Does anyone know about vintage jewellery?

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

Is there anyone who knows a lot about jewellery and/or buys secondhand jewellery? I have been left a few things and have been told they are 'good' but have no idea whether this means they would actually be valuable.

If I post a few photos, is there anyone who could give me a very rough idea of value, just so I don't take them in for valuation and then either set my hopes too high or accept 'that's worth 50p love' at face value?

Apparently everything is real and is what it looks like it is.

These are yellow gold with rubies and diamonds. They are pretty in the box but actually on the ear they look like infected pus spots!

These are white gold with little diamonds.

I got a good valuation from Bonhams for something worth over 1000 and Dix Noonan Webb for something worth under 1000 - i thought perhaps 100 (sold for 400 in the end, lucky day). DNW certainly have an online valuation system. It's not that I don't love seeing jewellery pics but I would always go to the professionals for this.

Noice! Do you know when they were made?

This is 18ct yellow gold with diamonds and emeralds

@PermanentTemporary

Noice! Do you know when they were made?

No, no idea. I don't know if they are old or just old-ish.

This is gold, jet and amethyst- possibly Victorian but I'm not sure.

I can't help with anything useful but your pieces are lovely, especially the ring and the brooch. Really beautiful.

This one's military and has diamonds. Not sure which bit of the army but my school Latin says it has the motto 'wherever destiny and glory lead'.

These are Indian from, I think, the 1920s-30s. I was told rolled gold but I'm not sure as they don't seem to hold their shine so possibly not.

@PermanentTemporary

I got a good valuation from Bonhams for something worth over 1000 and Dix Noonan Webb for something worth under 1000 - i thought perhaps 100 (sold for 400 in the end, lucky day). DNW certainly have an online valuation system. It's not that I don't love seeing jewellery pics but I would always go to the professionals for this.

Thank you for the suggestion - I definitely would go to professionals, but it's really helpful to get an idea of who they are! I've never owned jewellery before and don't really wear it so have very limited knowledge.

The badge is the Royal Artillery

@BeetleyCarapace

I can't help with anything useful but your pieces are lovely, especially the ring and the brooch. Really beautiful.

Thank you - it's nice to read that. Everyone in my family thinks everything is hideous and ridiculous so it is difficult to enjoy them.

@Woolver23

The badge is the Royal Artillery

Thank you

Take them to an auction house who will appraise for you .

I love the Indian earrings.. no idea on value.

I'd suggest you approach either an auction house with a jewellery specialist or a quality jewellers for a valuation. Try and avoid the 'cash for gold' type places.

Are you looking to sell or insure? Insurance (replacement) valuation will be more than resale valuation which sometimes is little more than the cost of the raw materials.

A decent independent jeweller will be able to provide written valuations for the pieces which are worth insuring and a rough value for the pieces which are not. But that doesn't mean s/he will be interested in purchasing them for resale if s/he doesn't think they will have mass appeal. You might have more luck in at an auction house to be honest.

My untrained eye thinks the ring is likely to be worth the most as it has quite a fashionable Art Deco look to it.

Very few people wear brooches any more so although the amethyst is lovely I bet it's not worth much unless the stone is unusual for being so large or the setting particularly fine.

Rolled gold is essentially gold veneer so not as posh as it sounds.

The amethyst brooch will be a mourning brooch - there are many people who collect this kind of jewellery

No, no idea. I don't know if they are old or just old-ish.

Are they hall marked?

Thanks Woolver - I think the ring must be worth the most too, partly because it's quite heavy. I can't see myself wearing these things but don't want to just waste them. I will take them to a valuer and I think you are right about the auctioneer idea. It's all quite interesting.

@SoupDragon

No, no idea. I don't know if they are old or just old-ish.

Are they hall marked?

Yes, but so tiny I can't see it. I'm sure a jeweller could with their magnifier though.

Jet is usually Victorian.
They wore it during mourning.

@MrsFin

Jet is usually Victorian. They wore it during mourning.

Yes, it's got that kind of look about it, hasn't it? The brooch has a little loop on the back that looks as though it could have been worn as either a brooch or a pendant, but there's no chain with it.

I’m not an expert but the 18ct emerald ring will be worth a decent amount. Emeralds are expensive, they look a good colours and are a reasonable size, and do is 18ct gold. The amethyst stone looks a nice one too, I know the deeper the purple the more they cost.
Do you have a local independent jewellers who can give you an opinion?