Happy Stories From our customers

ACCs are the cushion equivalent to OECs. They were cut with tall crowns and small tables, and have a characteristic Maltese cross due to the crown height. They have big chunky facets and produce bold flashes that more slowly around the stone than the fast fire of modern day cuts. They were cut to sparkle pre electricity so they perform very well in low lighting. Some times they are referred to as candle light cushions. They lack the “perfection” of modern cuts but the make up for it beautiful pastel flashes and old world charm.

Some movies are simply “jewelry heavy” where the film relies on jewelry as if it were a co-star, enhancing the beauty of the film…and the lead actress of course.

Cleopatra is one such movie where the jewelry lovin’ queen played by jewelry lovin’ actress Elizabeth Taylor stunned theater goers with her staggering array of gold dripping costumes.

Here are some other fun facts about Cleopatra (found in AnOther) you might not know.

1. Taylor’s 24-carat gold cloth cape, designed to look like the wings of a phoenix, was intricately assembled from thin strips of gold leather and embellished with thousands of seed beads, bugle beads and bead-anchored sequins.

2. A colossal total of 26,000 costumes were created for the film.

3. Taylor had 65 costume changes in Cleopatra, a record for a motion picture at the time.

4. She was allocated an incredible $194,800 (£123,000) wardrobe budget.

5. Costume designer Renie Conley won the 1963 Academy Award for Best Costume Design (along with Irene Sharaff and Vittorio Nino Novarese), for her creation of Taylor’s stunning gowns, which placed emphasis on the actress’ beauty and sexuality over historical accuracy.

6. Sartorially, the film was extremely influential, popularising snake rings, arm cuffs, geometric haircuts and maxi dresses, as well as the “Cleopatra Eye” makeup trend – a 60s Revlon commercial promoted Cleopatra “Sphinx Eyes”.

7. According to Rex Harrison’s autobiography, Fox custom-made the boots for his character Julius Caesar while Richard Burton’s boots were Stephen Boyd hand-me-downs from the previous attempt at making the film. Harrison was amazed that Burton did not complain.

8. The armies of extras alone were issued 8,000 pairs of shoes.

9. Taylor’s iconic gold cape sold at auction for $59,375 in 2012. Prior to that it had been stored in a cedar closet, finely wrapped in tissue paper.

10. The female extras complained about their overly tight and revealing costumes, which they said provoked wandering fingers among the male ensemble. The studio eventually hired a special guard to protect them.

Cutting is also important for smaller stones. Here’s an example of how cutting affects a gemstone’s appearance. These are 3.5mm yellow sapphires going into a bracelet. Stone #1,  in addition to having better proportions, has a flower, or star pattern at the base/culet of the stone. The result is a much brighter looking stone.

It’s amazing how the smallest detail of a piece of jewelry provides us with so much information. In this simple video, you’ll see how the catch on a brooch is used to identify the time period in which it was made. From the early 1800’s to the 195o’s, catches were popular for phases, just like any other jewelry trend (bet you didn’t know about the trombone catch!).

Buying antique or estate jewelry can be a risk…and for obvious reasons. Most people cannot authenticate jewelry with the naked eye. But with some due diligence, you can get closer to the bottom line.

First and foremost, buy from a reputable dealer. (Major auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s stand behind the authenticity of their pieces and usually provide gemological certifications.)

And just like any work of art, the signature means everything.

According to a recent article in Forbes:

In the world of antique, vintage, and estate jewelry, signed pieces by the maker can mean the difference between a lovely item and an appreciating asset. A signed object also makes it harder to knock off. The blue-chip makers remain the standard-bearers: Bulgari, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels continue to be coveted by savvy collectors.

So if you’re a serious estate jewelry shopper, bring the needed equipment, like magnifying glass or jewelry loupe, Examine each item for valuable identifying signatures and other related marks.

When buying estate jewelry, be your own detective!

The “real deal.” Étourdissant Cartier brooch in platinum, emerald, rock crystal, onyx, and diamonds.