Vintage McCoy Pottery Vase with Leaves recently sold on eBay for $43.99. There were 7 bids.

It does my heart good when I see something I have taught come true with my own eyes. In this case, finding treasure where other people dare not to trod makes a great subject for today’s blog.

Two days ago, Marsha, a 31 Club Member, called and asked if I would go with her to see some pottery that someone had placed a classified ad about. The vision of Teco, Grueby and Newcomb began dancing through my head. I could see that one special piece just waiting for us. Instead, Marsha told me the ad in the paper said 100 pieces of McCoy pottery, a lower end pottery, and the asking price was $500. Needless to say, my balloon was deflated rather quickly, but I agreed to go with her if she would pick me up.

She arrived within the hour, and we began our journey together. When we arrived at the location, I perked up when I saw it was familiar to me. I had attended many calls from this particular neighborhood, and most of them had been very profitable.

We were greeted warmly and invited in. McCoy Pottery was everywhere and the better pieces McCoy produced dominated every room of this gentleman’s home. In the basement there were over a hundred pieces of McCoy, perhaps ten pieces of Shawnee Pottery, and one oyster plate. These were the items he was interested in selling.

He told us what some of the better pieces would bring on eBay, and he was correct. This man knew his pottery. When I calculated the total, I could see the overall value could easily bring about $2,000. He knew this, too, but said he simply didn’t want to bother with them. He was so right on the money that I felt strange in asking if he would take less than the $500 he was asking — but you know my rule. Thankfully, he supplied the courage for me when he mentioned that he hadn’t had any other visitors. I offered him $400. What a fantastic gentleman. He said if we agreed to take them all, he’d let them go for $400. Marsha had herself a deal.

Marsha and I headed back to the car to get some packing materials, and I asked her what she thought the profit on the pieces would be after she had sold them all.
“Maybe a thousand dollars,” she said. I asked her how she arrived at that figure. “I think I should get a least $10 a piece for them, don’t you think?” I didn’t want her to get too excited, so I told her that with the Shawnee pieces, it will probably be closer to $20 a piece. She was thrilled. Then I asked her, “What about the oyster plate?” She asked me what I meant. “The oyster plate will bring you more than you paid for all the other pieces,” I told her. She looked like a deer in the head lights. I can’t wait to see her final total after selling them all.

The ad for this pottery was in a public paper, but no one answered it. Why? I’ll take an educated guess and say that people saw the word “McCoy” and figured it wasn’t worth much. That was my initial response. Boy, were they wrong. This is an example of what I meant when I’ve told you never miss an opportunity to visit someone’s house. Many times when I’ve gone on a call, I didn’t end up purchasing the items I went to see, but walked out with some of the greatest treasures I have ever purchased. When you go on a call where there is no competition, you can take your time looking, and this is where your skills and knowledge come into play. You see, I immediately spotted the oyster plate and knew that we were going to make the deal.

It took Marsha a couple of trips to pack up all the items, but she got them all. I wish her well in selling them and advancing up the 31 Steps.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

7″ High Orrefors Vase: Edvin Öhrström’s “Graal” with Portraits of a Man & Woman, 1941 is offered at FreeFormUsa.com at $18,500

Have you ever assumed you knew something, only to later discover how mistaken you were? This doesn’t happen to me often but it has happened in the last few months. I figured that I was somewhat knowledgeable on most good glass produced in the last hundred years, however, this proved to be false. Orrefors was a name I was familiar with but had always thought it was too contemporary for me. How wrong I was.

The Orrefors Company was founded in 1898 in the province of Samaaland Sweden. It was fortunate to have some of the best glass masters to be found anywhere, and they produced marvelous bowls and vases. Some of the best known artists to work at the Orrefors Company were Edvard Hald, Vicke Lindstrand, and Nils Landberg. There never has been finer glass workers than these artists, and most of the finer pieces are signed “Orrefors” along with the name of the artist or his initials.

I don’t have a current book on Orrefors, but after writing this Blog, you can be assured that I will order The Best of Modern Swedish Art Glass: Orrefors and Kosta 1930-1970. This book has a price guide, too.

