Podcasts about graduate gemologist

What you'll learn in this episode:   Which essential jewelry books you should have in your library Why books are so much more reliable than internet research when it comes to gemstones and jewelry Why the Renaissance opened up a new world of adornment An overview of the periods of jewelry and how they overlapped and influenced one another How cultural turning points, like World War II and the South African diamond rush, influenced what materials were used during different time periods   About Jo Ellen Cole Jo Ellen Cole is the owner of Cole Appraisal Services and the director of fine jewelry at Abell Auctions. She earned her Graduate Gemologist Diploma at the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica and successfully passed the prestigious Gemological Association of Great Britain's FGA examinations.   Additional resources: LinkedIn Gemological and Jewelry Books for a Professional Library:   GEMOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION BOOKS Gemstones: Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification, Webster, Robert Gem Testing, Anderson, Basil Handbook of Gemstone Identification, Liddicoat Jr., Richard T. Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin, Pedersen, Maggie Campbell Gemstones of the World, Schumann, Walter Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Vols. 1, 2 and 3, Gubelin, Edward and Koivula, John Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones, Arem, Joel The Spectroscope and Gemmology, Anderson, Basil and Payne, James, edited by Mitchell, R. Keith   GENERAL REFERENCE Gemology, An Annotated Bibliography, Sinkankas, John The Complete Handbook for Gemstone Weight Estimation, Carmona, Charles Dictionary of Gems and Gemology, Shipley, Robert The Jewelers Manual, Liddicoat Jr., Richard T. and Copeland, Lawrence L. Gemstone and Mineral Data Book, Sinkankas, John     DIAMONDS Diamonds, Bruton, Eric Diamond Cutting: Complete Guide to Cutting Diamonds, Watermeyer, Basil Famous Diamonds, Balfour, Ian Hardness 10, Vleeschdrager, Eddy Diamond Handbook, Newman, Renee Laboratory Grown Diamonds, Simic, Dusan and Deljanin, Branko Fluorescence as a Tool for Diamond Origin Identification – A Guide, Chapman, John, Deljanin, Branko and Spyromilios, George PEARLS Book of the Pearl, Kunz, George F. and Stevenson, Charles Hugh Pearls, Strack, Elizabeth Beyond Price, Donkin, R.A.   JADE Jade, A Gemmologist's Guide, Hughes, Richard Jade For You, Ng, John Y. and Root, Edmund   COLORED STONES Ruby and Sapphire, Hughes, Richard Emerald and Other Beryls, Sinkankas, John Opal Identification and Value, Downing, Paul   JEWELRY HISTORY Brilliant Effects, Pointon, Marcia Understanding Jewelry, Bennett, David, and Mascetti, Daniella Jewelry in America, Fales, Margha Gandy Victorian Jewellery, Flowers, Margaret Transcript: In appraiser Jo Ellen Cole's opinion, the best thing a jewelry lover can have is a well-stocked library. Information on gems and jewelry abounds online today, but much of that information is incorrect. For that reason, Jo Ellen—a Graduate Gemologist who also passed Gem-A's FGA examination—turns to books when she has a question about a specific piece, hallmark or stone. She joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to share which books she recommends for every jewelry interest; how jewelry trends shifted over the years due to cultural forces; and how to quickly identify the characteristics of different jewelry periods. Read the episode transcript here.  

