Question Necklace and Pendant
QUESTION: Hi again Peter.
Well, Peter, I always come to you when I am in need of gemological assistance so I hope that you will have some great insight as always. :)
Peter, I have recently acquired a piece of jewelry that is rather perplexing to me. It's a necklace which contains a very large carved aquamarine pendant weighing 304.93 carats. The stone is very intricately carved, and is set in a 14k gold setting which contains 1.25 carats of white diamonds. The pendant is supported by a chain of Burmese sapphire beads, and the entire piece weighs well over 100 grams. It's unique, if nothing else, but I have to admit, I have not seen any other aquamarine carvings similar to it in all of my online research. Would it be worth having something of this nature appraised or submitted for professional grading. I have enclosed a photo of the piece.
Thanks again so much for your insightful commentary and information. :)
Joseph A. Supley
ANSWER: Hello Joseph,
Looks like a great piece. Is there anything carved on the back? Do you have any documentation with it, like who carved it and when? These kinds of things can make a huge difference in the value. A good story and countenance can make a big difference. If you have these things then get it apprasied but if there is no backup, even word of mouth, then it would be difficult at best. The carver is important and the age. That is about all I can do from here. Good Luck,
Peter
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QUESTION: Hi Peter.
Thanks for the answer. I have examined it pretty closely, and the back of the piece contains carvings very similar to the front. There doesn't appear to be any identifying marks or inscriptions on the piece. To the best of my knowledge, it has never been graded or appraised. Someone who inspected it told me that the overall style of the carving suggested an art deco origin, but I know that is a fairly popular style for contemporary pieces as well.
I hope that this helps.
Thanks again,
Joe :)
ANSWER: Hi Joe,
You said it was Aqua and Burmese Sapphire, where did you get that info? Since it was never graded or appraised then the seller must have told you that. If you can get to question the seller again you might learn a lot more. The Art Deco style is also a recent design style so it is a modern piece. Good Burma Sapphire is expensive right now by the way. Really nothing else I can think of. Good Luck,
Peter
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Peter,
Yes, the seller told me that the piece is aquamarine and Burmese sapphire. Evidently, the two pieces were not created together-the aqua pendant was owned originally by the grandfather of the man who sold it to the seller, who then sold it to me. I paid a considerable amount of money for it, so I am hoping that its not something fraudulent. The stones appear to be genuine. The seller told me that the piece is over 100 years old, but I cannot verify this. It could be. Does this particular kind of carved aqua resemble anything that you have encountered in your travels or appraisal?
Thanks so much again,
Joe :)
AnswerHi Joe,
Well the best thing you can do is write down the story you just told me and make it look official. Then get an appraisal done with someone who is qualified to do it. Names and dates of the owners would greatly enhance the value. I have appraised many carved pieces and the two main points are age and the person who carved it. The carving itself must be done well and the stone must be of decent quality. The ones I have done were Ruby and Quartz. The Aqua is not facet quality but looks to be cabachon quality. Some old Chinese carvings are in the millions of dollars but they are clearly marked. Look also for initials or signature of some kind that will help. Get an expert to look at it before appraising. Verify if it is worth it. Thanks Joe and Good Luck.
Peter
