Collectible Watch Market is Red Hot

Looking further proof that the collectible watch market is going like gangbusters? Here it is: One day after Antiquorum brought in nearly $10 million at its fall clock and watch auction, Sotheby’s hauled in nearly $4.1 million in New York at its Oct. 17th auction of “Important Watches.” Like Antiquorum, Sotheby’s saw strong interest from buyers not only in the United States, but also Europe and Asia. Read more

Antiquorum Watch Auction Sees Record Sales

It is not only jewelry auctions that have been exceeding expectations lately as investors continue to move money into hard assets. Antiquorum reports that its first auction of the fall season brought in $9,892,812 from its sale of collectible clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches.

In total, 404 pieces were sold. 34 percent of the items were bought via Antiquorum’s online bidding system. Buyers logged in bids from countries around the globe, including China, Germany, and Russia.

The highest sales price went to a Patek Philippe “First Series,” which scored a final bid of $1,514,400. But it was a wristwatch formerly owned by Albert Einstein that sparked the auction’s most intense bidding war. When the gavel dropped the Longines watch from the famed physicist was sold for $596,000, more than 2,000 percent its original estimated value (the highest price ever paid for a Longines wristwatch). Rolex also earned a record amount for its “Platinum Day Date” wristwatch which went for $78,000.

You certainly aren’t going to find those kinds of watches at a San Diego pawn shop, but the these auction results should show you that if you are in need of a good sized cash loan from a pawnbroker, a collectable watch is one of your best items to use as collateral.

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Have you been wondering just what estate jewelry is? Then wonder no longer. We’ve detailed it in this article: What is Estate Jewelry?

What is Estate Jewelry?

We’ve all probably heard of “estate jewelry” but what exactly is it? Is it just that old gaudy looking stuff we see in our grandma’s jewelry box? The answer is no. Estate jewelry is technically any jewelry that has been owned previously. It doesn’t matter how old it is.

The reason for the confusion is that estate jewelry is often sold side by side with “period jewelry.” What is period jewelry? Well, that is jewelry from a particular era such as Art Deco, Art Nouveau, or Edwardian. What confuses the situation more is that many modern jewelry items are being made in these period styles, and called “vintage-inspired” or “revivalist” jewelry. The appeal of this jewelry is that it is said to be a classic and thus never goes out of style.

But back to estate jewelry. Estate jewelry is a market that has increased dramatically in the last twenty years. In fact, industry experts have said that it is the fastest growing segment in the fine jewelry market. In addition to estate fine jewelry, estate costume jewelry is also being increasingly sought after by shoppers, who like its kitschy and often funky look.

If you are thinking about buying a piece of estate fine jewelry at a San Diego pawn shop, make sure it is coming from a shop whose owner or staff knows fine jewelry, diamonds, and craftsmanship. You need to always beware of counterfeit pieces or items that have been repaired or tacked together from parts of different pieces of jewelry.

Don’t expect that original paperwork or a receipt will accompany the piece, as that rarely happens. After all, remember that the person who gave the estate jewelry to the pawn shop owner was using it as collateral on a cash loan. They weren’t actually selling to the pawnbroker or were asked to provide such things as the original receipt.

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When people go to San Diego pawn shops, they often wonder what they should be looking for. Well, we have one answer: Look for Colored Diamonds!

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Look for Colored Diamonds at San Diego Pawn Shops

According to a recent article in Forbes, the poor economic outlook is causing many people to invest in tangible goods like jewelry and diamonds. They cite a recent auction conducted by Chicago auctioneers Leslie Hindman, which attracted buyers from around the world and sparked bidding wars on several items that ended up being sold for around $100,000. Also mentioned was Sotheby’s recent September jewelry auction which broke all expectations—and included items from Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston which sold for more than double their pre-sale valuations.

According to the article, what really is becoming popular are colored diamonds. These diamonds are much more rare that colorless diamonds. How rare? Well the ratio of one carat colored diamonds to one carat colorless diamonds is 1 in 100,000. It is because of this rarity that high quality colored diamonds are said to double in value around every 4 years! Thus it is no surprise why diamond buyers seek them out.

That’s something to keep in mind if you come across some fine quality jewelry set with colored diamonds at an area San Diego pawn shop. After all, if you have money to invest, why not put it into something that you can wear and enjoy every day?

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Of course, diamonds and diamond jewelry are not the only things to be looking for in San Diego pawn shops. Gold coins and gold bars are also items to keep an eye out for. Read more: Buying and Selling Gold Bullion Coins at Pawn Shops.

Buying & Selling Gold Bullion Coins at San Diego Pawn Shops

If you ever come across some gold bullion coins at a San Diego pawn shop and are considering buying them, there are a few things that you should keep in mind:

Remember that gold prices fluctuate all the time, sometimes quite dramatically. So be sure to check the current day’s spot price. What is gold’s spot price? That’s the current market price for the precious metal. In contrast, a gold bullion coin’s “melt value” refers the value of the coin if it is melted down and sold.