What you'll learn in this episode:   Which essential jewelry books you should have in your library Why books are so much more reliable than internet research when it comes to gemstones and jewelry Why the Renaissance opened up a new world of adornment An overview of the periods of jewelry and how they overlapped and influenced one another How cultural turning points, like World War II and the South African diamond rush, influenced what materials were used during different time periods   About Jo Ellen Cole Jo Ellen Cole is the owner of Cole Appraisal Services and the director of fine jewelry at Abell Auctions. She earned her Graduate Gemologist Diploma at the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica and successfully passed the prestigious Gemological Association of Great Britain's FGA examinations.   Additional resources: LinkedIn Gemological and Jewelry Books for a Professional Library:   GEMOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION BOOKS Gemstones: Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification, Webster, Robert Gem Testing, Anderson, Basil Handbook of Gemstone Identification, Liddicoat Jr., Richard T. Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin, Pedersen, Maggie Campbell Gemstones of the World, Schumann, Walter Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Vols. 1, 2 and 3, Gubelin, Edward and Koivula, John Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones, Arem, Joel The Spectroscope and Gemmology, Anderson, Basil and Payne, James, edited by Mitchell, R. Keith   GENERAL REFERENCE Gemology, An Annotated Bibliography, Sinkankas, John The Complete Handbook for Gemstone Weight Estimation, Carmona, Charles Dictionary of Gems and Gemology, Shipley, Robert The Jewelers Manual, Liddicoat Jr., Richard T. and Copeland, Lawrence L. Gemstone and Mineral Data Book, Sinkankas, John     DIAMONDS Diamonds, Bruton, Eric Diamond Cutting: Complete Guide to Cutting Diamonds, Watermeyer, Basil Famous Diamonds, Balfour, Ian Hardness 10, Vleeschdrager, Eddy Diamond Handbook, Newman, Renee Laboratory Grown Diamonds, Simic, Dusan and Deljanin, Branko Fluorescence as a Tool for Diamond Origin Identification – A Guide, Chapman, John, Deljanin, Branko and Spyromilios, George PEARLS Book of the Pearl, Kunz, George F. and Stevenson, Charles Hugh Pearls, Strack, Elizabeth Beyond Price, Donkin, R.A.   JADE Jade, A Gemmologist's Guide, Hughes, Richard Jade For You, Ng, John Y. and Root, Edmund   COLORED STONES Ruby and Sapphire, Hughes, Richard Emerald and Other Beryls, Sinkankas, John Opal Identification and Value, Downing, Paul   JEWELRY HISTORY Brilliant Effects, Pointon, Marcia Understanding Jewelry, Bennett, David, and Mascetti, Daniella Jewelry in America, Fales, Margha Gandy Victorian Jewellery, Flowers, Margaret Transcript: In appraiser Jo Ellen Cole's opinion, the best thing a jewelry lover can have is a well-stocked library. Information on gems and jewelry abounds online today, but much of that information is incorrect. For that reason, Jo Ellen—a Graduate Gemologist who also passed Gem-A's FGA examination—turns to books when she has a question about a specific piece, hallmark or stone. She joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to share which books she recommends for every jewelry interest; how jewelry trends shifted over the years due to cultural forces; and how to quickly identify the characteristics of different jewelry periods. Read the episode transcript here.   Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the first part of a two-part episode. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it's released later this week.   I met Jo Ellen about six or seven years ago when I was studying for the GG, or the Graduate Gemology degree. In order to pass it, I needed to identify about 18 stones and get them all right, and I only had three chances to do that. This was daunting to me because I'm not a science person; I'm not a math person or anything. I wasn't working with the stones. I wasn't working in a jewelry store, so I really didn't have the opportunity to handle the stones. I called another appraiser, Charlie Carmona, whom we've had on this podcast, and asked him for a recommendation for a tutor. I thought it was a pretty weird recommendation that I was asking for, but he immediately recommended Jo Ellen, and I never looked back. She's been a great tutor. It was a few years ago, but she helped me a lot.   She knows a lot about jewelry, and not just jewelry, but I find her extremely knowledgeable about vintage and antique pieces. I have talked to and been to enough appraisers to know that this is its own specialty. She's also been helpful when it comes to directing me to researchers for whatever I need. She pointed me in the right direction. Today, she's going to share with us the books that she thinks will help us with our jewelry journey. Jo Ellen, welcome to the program.   Jo Ellen: Thank you so much for having me. I'm happy to be here.   