Buying Estate Jewelry

When I moved to Boston in 1991 after a cross country road trip with my bestie, I needed a job… and quick.

I had a fresh college degree in business, and it was backed with an even fresher trade school degree. I was a Graduate Gemologist and I wanted to work in fine jewelry! The job market wasn’t hot, but I was confident. My first interview was with Skinner Auctioneers. What a dream job that would have been! They weren’t hiring, and the woman I interviewed with, Gloria Lieberman, suggested I go to Newman Marcus and work in the Precious Jewels Salon. There I could work with amazing jewelry, and make commission. (I still remember her name….probably because I’ve seen her on Antiques Roadshow)

So I did. I got my share of retail, and I learned to sell, but I missed the research and concentrated time of really studying the jewelry, the stones, the eras, and the makers. Fast forward 30 years, and I’m buying and selling Western Vintage. Turquoise is the focus, but the other gems and jewelry intrigue me as well. Today, I placed a few gold pieces on the website. It was fun. Measuring, weighing, testing for gold carat, looking through a 10x loupe to grade a diamond, and recalling how the piece came into my possession. I’m hoping to build more of this side of my biz in the near future.