Ten professional tips to tell whether your jewelry is worth its weight in gold

1. My jewelry is gold or platinum, and it is heavy!

This is rule number one, because it is obvious! Gold and platinum jewelry has a high intrinsic value. With prices rising for several years now, even the smallest gold jewel can fetch several hundred or even several thousand euros. The heavier a gold jewel, the greater its value.

2. My jewelry is signed by a great House

Jewelry by famous names such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Chaumet or Mellerio, to mention only a few French Houses, is highly sought after by collectors. And with the new enthusiasm for vintage jewelry, women and men increasingly look for jewelry from the great Houses to add a fashionable touch to their outfits. Your signed jewelry may therefore be worth far more than you think.

3. My jewelry is set with fine diamonds or precious stones

Naturally, jewelry set with diamonds or precious stones such as sapphire, emerald or ruby is much sought after by collectors, and a jewel with a fine stone can fetch thousands, or even tens of thousands of euros for important stones.

Often overlooked, jewelry set with less precious stones, such as hardstones (lapis lazuli, malachite, rock crystal…), widely used and carved in the 1970s, is coming back into fashion. If you own jewelry set with beautiful gems, it may well be of great value.

4. My jewelry is typical of a period

Jewelry is worn, but it is also collected. Some collectors look for Napoleon III jewelry from the late 19th century, others for Art Nouveau pieces from the turn of the 20th century, or Art Deco jewelry from 1925 to 1940. If your jewel reflects the style of one of the key periods in jewelry history, it will always be valued more highly than a classic design still made today. It may even be the work of a great jeweler who is little known today. We are here to tell you more ;)

5. My jewelry is antique but could be fashionable today

Antique jewelry that has kept its charm and splendor over time is greatly appreciated by connoisseurs. Often unique and beautifully patinated, it suits an outfit perfectly and is much in demand today. If you realize that your grandmother's long chain, with its unusual links, goes perfectly with your dress, you probably own a precious jewel that collectors will love.

6. My jewelry was created by a famous artist or designer

For several years, artists' and designers' jewelry, true small works of art, has been rising in value. Jewelry by César, Niki de Saint Phalle, Calder, Pol Bury or even Dalí sometimes reaches very high prices at auction. It was the subject of an exhibition, "Medusa", at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris a few years ago.

The other side of the same coin: great designers such as Suzanne Belperron, Jean Després, Hemmerle, JAR or M. Gérard are today the true stars of the auction rooms, and their long-forgotten jewelry now changes hands for a fortune.

7. My jewelry is typical of a region

Crosses from Normandy or Rouen, enamels from Bresse, "milanos" earrings from Boulogne-sur-Mer, Marseille bead necklaces: all are collected by lovers of regional jewelry, who take pleasure in preserving the jewelry heritage of their region. Often dating from the 19th century or earlier, these jewels can be, when authentic and in good condition, true little treasures.

8. My jewelry boxes are fitted, and sometimes marked

Clothes do not make the man, but still! A beautiful jewel is far more likely to be found in a fitted leather case, made specially for the jewel it holds, especially when the case is stamped with the arms of its former owner. It is also a way of telling the great jewelers from the rest: only the most luxurious had cases made to measure.

9. My jewelry has been well cared for and is in good condition

Sometimes a jewel that would have been of interest in good condition has to be melted down, because the cost of the restoration it needs is prohibitive. While a jewel should never be repaired before being sold, its condition remains fundamental to its buying price. A well-kept jewel, regularly polished and rhodium-plated, whose setting has been checked over the years, will very often fetch more than one that has been neglected.

10. My jewelry is kept in a safe and has been handed down for generations

Finally, if some jewels have not seen the light of day for decades and are kept locked away in a safe, it is because they are of great value to those who keep them. We recommend that our clients, whether they wish to sell or not, have certificates and appraisals made, so as to know exactly what they own. If your jewelry has been in the family for generations, perhaps the time has come to transform it or sell it and give it a second life.