Paris Engagement by www.aiglabs.com

He proposed in Paris, at the Eiffel Tower! How far would you go for Love? by aiglabs.com  You don't need to understand French to understand what is going on. Vous n'avez pas besoin de comprendre le français pour comprendre ce qui se passe. Did they get that ring appraised as soon as they got home? Of course, Merci Beaucoup!

After all the planning, the preparation, & the money that you spent for that diamond. Protecting your investment begins with a Jewelry Appraisal. Call Us.

Click on the video and watch our Winter Wedding Proposal.

The Art & Science of Gems Exhibition

at the ArtScience Museum, Singapore.

Van Cleef Exhibit

This 1924 Platinum Egyptian motif bracelet is from the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection. It is decorated with scenes of hieroglyphics; scarabs, sphinx, amphora, taurus, ostrich feathers, lotus flowers and bees. It is set with emeralds, sapphires, rubies, diamonds, & onyx stones. 

Egyptian inspiration jewelry from the 1920's is very rare, and highly sought after by collectors. Norman Monteau our Egyptian inspired jewelry expert says that after the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb Egyptian inspired jewelry became extremely popular in Europe and in America.

See you at the exhibit in Singapore!

“Van Cleef & Arpels: The Art & Science of Gems” exhibition – at The ArtScience Museum, Singapore – from April 23 to August 14, 2016.

Long-Lost Amber Room May Be Stashed in a Nazi Bunker in Poland?

http://nyti.ms/1XKAnU3

After 60 years of hunting for the missing Amber Room, a magnificent treasure stolen by the Nazis, a museum in Poland suggests that they know where is it located. This is the second time within a year that rumors have run rampant about the treasure being located in Poland.

The Amber Room is a singular treasure. It was originally completed in the 18th century in a palace near St. Petersburg, Russia, paneled with six tons of precious amber, elaborately carved and decorated with gold. After advancing German troops captured the palace in 1941, the 600-square-foot room was dismantled and carted off to Königsberg Castle in East Prussia, where it was later exposed to British bombs and Soviet shells. Berlin sent orders in January 1945 to evacuate high-value cultural items from the castle, but what happened after has never been clear.

A Norman Monteau Book Recommendation 

I am reading Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea. I also bought Stones into Schools, the sequel, to read next. Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding Mortenson, I cannot put the book down.

Faith makes it possible, Hope makes it work, 

Love makes it beautiful. 

                May you have all the three this Christmas.                           Merry Christmas Everyone!

Chopard Limited Edition Elton John Chronograph with Diamonds Wristwatch Submitted for an AIG Appraisal

One, Chopard limited edition Elton John Chronograph with Diamonds wristwatch electronically tested 18KT yellow gold, Case: 39mm diameter, Case Back: secured by eight set screws, engraved with the manufacturer's ID numbers, Elton John’s Aids Foundation, and Elton John’s signature, Case Sides: diamond set, Crown: scalloped, Bezel: diamond set, Crystal: domed synthetic sapphire, Movement: Swiss quartz.

AIG Appraisal; Limited Edition Chopard Elton John Watch 

Limited to 200 pieces Case Lugs: diamond set, Dial: Champagne color, with pointed hands and numerals, Chronograph Functions: three sub dials for continuous seconds, minutes, and hours, Date Window: four o’clock position, Bracelet: Black crocodile strap, Condition: G-6 Extra Fine. Chopard concealed diamond set deployment clasp. Containing: Approximately 774 round brilliant cut diamonds, approx.total weight = 6.00ct. Graded in the setting.

Elgin 1917 G.M. Wheeler Open Face Pocket Watch Submitted for an AIG Appraisal

American International Gemologists Photo Elgin Open Face Pocket Watch

American International Gemologists Elgin USA 17 Jewel Movement

One, Elgin open face, pocket watch electronically tested 14KT yellow gold filled, the case is stamped 14KT gold filled, Case Measurements: 44mm diameter, Model: G.M. Wheeler, Grade 441, Size 14. 

Inner Movement Case Cover: high polish finish, Outer Movement Case Cover: high polish finish, Both the inner and outer movement covers can be engraved, Bezel: polished, Crystal: acrylic. Circa: 1917. This pocket watch will be eligible to be called an antique in 2017. Included with the pocket watch is the original manufacturers box and manufacturers card.

  

Elgin USA Movement: seventeen jewel mechanical stem wind, with a three quarter plate, and five adjustments, Elgin Signed Dial: Ivory color, pointed hands, numerals, minute indices and five minute markers, Seconds Sub Dial: at the six o’clock position, Condition: G-5 Fine.   

Man Finds a Natural Pearl in Quahog Clam Stew 

Yes; that’s right, there is an actual clam called the Quahog. It’s a real clam, unlike the named city in the TV series Family Guy, where the town holds an annual ceremony, about a legendary Magic Clam. Now that is a crazy story for another day, or just watch the show.  The story that I am about to tell you is real, not written by Seth Macfarlane. A guy from Swampscott Mass., having dinner in Peabody Mass., at a Portuguese restaurant  that has since closed,  finds a natural pearl in a bowl of Quahog Clam Stew.  Who could make this stuff up, it’s kinda funny how this true story ties in with the fictitious yet hilariously funny Family Guy TV series.