If you plan on buying a fractional gold bullion coin (that is, a coin weighing less than one ounce) you can expect to pay a higher percentage over melt value than if you were buying a one ounce coin.

The folks at the Professional Numismatists Guild say that the average retail commission that a seller charges is 5-6%. So if it seems like the pawn shop from which you are thinking about buying a gold bullion coin is charging a higher commission than that, you can likely get a better deal elsewhere

Lastly, as a general rule of thumb, remember that Kruggerrand bullion coins are usually sold for less than the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf bullion coins.

If you are really keen on buying gold bullion coins, your best bet may be to look up a San Diego ANA (American Numismatic Association) bullion dealer by clicking here.

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People in San Diego often ask us just what the history of pawn shops is, where and how the whole business got started. For the curious, SDJB has now written: A Brief History of Pawn Shops.

San Diego Jewelry Buyers Publishes Brief History of Pawn Shops

San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB) has announced this week’s addition to its Knowledge pages for consumers interested in selling or collateralizing their fine jewelry, diamonds, watches, and gold. The article is titled “A Brief History of Pawn Shops,” and it adds to SDJB’s growing list of helpful information, facts, and tips involving jewelry, precious metals, timepieces, and luxury brands. Read more

Stephen Webster: Diamond Fanatic

The one exciting thing about shopping for jewelry at pawn shops, be they in San Diego or any other part of the country is that owners sometimes undervalue what they have in their showcases because they don’t realize what kind of item they have. This is especially so when it comes to hot new jewelry designers like diamond fanatic Stephen Webster.

From a modest start in the small town of Gravesend, near London, Webster has become one of today’s most recognized celebrity jewelry designers, attracting a wide range of famous clients, including Elton John, Kate Moss, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, and Nicholas Cage. His unique talents have been regularly recognized by his peers. He is a four-time winner of the “Luxury Jeweller of the Year” award (2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005) in the United Kingdom. He has also been the UK’s “Jewelry Designer of the Year” four times, most recently in 2006.

Unconventional and quirky, Stephen Webster blends the traditional values of jewelry craftsmanship with a love for modern fashion, street styles, and contemporary music. His career began at 16 when he attended a jewelry and silversmith course at Medway College of Design. He later studied under Tony Sheperd (a former Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths) before heading out on his own to work as a craftsman for several London design houses–during which time he was twice commissioned to set the De Beers Diamond Stakes Trophy.

Stephen Webster set up his first studio in Canada in 1982, returned to England briefly in 1984, and then set off to California to explore the sun-drenched streets of the West Coast. In 1988 he once again returned to England to establish his current company Stephen Webster Ltd., which has become one of the largest jewelry manufacturing and design studios in London’s West End. Webster has also established independent boutiques and concessions around the world, including stores in Moscow, Hong Kong, Seoul, and St. Petersburg.

So what this all means is this: if you see a piece of Stephen Webster jewelry going for a couple hundred dollars at a San Diego pawn shop and you are sure it is the real deal, buy it!

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If you have some Stephen Webster diamond jewelry, then you might be thinking about having it appraised. Before you do, read: Beware of Jewelry Appraising Values.

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Beware of Jewelry Appraising Values

San Diego buyers and sellers of fine gemstone jewelry should take note of a recent report by ABC’s 7 On Your Side in San Francisco. The California consumer watch dog has shined a light on what could be construed as misleading practices being conducted by auction houses and jewelry appraisers. In particular the report singles out alleged inflated appraisals by American International Gemologists of Woodland Hills, who have received an F rating from the Better Business Bureau. The report retells the following consumer story:

“The auctioneer stopped me on the way out saying gee I’ve got something here for you, and he had the bracelet in his hand,” said Sjostrom.

He showed her an appraisal certificate saying the bracelet is worth a lot of money — $34,000 retail. But the auctioneer said Mary could have it for a mere $3,500.

“$3,000 to pay for something that had a $34,000 value would be incredible,” said Sjostrom.

So Mary bought it. With fees and taxes, she paid $4,200. Then she went outside and got a closer look.

“The rubies were very, very cloudy a lot of cracks and inclusions in the diamonds,” said Sjostrom.

Mary went right back in and asked for a refund. But all sales were final.

“He said, well, try and sell it on eBay,” said Sjostrom.

Needless to say that was not the kind of answer that Mary was looking for. If you are shopping at a San Diego pawn shop for jewelry and the owner shows you an appraisal certificate, look at with a discerning eye. Remeber that the appraisal value is the RETAIL value, and that could be hugely inflated. Don’t rush into anything. Check out the appraiser with the Better Business Bureau, as well as the pawn shop.

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Now that you have learned a bit more about jewelry appraisers, it would be a good idea to follow up that knowledge with our article: 7 Tips for Selling Diamonds and Diamond Rings.

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