I did find some information on the company in my book by Victor Arwas, Glass Art Nouveau to Art Deco, and this proved helpful. You must be asking yourself why this particular company caught my eye. The easy and quick answer to this question is the price that Orrefors’ better pieces bring in the market place. This is just the kind of item that we’re searching for. The ones that few people know much about. And, when you find the right piece, the rewards can be quite substantial.

Here are just a few of the prices from Kovels Price Guide to give you a little taste of what’s out there. Vicke Lindstrand did a vase featuring a shark killer, depicting a nude man diving, carrying a knife. This 12 ½ inch tall vase could have a value approaching $15,000 or more. Other Orrefors vases, one depicting a Pearl Diver, as well as one of an Oriental Princess both list at over $4,000. This isn’t bad considering they both are only 8 inches tall.

Orrefors still produces glass today, and that is where I got confused. The modern pieces bring very little money, usually. These aren’t the pieces we’re searching for. You should definitely do your homework on this fantastic glass.

I learned a very valuable lesson with regard to Orrefors. Never judge all things about a particular subject with the limited knowledge that you’ve gained until you have done a complete study of it. I broke this rule. You see, I have seen hundreds, if not thousands of pieces of Orrefors. Usually it has been extremely inexpensive, so I assumed all Orrefors pieces were inexpensive. Boy, what a mistake I’ve been making. But, for me, the worst thing is considering how much money I might have walked away from. I’ll not be making that mistake again.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

Links for Other Recommended Glass Books:

Orrefors: A Century of Swedish Glassmaking

Miller’s 20th-Century Glass: Over 2000 Items - Identified - Valued

Miller’s Art Glass: How to Compare & Value

Uncut Diamond, the Sierra Leonean Giant Sefadu, was found in 1970 weighing in at 620 carats. Photo from BBC News

Last week, I had the opportunity to buy some nice resale jewelry, some for trade and a few pieces for my wife. There is wonderful money to be made from buying and selling resale jewelry, but you must have an iron will and a few set rules when buying resale jewelry.

I have never been offered great items at reasonable prices, so there has to be a lot of negotiating before you find a bargain. Since you likely aren’t a gemologist, you will be guessing as to size, color, and quality of the stones mounted in that ring, broach or necklace. Even if the piece comes with an appraisal, be skeptical. These can be easily made.

The content of the metal mounting is one thing that helps to reassure you of quality. If it is 24 carat gold, there is a much better chance the stones are real, and the same can be said about a platinum mounting. Once you get down to 10 carat gold, these pieces might very well have artificial or semi precious stones.

The rule I use goes like this: I know what the gold or platinum is worth, and usually the offer I make is never more than twice the price I can get for the metal in the mounting. This way, I seldom get hurt, and often I end up with a bargain. Jewelry is one area that you should never feel guilty about your offer. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I was once offered a tennis bracelet by a woman who showed me the receipt from when she bought it. She paid $3,500. Knowing the gold was worth close to $600, I offered her that, and she accepted it. To this day I don’t know what it’s worth, because I gave it to my wife. However, I do feel safe in saying that at today’s metals prices, I could at least double my money should I decide to sell it.

I’ve previously written a Blog about my friend Warner, who purchased a 24K designer gold watch for $200. One of the reasons he was able to do this was because it didn’t say 24K, but instead had a mark from France that indicated this was 24K gold. Today, this watch might bring as much as $10,000.

My grandfather was originally from Cuba, and when he came to this country he worked for the L & N Railroad all his life. Once when he was traveling though Kentucky, he stopped at our house, and before he left, he handed my mother three large stones that looked like common rocks. He told her they were diamonds. My mother stashed these away in a safe place for many years.

After my Grandfather’s death, my Dad suggested they check out whether or not these rocks were really diamonds. Louisville was the only city large enough to get this information, so off they went.

They shared the story with a store manager in Louisville and asked if they would be willing to cut the largest stone they could from one of the rocks. The store manager agreed to do that, so they left the rocks in his possession and returned home.

They soon received a letter stating that the diamond had been cut, so they returned to Louisville to a very suspicious and inquisitive greeting. Two men started to question my parents about the rocks, but after a lengthy period of time informed them that yes, the rocks were indeed diamonds, probably from Arkansas. The rock they were able to cut turned out to be about the size of a nickel, perhaps larger on its crown.

