person then you have to send your ring to them and depend on them for a match, and that's work. I'm not saying that it's not worth it, but it is something to be aware of.

Replacing an old cut is nothing like replacing an RB.

 

[SparklyOEC]

Re: Hot to determine the value of antique rings?

If you really like this ring, call Erica or Grace and ask if they have a replacement stone for the cracked stone that will match the other 2. They're both amazing to work with and will help you with this if they can.

ETA: Agree with Gypsy about it being hard to find a replacement stone which is why I suggested going through them first.

 

[oldminer]

Since the qualitative report is mine, I am familair with the ring. It could be safely enjoyed as-is and worn without a problem, but JBEG is indicating you can buy it with the two higher clarity diamonds and they can arrange to supply a third stone to match up of a better clarity (for an increased price, of course) Eith way, I recall this was a great looking item.

 

[denverappraiser]

Perhaps I don’t understand your question. What do you mean by ‘value? I presume it’s for sale and there’s an asking price so in one sense you’ve already got it. If you want to know what you could reasonably be expected to replace it for in the case of a loss, ie. an insurance replacement valuation, you may be able to hire Dave to write up a report about that since he’s already inspected the piece. If you are asking what a similar thing might cost elsewhere you need to nail down the variables like whether you want to replace the stone in question and what it'll cost, and then go shopping. It’s a little harder on things like this than with' new' items but there IS a market out there and they DO have competitors. It’s certainly possible an appraiser could be of assistance with this but a lot of it you can simply do yourself by poking around. Lastly, if you’re looking to see if JBEG will sell it for a lower price, ask ‘em. They’re pretty straight up folks. Sometimes they have room to negotiate and sometimes not but I’m sure they’ll be happy to address the question.

 

[brut]

What do you mean by ‘value? I presume it’s for sale and there’s an asking price so in one sense you’ve already got it. If you want to know what you could reasonably be expected to replace it for in the case of a loss, ie. an insurance replacement valuation, you may be able to hire Dave to write up a report about that since he’s already inspected the piece. If you are asking what a similar thing might cost elsewhere you need to nail down the variables like whether you want to replace the stone in question and what it'll cost, and then go shopping.

Thanks for all the replies! I'm learning a great deal from this forum. To answer your question, by "value" I mean exactly that, how would one determine the value of an antique ring such as this. Wondering things such as if antique stones have inherently more value than new, etc.

From all the good things I've heard, I'm sure her prices are fair, and I'm not really looking for ammo to talk her down, but I like doing a lot of research and was looking for some direction as to where to do that. Your suggestion of talking to an appraiser is a good one, and now I've also noticed she mentions there's an appraisal available. Guess I'll start there, and maybe contact Dave if she thinks it's the one. We're still in the looky-loo phase, but are ready to buy if we find the right thing.

Thanks again for all the replies!