Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
June 10, 2010
That seems like a really low price to me for a piece of Victorian jewelry. The bracelet has deep red garnets all the way around, set in some kind of gold gilded metal. I'm afraid the relatively low price means that the bracelet or the gemstones are fakes.
June 13, 2010
It could be a genuine Victorian bracelet, but it is hard to tell with antique jewelry. Garnets aren't actually a particularly valuable stones. Today you can buy loose red garnets for as low as $3 a piece if they are really small, up to $25 for larger stones. The price is certainly relatively reasonable though. It's not unheard of to find Victorian garnet bangle bracelets and garnet jewelry for around $600. If you check out some online jewelry retailers that specialize in Victorian and antique jewelry, you're sure to find some bangle bracelets that might resemble yours for roughly the same price. That doesn't guarantee that it's a legitimate piece of Victorian jewelry though. You'll have to take it to an expert to get confirmation on that. If what is making you suspicious is that the deal sounds too good to be true - it's not.
June 12, 2010
The best thing for you to do would be to browse online auctions and sites dealing in vintage jewelry. You can easily compare prices and get a general idea of how much an item like that should cost. Also, try and find as much information on Victorian jewelry and its aspects. Victorian periodical jewelry has some defining visual and aesthetical characteristics which will help you determine whether the jewelry is genuine or whether it is modern jewelry, made to look vintage.
Generally speaking, I think the price should not concern you too much. Though it is true that garnets are relatively an inexpensive gemstone, the bulk of the item's price is due to the rarity of Victorian jewelry and the fact that Victorian pieces are extremely collectable and highly sought after. However, you should check which materials were used in making this particular piece. Besides the garnets, what metals were used in the bracelet? Gold, silver, copper? The metal composing the bracelet will also have a part in influencing its cost. For instance, if the bracelet was made with high karat gold, then it would be worth more than if it were made out of a base metal such as copper or steel, or if it were made of a semi-precious metal such as silver. Also, the bracelets design and its complexity will help determine the piece's value. If the bracelet's design is intricate and if the bracelet is well crafted then its price would rise. What you consider to be a low price could indicate that the bracelet was made with inexpensive materials and/or that its craftsmanship was substandard. These are all things you'll need to find out before making your purchase. However, the low price may have nothing to do with the materials or the craftsmanship that was put into making the bracelet, the vendor might have simply mispriced the item. The salesman may not know much about vintage jewelry, and he may not realize the true worth of a genuine Victorian piece, in which case you've found yourself a bargain!
However, if you want to make absolutely sure that you are making a good buy then I recommend consulting a local jeweler who has some experience in dealing with vintage jewelry. He'll be able to tell you whether the bracelet is good quality and if it was priced correctly.