The manager handed them the bill for the work they’d done and told my folks that if they would allow the shop to keep the cuttings from this rock, they wouldn’t have to pay for the work. Being young and not having to pay out any money sounded like a good idea to them, so a deal was struck. They took their stone and other rocks home.
There is a sad chapter to this story, however. Over the many years and numerous moves, the other two rocks were lost. Boy, would I like to speak to my Grandfather and get the full story about where these stones came from and how they ended up in his possession.

The reason that I share this story with you is to state that everything that sparkles may not be a diamond, but everything that doesn’t sparkle may be a diamond in the rough.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

Uncut Diamond, the Sierra Leonean Giant Sefadu, was found in 1970 weighing in at 620 carats. Photo from BBC News

Last week, I had the opportunity to buy some nice resale jewelry, some for trade and a few pieces for my wife. There is wonderful money to be made from buying and selling resale jewelry, but you must have an iron will and a few set rules when buying resale jewelry.

I have never been offered great items at reasonable prices, so there has to be a lot of negotiating before you find a bargain. Since you likely aren’t a gemologist, you will be guessing as to size, color, and quality of the stones mounted in that ring, broach or necklace. Even if the piece comes with an appraisal, be skeptical. These can be easily made.

The content of the metal mounting is one thing that helps to reassure you of quality. If it is 24 carat gold, there is a much better chance the stones are real, and the same can be said about a platinum mounting. Once you get down to 10 carat gold, these pieces might very well have artificial or semi precious stones.

The rule I use goes like this: I know what the gold or platinum is worth, and usually the offer I make is never more than twice the price I can get for the metal in the mounting. This way, I seldom get hurt, and often I end up with a bargain. Jewelry is one area that you should never feel guilty about your offer. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I was once offered a tennis bracelet by a woman who showed me the receipt from when she bought it. She paid $3,500. Knowing the gold was worth close to $600, I offered her that, and she accepted it. To this day I don’t know what it’s worth, because I gave it to my wife. However, I do feel safe in saying that at today’s metals prices, I could at least double my money should I decide to sell it.

I’ve previously written a Blog about my friend Warner, who purchased a 24K designer gold watch for $200. One of the reasons he was able to do this was because it didn’t say 24K, but instead had a mark from France that indicated this was 24K gold. Today, this watch might bring as much as $10,000.

My grandfather was originally from Cuba, and when he came to this country he worked for the L & N Railroad all his life. Once when he was traveling though Kentucky, he stopped at our house, and before he left, he handed my mother three large stones that looked like common rocks. He told her they were diamonds. My mother stashed these away in a safe place for many years.

After my Grandfather’s death, my Dad suggested they check out whether or not these rocks were really diamonds. Louisville was the only city large enough to get this information, so off they went.

They shared the story with a store manager in Louisville and asked if they would be willing to cut the largest stone they could from one of the rocks. The store manager agreed to do that, so they left the rocks in his possession and returned home.

They soon received a letter stating that the diamond had been cut, so they returned to Louisville to a very suspicious and inquisitive greeting. Two men started to question my parents about the rocks, but after a lengthy period of time informed them that yes, the rocks were indeed diamonds, probably from Arkansas. The rock they were able to cut turned out to be about the size of a nickel, perhaps larger on its crown.

The manager handed them the bill for the work they’d done and told my folks that if they would allow the shop to keep the cuttings from this rock, they wouldn’t have to pay for the work. Being young and not having to pay out any money sounded like a good idea to them, so a deal was struck. They took their stone and other rocks home.
There is a sad chapter to this story, however. Over the many years and numerous moves, the other two rocks were lost. Boy, would I like to speak to my Grandfather and get the full story about where these stones came from and how they ended up in his possession.

The reason that I share this story with you is to state that everything that sparkles may not be a diamond, but everything that doesn’t sparkle may be a diamond in the rough.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

Uncut Diamond, the Sierra Leonean Giant Sefadu, was found in 1970 weighing in at 620 carats. Photo from BBC News

Last week, I had the opportunity to buy some nice resale jewelry, some for trade and a few pieces for my wife. There is wonderful money to be made from buying and selling resale jewelry, but you must have an iron will and a few set rules when buying resale jewelry.

