Hi!
My boyfriend (now fiance) just proposed (hurray!).
He bought a beautiful early-mid 20s ring in the diamond district with a ton of unusual filagree work. It also has some unusual features.
a) mixed metal - the top of the setting looks like it is unmarked 18k white gold, in what we think is a mixture for that period that looks like the chemical composition would probably only have been made by Belais Brothers. The shank and band, however, are 14k yellow gold. The band is marked 14k gold
b) mixed patterns - The top is much more distinctly machine age patterned in its filagree work. The shank has a different filagree pattern than the top, full of floral loops that look like they could be late art nouveau. The band is a third pattern -wheat sheaves. The white gold top portion is a pattern set that looks likes something Belais Brothers would make.
c) No makers marker whatsoever anywhere, or even sentimental engravings.
d) Odd stone choice - the piece actually still has its original stone in it - an old mine cut that is unusually white. He suspected it might be an indian stone too, or a really early S. Africa stone.
The person we bought from suspected it this is an original unmarked custom Belais Brothers with a much older band and an old family stone. Alternatively, there were a limited number of other white gold manufactures during the period with different chemical compositions than Belais Bros. However, he didn't know. he did give an appraisal, but I suspect getting a second/third opinion is a good idea.
If it is a real Belais piece that is unmarked, the value is much higher. Even giving a named craftperson would help set a better value on the piece given that it really can't be recreated (even if I 3d scan it to try). That sort of complex filagree work by hand without CAD/Lasers is rarely done today, so the labor value to recreate would be extremely high if I can find someone at all.
who would be a good appraiser for the setting as much as the stone? Most of the people here reviewing appraisers talk about the diamond/colored stones. While I am interested in an appraisal, it isn't the highest priority per say for me in the appraisal scheme of things. Having someone familiar with Belais's books/catalogs/receipts might be more useful - as well as most of the major competitors that were not Tiffany's in the US (and possibly abroad as well, since there were more unmarked Jewelers there.) A lot more people have probably seen old stones than seen the inside of Belais's books/good examples of if/when they made unmarked pieces. I'm looking for that person.
I'm NYC based
See My Kinda Bad Pics if you need to think about this (particular the side. I may come back and retake a picture)
My boyfriend (now fiance) just proposed (hurray!).
He bought a beautiful early-mid 20s ring in the diamond district with a ton of unusual filagree work. It also has some unusual features.
a) mixed metal - the top of the setting looks like it is unmarked 18k white gold, in what we think is a mixture for that period that looks like the chemical composition would probably only have been made by Belais Brothers. The shank and band, however, are 14k yellow gold. The band is marked 14k gold
b) mixed patterns - The top is much more distinctly machine age patterned in its filagree work. The shank has a different filagree pattern than the top, full of floral loops that look like they could be late art nouveau. The band is a third pattern -wheat sheaves. The white gold top portion is a pattern set that looks likes something Belais Brothers would make.
c) No makers marker whatsoever anywhere, or even sentimental engravings.
d) Odd stone choice - the piece actually still has its original stone in it - an old mine cut that is unusually white. He suspected it might be an indian stone too, or a really early S. Africa stone.
The person we bought from suspected it this is an original unmarked custom Belais Brothers with a much older band and an old family stone. Alternatively, there were a limited number of other white gold manufactures during the period with different chemical compositions than Belais Bros. However, he didn't know. he did give an appraisal, but I suspect getting a second/third opinion is a good idea.
If it is a real Belais piece that is unmarked, the value is much higher. Even giving a named craftperson would help set a better value on the piece given that it really can't be recreated (even if I 3d scan it to try). That sort of complex filagree work by hand without CAD/Lasers is rarely done today, so the labor value to recreate would be extremely high if I can find someone at all.
who would be a good appraiser for the setting as much as the stone? Most of the people here reviewing appraisers talk about the diamond/colored stones. While I am interested in an appraisal, it isn't the highest priority per say for me in the appraisal scheme of things. Having someone familiar with Belais's books/catalogs/receipts might be more useful - as well as most of the major competitors that were not Tiffany's in the US (and possibly abroad as well, since there were more unmarked Jewelers there.) A lot more people have probably seen old stones than seen the inside of Belais's books/good examples of if/when they made unmarked pieces. I'm looking for that person.
I'm NYC based
See My Kinda Bad Pics if you need to think about this (particular the side. I may come back and retake a picture)