Birthday dinner turns into Birthday Cash, a lot of cash for a police officer and his family. Unbeknownst  to him, he had found a natural pearl in his bowl of clam stew.

AIG Appraisal Photo of Mike Serino and the pearl, courtesy of WBZ TV

  

AIG Appraisal Photo of Mike Serino's Quahog Pearl 

Mike Serino, a local police officer, was enjoying his birthday at a local Portuguese restaurant (doesn’t this sound like a Family Guy episode?) when he nearly swallowed the pearl, about the size of a skittle. Mike thought he had bitten into a rock.

Serino didn't know it at the time, but the little, purple rock was a very rare natural pearl.

AIG Appraisal Photo of Mike Serino, Courtesy of WBZ TV  

For over five years, the purple rock sat in a box in his daughter’s bedroom. Then, in December, Serino saw a news story about Kathleen Morelli a woman in Virginia, who found a natural pearl in a littleneck clam.

Serino sent his pearl to a lab in California, the G.I.A., Gemological Institute of America. They identified the ‘rock” as a Northern Quahog clam natural freshwater pearl. The pearl measures 11.43 x 8.36mm and weighs 6.22 carats.

AIG Appraisal Photo of Mike Serino's Pearl, Courtesy of WBZ TV

WBZ-TV in Boston spoke with Dona Dirlam, director of GIA’s Gemological Library. She said that this was a pretty special pearl, and that finding any natural pearls today is quite special.

Freshwater pearl expert Sande Monteau; in Laboratory Services for American International Gemologists, AIG Appraisal, said in a recent interview that she has worked with many California and Mexican divers who have been collecting shells their entire lives and have never found a pearl of any kind. Monteau estimated that finding another natural pearl like Serino’s, would be a million to one.

Natural pearls are organic, created by totally by nature, with no human involvement. A foreign substance gets into the mollusk’s shell, then it secretes layers of nacre to protect itself from whatever got inside. As time passes, the nacre can produce a pearl.

Cultured pearls, on the other hand, are grown with human involvement, a bead is placed in the mollusk to stimulate the nacre.

The pearl was put up for auction at Kaminski Auctions. Bidding was open from February 28 to March 15. Kaminski Auctions, told The Boston Herald that the bidding reserve was $5,000, but the pearl failed to yield a bid above the reserve. However, in April the pearl was sold to an un-named collector in Japan for some big money, Big Birthday money that is, $16,500US. That’s right folks, $16,500US.

The Serino's debated what they will do with the money. Mike is thinking about getting a Corvette, while his wife and their three daughters want to spend the money on new appliances in the kitchen.

Images: Screen captures via WBZ-TV

Gold Pendant Depicting Religious Scenes Dating Back to the 15th Century

Gold Pendant Depicting Religious Scenes Dating Back to the 15th Century Was Nearly Sold for Scrap.

When a British woman unearthed a tiny gold pendant in her garden she had no idea of its origin or value. She saw the item as unremarkable, kept it in a drawer for over thirty years.  Recently, she tried to sell the piece as scrap gold, and this is when she learned that her humdrum find was truly extraordinary.

Her local jeweler identified the masterfully engraved jewelry depicting Christian religious images on the front and back  as a rare historical treasure dating back to the 15th century.

The Buckinghamshire County Museum raised £13,000 (about $20, 000US) to purchase the "beautiful and fascinating little piece of Bucks heritage," according to spokesman Brett Thorn. The pendant is likely a souvenir of a pilgrimage to Thomas Becket's tomb. Becket was the archbishop of Canterbury until he was murdered in his cathedral in 1170. He was made a saint three years later.

According to Norman Monteau in the appraisal lab aiglabs.com American International Gemologists;  AIG Appraisal, it was common for pilgrims to buy and wear jewelry to show they had made the pilgrimage to Becket’s tomb. Just like today at a religious shrine, the sellers of souvenir jewelry have every price point available for purchase depending on what the pilgrim can afford.

The museum proudly promoted its newest acquisition on its Facebook page: "1st chance to see in 500 years! For the first time since it was lost, half a millennia ago, this beautiful gold medieval pendant, showing Christian scenes, can be admired again. A marvel of miniature craftsmanship, the detail on the scenes showing the Virgin Mary, and Thomas Becket, are stunning. Come and see for yourself, in the Jewellery Gallery, then tell us what you think..."

The exhibit is called "A Little Piece of Heaven," the pendant is displayed in a Lucite cylinder next to giant-size replicas of the front and back of the pendant so museum visitors can see the fine details of the work.

There is some evidence that the miniature carving may have been even more colorful and elaborate when it was new because the piece shows traces of blue and white enamel. The pendant measures about one inch across, dates from 1450 to 1500 and is in amazingly pristine condition.

Thorn told the BBC, "Apart from the incredible level of skill of the craftsman who made it, it also tells us something about how important religion was to the lives of the people at that time."

Normally, precious artifacts dug up in the English countryside would have to be turned over to authorities under the 1996 Treasure Act. But since the pendant was found 30 years ago, predating the Act, it could be sold privately.

This is a very good lesson to remember; if you're going to sell old gold jewelry, or old gold of any kind to a “Gold Buyer”, have a gemologist or jewelry appraiser look at the items first, or make an appointment with us to look over and test your old gold! 

Images via Facebook/Bucks County Museum and Roald Dahl Children's Gallery.