I have never been offered great items at reasonable prices, so there has to be a lot of negotiating before you find a bargain. Since you likely aren’t a gemologist, you will be guessing as to size, color, and quality of the stones mounted in that ring, broach or necklace. Even if the piece comes with an appraisal, be skeptical. These can be easily made.

The content of the metal mounting is one thing that helps to reassure you of quality. If it is 24 carat gold, there is a much better chance the stones are real, and the same can be said about a platinum mounting. Once you get down to 10 carat gold, these pieces might very well have artificial or semi precious stones.

The rule I use goes like this: I know what the gold or platinum is worth, and usually the offer I make is never more than twice the price I can get for the metal in the mounting. This way, I seldom get hurt, and often I end up with a bargain. Jewelry is one area that you should never feel guilty about your offer. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I was once offered a tennis bracelet by a woman who showed me the receipt from when she bought it. She paid $3,500. Knowing the gold was worth close to $600, I offered her that, and she accepted it. To this day I don’t know what it’s worth, because I gave it to my wife. However, I do feel safe in saying that at today’s metals prices, I could at least double my money should I decide to sell it.

I’ve previously written a Blog about my friend Warner, who purchased a 24K designer gold watch for $200. One of the reasons he was able to do this was because it didn’t say 24K, but instead had a mark from France that indicated this was 24K gold. Today, this watch might bring as much as $10,000.

My grandfather was originally from Cuba, and when he came to this country he worked for the L & N Railroad all his life. Once when he was traveling though Kentucky, he stopped at our house, and before he left, he handed my mother three large stones that looked like common rocks. He told her they were diamonds. My mother stashed these away in a safe place for many years.

After my Grandfather’s death, my Dad suggested they check out whether or not these rocks were really diamonds. Louisville was the only city large enough to get this information, so off they went.

They shared the story with a store manager in Louisville and asked if they would be willing to cut the largest stone they could from one of the rocks. The store manager agreed to do that, so they left the rocks in his possession and returned home.

They soon received a letter stating that the diamond had been cut, so they returned to Louisville to a very suspicious and inquisitive greeting. Two men started to question my parents about the rocks, but after a lengthy period of time informed them that yes, the rocks were indeed diamonds, probably from Arkansas. The rock they were able to cut turned out to be about the size of a nickel, perhaps larger on its crown.

The manager handed them the bill for the work they’d done and told my folks that if they would allow the shop to keep the cuttings from this rock, they wouldn’t have to pay for the work. Being young and not having to pay out any money sounded like a good idea to them, so a deal was struck. They took their stone and other rocks home.
There is a sad chapter to this story, however. Over the many years and numerous moves, the other two rocks were lost. Boy, would I like to speak to my Grandfather and get the full story about where these stones came from and how they ended up in his possession.

The reason that I share this story with you is to state that everything that sparkles may not be a diamond, but everything that doesn’t sparkle may be a diamond in the rough.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

Uncut Diamond, the Sierra Leonean Giant Sefadu, was found in 1970 weighing in at 620 carats. Photo from BBC News

Last week, I had the opportunity to buy some nice resale jewelry, some for trade and a few pieces for my wife. There is wonderful money to be made from buying and selling resale jewelry, but you must have an iron will and a few set rules when buying resale jewelry.

I have never been offered great items at reasonable prices, so there has to be a lot of negotiating before you find a bargain. Since you likely aren’t a gemologist, you will be guessing as to size, color, and quality of the stones mounted in that ring, broach or necklace. Even if the piece comes with an appraisal, be skeptical. These can be easily made.

The content of the metal mounting is one thing that helps to reassure you of quality. If it is 24 carat gold, there is a much better chance the stones are real, and the same can be said about a platinum mounting. Once you get down to 10 carat gold, these pieces might very well have artificial or semi precious stones.

The rule I use goes like this: I know what the gold or platinum is worth, and usually the offer I make is never more than twice the price I can get for the metal in the mounting. This way, I seldom get hurt, and often I end up with a bargain. Jewelry is one area that you should never feel guilty about your offer. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I was once offered a tennis bracelet by a woman who showed me the receipt from when she bought it. She paid $3,500. Knowing the gold was worth close to $600, I offered her that, and she accepted it. To this day I don’t know what it’s worth, because I gave it to my wife. However, I do feel safe in saying that at today’s metals prices, I could at least double my money should I decide to sell it.

