Ask an Expert

How to use a jewelry loupe

Friday, June 11, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to use a jewelry loupe

When you examine a piece of jewelry through a loupe, are you seeing everything there is to see? A seasoned expert offers tips for mastering this tricky but incredibly useful little gadget. »

Beware: That ruby may be a glass composite

Tuesday, June 8, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
Beware: That ruby may be a glass composite

If you're in the market for rubies, read this. There's an interloper among those red beauties - and it's been spotted at mainstream retailers, priced well above its true value. »

How to buy a jewelry loupe

Wednesday, May 26, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to buy a jewelry loupe

Looking for the perfect loupe? Gem and jewelry expert Antoinette Matlins explains what to look for. »

What you need to know about jewelry hallmarks

Thursday, May 6, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
What you need to know about jewelry hallmarks

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Buying antique or vintage jewelry means first figuring out what it is, where and when it was made, and by whom. That’s why the first thing an experienced buyer will do is hold a piece up to a loupe... »

How to photograph jewelry: Photoshop tips from the pros

Friday, March 12, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to photograph jewelry: Photoshop tips from the pros

For every hour they spend shooting a jewel, pro photographers spend another hour tweaking it on the computer. Welcome to the age of digital retouching. Good news: Photoshop isn't as tricky as it looks and the pros are sharing their secrets. »

How to buy ancient jewelry for $3000 or less

Thursday, March 4, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to buy ancient jewelry for $3000 or less

Fine antiquities in good condition are rare and that keeps prices high in this category overall. Ancient jewelry, however, is a notable exception. You can buy rings and earrings from Ancient Rome and Greece for the price of a David Yurman bracelet. »

How to insure your jewelry

Wednesday, January 20, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to insure your jewelry

If your jewelry is stolen, ordinary insurance will only cover so much. So I asked collector and jewelry/gem expert Antoinette Matlins what she recommends - and learned all kinds of useful things. »

How to photograph gems: tips from the pros

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to photograph gems: tips from the pros

Last week, some of my favorite jewelry photographers shared their tips for how to shoot jewelry. Now let's look at one of the trickier aspects: photographing gemstones. »

How to photograph jewelry: tips from the pros

Thursday, December 31, 2009
By Cathleen McCarthy
How to photograph jewelry: tips from the pros

If you deal with jewelry, you probably tried to photograph it at some point - and came away with a new appreciation for those glossy images in magazines. How do the pros do it? Three top jewelry photographers share their secrets. »

What to call old jewelry: vintage or collectible?

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By Cathleen McCarthy

In my first post on the shifting sands of estate jewelry terminology, experts set us straight on the terms estate, antique and vintage. Two well-known Manhattan jewelry dealers, Peter Schaffer and Janet Mavec, weigh in on the estate debate. Collectible jewelry. Here’s one that really drives jewelry dealers crazy. Schaffer  participated in a symposium once with... »

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