Some stunning Renaissance Revival jewelry is coming up for sale this month, renewing interest – yet again – in that 19th-century style, one of jewelry history’s most beautiful revisitations. Hollywood jeweler Neil Lane probably has his eye on these sales – and one piece in particular. “I know it sounds silly, but I actually...
Nothing is more captivating than the glow of ancient gold under museum lights, except maybe for ancient gold in an auction showroom – that is, ancient jewels you could, conceivably, own. Or at least hold, however briefly. Gold jewelry from the ancient Mediterranean has a particular thrill that carries through the millenia, capturing the...
In Ancient Rome and Greece, gold jewelry and engraved gems were valued far more than other works of art. Getty antiquities curator Kenneth Lapatin reveals the fascinating ancient reality behind his museum's wearable treasures.
It seems only natural that so many women design jewelry. After all, it’s primarily women who wear it—which may explain why female designers often bring a unique sensitivity to form-and-function. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that fifty years ago, jewelry was a male-dominated field, and a century ago, a gifted female designer counted herself...
You may be surprised who pulls out the skull rings and cross pendants on weekends. Seems everybody wants to be a rock star. Just ask Gerard Marti, owner of Célèbrités galleries in Maui. His customers include Steven Tyler, Tommy Lee and Paris Hilton, as well as the co-founder of MySpace.
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.
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.
Looking for the perfect loupe? Gem and jewelry expert Antoinette Matlins explains what to look for.
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 and examine it for hallmarks. If jewelry has hallmarks and they appear authentic, identifying its...
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.