I’ve previously written a Blog about my friend Warner, who purchased a 24K designer gold watch for $200. One of the reasons he was able to do this was because it didn’t say 24K, but instead had a mark from France that indicated this was 24K gold. Today, this watch might bring as much as $10,000.

My grandfather was originally from Cuba, and when he came to this country he worked for the L & N Railroad all his life. Once when he was traveling though Kentucky, he stopped at our house, and before he left, he handed my mother three large stones that looked like common rocks. He told her they were diamonds. My mother stashed these away in a safe place for many years.

After my Grandfather’s death, my Dad suggested they check out whether or not these rocks were really diamonds. Louisville was the only city large enough to get this information, so off they went.

They shared the story with a store manager in Louisville and asked if they would be willing to cut the largest stone they could from one of the rocks. The store manager agreed to do that, so they left the rocks in his possession and returned home.

They soon received a letter stating that the diamond had been cut, so they returned to Louisville to a very suspicious and inquisitive greeting. Two men started to question my parents about the rocks, but after a lengthy period of time informed them that yes, the rocks were indeed diamonds, probably from Arkansas. The rock they were able to cut turned out to be about the size of a nickel, perhaps larger on its crown.

The manager handed them the bill for the work they’d done and told my folks that if they would allow the shop to keep the cuttings from this rock, they wouldn’t have to pay for the work. Being young and not having to pay out any money sounded like a good idea to them, so a deal was struck. They took their stone and other rocks home.
There is a sad chapter to this story, however. Over the many years and numerous moves, the other two rocks were lost. Boy, would I like to speak to my Grandfather and get the full story about where these stones came from and how they ended up in his possession.

The reason that I share this story with you is to state that everything that sparkles may not be a diamond, but everything that doesn’t sparkle may be a diamond in the rough.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

Uncut Diamond, the Sierra Leonean Giant Sefadu, was found in 1970 weighing in at 620 carats. Photo from BBC News

Last week, I had the opportunity to buy some nice resale jewelry, some for trade and a few pieces for my wife. There is wonderful money to be made from buying and selling resale jewelry, but you must have an iron will and a few set rules when buying resale jewelry.

I have never been offered great items at reasonable prices, so there has to be a lot of negotiating before you find a bargain. Since you likely aren’t a gemologist, you will be guessing as to size, color, and quality of the stones mounted in that ring, broach or necklace. Even if the piece comes with an appraisal, be skeptical. These can be easily made.

The content of the metal mounting is one thing that helps to reassure you of quality. If it is 24 carat gold, there is a much better chance the stones are real, and the same can be said about a platinum mounting. Once you get down to 10 carat gold, these pieces might very well have artificial or semi precious stones.

The rule I use goes like this: I know what the gold or platinum is worth, and usually the offer I make is never more than twice the price I can get for the metal in the mounting. This way, I seldom get hurt, and often I end up with a bargain. Jewelry is one area that you should never feel guilty about your offer. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I was once offered a tennis bracelet by a woman who showed me the receipt from when she bought it. She paid $3,500. Knowing the gold was worth close to $600, I offered her that, and she accepted it. To this day I don’t know what it’s worth, because I gave it to my wife. However, I do feel safe in saying that at today’s metals prices, I could at least double my money should I decide to sell it.

I’ve previously written a Blog about my friend Warner, who purchased a 24K designer gold watch for $200. One of the reasons he was able to do this was because it didn’t say 24K, but instead had a mark from France that indicated this was 24K gold. Today, this watch might bring as much as $10,000.

My grandfather was originally from Cuba, and when he came to this country he worked for the L & N Railroad all his life. Once when he was traveling though Kentucky, he stopped at our house, and before he left, he handed my mother three large stones that looked like common rocks. He told her they were diamonds. My mother stashed these away in a safe place for many years.

After my Grandfather’s death, my Dad suggested they check out whether or not these rocks were really diamonds. Louisville was the only city large enough to get this information, so off they went.

They shared the story with a store manager in Louisville and asked if they would be willing to cut the largest stone they could from one of the rocks. The store manager agreed to do that, so they left the rocks in his possession and returned home.

