WWPSD? 50ct Emerald & Dia necklace dismantled...

[diamondseeker2006]

I think it is worth a lot more than $150k if it is platinum with diamonds and emeralds of the quality those appear to be. A lot more. I think I vote for selling intact but would talk with Sotheby's and Christie's first.

Without AGL or perhaps even a GIA report (which I wouldn't do- go with AGL for emeralds) there is no way to speculate pricing. If those are treated or syn emeralds then the necklace would be well under your estimate. Art deco pieces are well known to have syn's placed in them as they were popular and very expensive at the time. If the necklace was newer then treatment on emeralds was/ is also very popular.

OP if you are just checking out your options for selling I would contact whoever you are comfortable with to let them see the piece. However, until you have an actual lab report on the emeralds no one (not even a GIA graded gemologist/ appraiser) can tell you treatment, which has a huge impact on pricing. Keep this in mind because your mother may have zero interest in selling the necklace for 20k if the emeralds are heavily treated or syn, but if they come back oiled or more favorable the price will go way up so perhaps selling will seem more interesting to her. Regardless you can't really know pricing until you know exactly what you got. Goodluck!

She certainly would have to have an appraisal before considering selling, and I am pretty sure Christie's and Sotheby's have appraisal services. I think I have read that GIA won't grade gems set in jewelry??? I don't think she needs lab reports on the individual emeralds. There are high end appraisal services that are respected and can set a value on this piece without taking it apart if they want to consider selling intact. I would just suspect that someone who'd set these gems in platinum and diamonds probably didn't use fake emeralds. But obviously there are professionals who can determine that.The platinum setting with 22 cts of G VS diamonds alone is likely worth quite a bit more more than $20k.

Just saw your latest post, Two4. I'd certainly love having one of those emeralds (with some of the diamonds) if I were in that position! I can already imagine my plan for it! Mine would be a deco pendant made by Victor Canera!!! So if you have any left over, I'll be happy to be adopted into the family!

 

[distracts]

AGL will issue reports on set gems.

 

[missy]

Depending on the gemological report I would not break this piece up. If no one in the family wants it then I would sell at auction and split the proceeds with the nine women. They can then go and purchase a piece they love and will wear and it still will be a gift from their relative. That's what I would do. I wouldn't break up a valuable heirloom if that is what this proves to be. Then someone will get to enjoy it as is and perhaps pass it down to their future generations while your family can also enjoy what they purchase from the proceeds and hopefully pass it on to their future generations. A win win.

Good luck with your decision. It is a beautiful necklace.

 

[partgypsy]

I am torn about this.
Breaking up the piece:
Con: I love emeralds, but not everyone likes, enjoys, or feels comfortable wearing emeralds. I would hate that your mom broke it up, but half of the people it was intended to be gifted to, don't want or intend to wear the emerald. Mom should really have a heart to heart what the children prefer, and that they really be honest, if they would rather have the stone or the portion of the proceeds.

If it was sold as is, then the person buying I'm sure would wear it, as it was intended.

You will lose a lot of the value of the piece by breaking it up. People don't typically buy platinum for melt value, or diamonds of that size, so that and the craftmanship will be lost. It puts the emeralds at risk for damage when setting and unsetting (not terribly high because they are prong set, but still).

Pro. The emeralds are large enough, that individual emeralds re-set, could make a statement piece. I like the idea that the piece is kept "in the family" in some form.

I think really she should have a talk with whom it is intended, especially after she gets an estimate of what she would sell the piece as. If she does break it up she should also give the recipients money to re-set the stone or stones, otherwise it again will just be sitting in a bank vault not being appreciated.

 

[heididdl]

Heidi - Ty for your recommendations. I'll google Circa and at least gather some info to pass on.

SB- nope, just a gia graduate. I'm still trying to weigh out/figure out if a GOOD jeweler would even take the time to noodle thru trading out the plat & dia's just to make some simple settings. I need to make some phone calls. But omg one of those center emeralds in a halo like yours...ugh I die.

Circa: Within the last 6 months I sold an important bracelet through them . I was very happy about the outcome and it helped me fund my 2.40 carat studs......................


http://www.circajewels.com/?gclid=CITdjMyi4LoCFW_NOgodPCcACg

 

[SB621]

I think it is worth a lot more than $150k if it is platinum with diamonds and emeralds of the quality those appear to be. A lot more. I think I vote for selling intact but would talk with Sotheby's and Christie's first.

Without AGL or perhaps even a GIA report (which I wouldn't do- go with AGL for emeralds) there is no way to speculate pricing. If those are treated or syn emeralds then the necklace would be well under your estimate. Art deco pieces are well known to have syn's placed in them as they were popular and very expensive at the time. If the necklace was newer then treatment on emeralds was/ is also very popular.

OP if you are just checking out your options for selling I would contact whoever you are comfortable with to let them see the piece. However, until you have an actual lab report on the emeralds no one (not even a GIA graded gemologist/ appraiser) can tell you treatment, which has a huge impact on pricing. Keep this in mind because your mother may have zero interest in selling the necklace for 20k if the emeralds are heavily treated or syn, but if they come back oiled or more favorable the price will go way up so perhaps selling will seem more interesting to her. Regardless you can't really know pricing until you know exactly what you got. Goodluck!

She certainly would have to have an appraisal before considering selling, and I am pretty sure Christie's and Sotheby's have appraisal services. I think I have read that GIA won't grade gems set in jewelry??? I don't think she needs lab reports on the individual emeralds. There are high end appraisal services that are respected and can set a value on this piece without taking it apart if they want to consider selling intact. I would just suspect that someone who'd set these gems in platinum and diamonds probably didn't use fake emeralds. But obviously there are professionals who can determine that.The platinum setting with 22 cts of G VS diamonds alone is likely worth quite a bit more more than $20k.

Just saw your latest post, Two4. I'd certainly love having one of those emeralds (with some of the diamonds) if I were in that position! I can already imagine my plan for it! Mine would be a deco pendant made by Victor Canera!!! So if you have any left over, I'll be happy to be adopted into the family!

DS- Yes they will for set jewelry. http://www.gia.edu/submit-a-gem-duplicate

Though I'm pretty sure this is new in the last year or two.

 

[lambskin]

I guess my issue with breaking it up is the huge amount of small channel set baguettes. How could all of them be split and reset? They look fine for rings but a tad small for bracelets, earrings and pendants. If there were more rounds or other shapes more could be used for earrings, bracelets and pendants as well as for accents. I am not a professional but it seems to me trying to design and reset these diamonds into other jewelry is a huge and cost prohibitive undertaking. Any savings you have in regard to the stones will be spent making custom jewelry. I guess one way around this is to remove only the emeralds and reset the piece with less expensive colored stones such as amethysts or even large freshwater pearls and wear it or sell it.This will greatly effect its value but this way you are preserving the piece and everyone gets a nice emerald to do with as they wish.