They soon received a letter stating that the diamond had been cut, so they returned to Louisville to a very suspicious and inquisitive greeting. Two men started to question my parents about the rocks, but after a lengthy period of time informed them that yes, the rocks were indeed diamonds, probably from Arkansas. The rock they were able to cut turned out to be about the size of a nickel, perhaps larger on its crown.

The manager handed them the bill for the work they’d done and told my folks that if they would allow the shop to keep the cuttings from this rock, they wouldn’t have to pay for the work. Being young and not having to pay out any money sounded like a good idea to them, so a deal was struck. They took their stone and other rocks home.
There is a sad chapter to this story, however. Over the many years and numerous moves, the other two rocks were lost. Boy, would I like to speak to my Grandfather and get the full story about where these stones came from and how they ended up in his possession.

The reason that I share this story with you is to state that everything that sparkles may not be a diamond, but everything that doesn’t sparkle may be a diamond in the rough.

Don’t just follow the daily Blog. Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Visit our Website, here.>

Uncut Diamond, the Sierra Leonean Giant Sefadu, was found in 1970 weighing in at 620 carats. Photo from BBC News

Last week, I had the opportunity to buy some nice resale jewelry, some for trade and a few pieces for my wife. There is wonderful money to be made from buying and selling resale jewelry, but you must have an iron will and a few set rules when buying resale jewelry.

I have never been offered great items at reasonable prices, so there has to be a lot of negotiating before you find a bargain. Since you likely aren’t a gemologist, you will be guessing as to size, color, and quality of the stones mounted in that ring, broach or necklace. Even if the piece comes with an appraisal, be skeptical. These can be easily made.

The content of the metal mounting is one thing that helps to reassure you of quality. If it is 24 carat gold, there is a much better chance the stones are real, and the same can be said about a platinum mounting. Once you get down to 10 carat gold, these pieces might very well have artificial or semi precious stones.

The rule I use goes like this: I know what the gold or platinum is worth, and usually the offer I make is never more than twice the price I can get for the metal in the mounting. This way, I seldom get hurt, and often I end up with a bargain. Jewelry is one area that you should never feel guilty about your offer. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I was once offered a tennis bracelet by a woman who showed me the receipt from when she bought it. She paid $3,500. Knowing the gold was worth close to $600, I offered her that, and she accepted it. To this day I don’t know what it’s worth, because I gave it to my wife. However, I do feel safe in saying that at today’s metals prices, I could at least double my money should I decide to sell it.

I’ve previously written a Blog about my friend Warner, who purchased a 24K designer gold watch for $200. One of the reasons he was able to do this was because it didn’t say 24K, but instead had a mark from France that indicated this was 24K gold. Today, this watch might bring as much as $10,000.

My grandfather was originally from Cuba, and when he came to this country he worked for the L & N Railroad all his life. Once when he was traveling though Kentucky, he stopped at our house, and before he left, he handed my mother three large stones that looked like common rocks. He told her they were diamonds. My mother stashed these away in a safe place for many years.

After my Grandfather’s death, my Dad suggested they check out whether or not these rocks were really diamonds. Louisville was the only city large enough to get this information, so off they went.

They shared the story with a store manager in Louisville and asked if they would be willing to cut the largest stone they could from one of the rocks. The store manager agreed to do that, so they left the rocks in his possession and returned home.

They soon received a letter stating that the diamond had been cut, so they returned to Louisville to a very suspicious and inquisitive greeting. Two men started to question my parents about the rocks, but after a lengthy period of time informed them that yes, the rocks were indeed diamonds, probably from Arkansas. The rock they were able to cut turned out to be about the size of a nickel, perhaps larger on its crown.

The manager handed them the bill for the work they’d done and told my folks that if they would allow the shop to keep the cuttings from this rock, they wouldn’t have to pay for the work. Being young and not having to pay out any money sounded like a good idea to them, so a deal was struck. They took their stone and other rocks home.
There is a sad chapter to this story, however. Over the many years and numerous moves, the other two rocks were lost. Boy, would I like to speak to my Grandfather and get the full story about where these stones came from and how they ended up in his possession.

The reason that I share this story with you is to state that everything that sparkles may not be a diamond, but everything that doesn’t sparkle may be a diamond in the rough.

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