Sharon: I'm so glad that you deigned to be on. Now, tell us, with a GG, which is part of the GIA, you can do a lot of things. So, why did you go into appraisal as opposed to other things?   Jo Ellen: Well, I found that I was lacking in salesmanship abilities, to say the least. I'm just not a salesperson, but I love to categorize; I love to research. Appraising seemed to fit that bill very well. Plus, when I realized that I was not good at sales, I met Charles Carmona, whom you mentioned before, at American Society of Appraisers—no, it was the AGA. I can't remember what that stands for, but it was a meeting. I met him, and a couple of years later, he asked me to work with him and I jumped on it. It was a wonderful experience. He's still my mentor. He's so knowledgeable and knows so much about appraising. I always feel comfortable talking to him about any problem I might encounter. He's been very instrumental.   Sharon: And a big name in the L.A. market, I would say.   Jo Ellen: He's really gone worldwide. He has three laboratories in China and Thailand as well.   Sharon: I didn't realize that.   Jo Ellen: Yeah, he's really opened up his market. He also leads a lot of traveling groups and things. He's very well-known.   Sharon: I knew he was well-known in Los Angeles, but I didn't know he was that well-known around the world.   Jo Ellen: Having factories in Africa, he's been around doing a lot of different things.   Sharon: I've stopped purchasing books when it comes to novels or something like that. I just listen to them. Why should I purchase a book as opposed to listening online when it comes to jewelry? Why should I purchase a jewelry book?   Jo Ellen: What I've noticed is that when I go online to research prices of jewelry, which I do often, I find that a lot of the information I find is not correct. I think part of the reason for that is because it's so easy to list something online. It gets your name out there, so people do that. However, they don't always double check their information. There's a lot of misinformation out there.   Whereas in a book, it takes a lot longer to set it up, edit it, make sure everything's proper. I've been able to count on the information coming from books a lot better than I have been from online sources. However, I must say there is certainly a good reason to look online as well. Some of the information is very good. It's just that, personally, I feel more comfortable with a book form. Then, you can revisit that if you need to. It's easier to find.   Sharon: Do you have to know if it's right or wrong before you look at a book?   Jo Ellen: You have to figure that out on your own. But generally, if you have a good background in terms of knowledge of gems and gemology and antique jewelry from reading through books, a lot of times, you'll find that information is incorrect when you go online.   Sharon: I know instances where I've found incorrect information about pearls or something like that. I wouldn't say I'm any kind of expert, but I know it's incorrect.   Jo Ellen: Yeah.   Sharon: Can you tell us quickly what you do every day? What does an appraiser do every day?   Jo Ellen: If I'm not reviewing a book for a gemological publication like The Gemologist or Gems & Gemology, which doesn't do book reviews anymore—but a lot of times, I'm asked by people in the industry to review new books. So, I do that a lot, which involves going over the book line by line and figuring out what I think is proper and what isn't, or what is clear and what is not. I do that a lot.   I also work at a local auctioneer two days a week, at Abell Auctions, as their fine jewelry director. I'm constantly cataloguing things and looking for prices on things, always encountering something unusual there. You get things from all over the world, and people like to use that venue as a way to sell their items. If I'm not doing that, I'm actually going to people's localities to appraise their jewelry for them, either for insurance purposes or for estate purposes if somebody has passed or wants to set up a trust. I do that a lot, but a lot of my days are spent doing what I love, which is reading.   Sharon: You sound pretty conscientious to look at a book that closely when you're writing a book review.   Jo Ellen: For me, it's really important to get it right. Generally, most books, even if I don't particularly like them, I can at least validate that their information is correct. I did have one book about a year-and-a-half ago that was just so egregious in its information I had to give it a bad review, which I've never done before. I called up the editor the week before it was due and said, “Why are you even covering this book? It's so awful.” He asked why, and I started pointing out little things. He was like, “Oh,” but he published the review anyhow. I didn't feel great about it because I don't like to slam people for things, but it was just so awful I had to point it out.   Sharon: So, we should do our own reading, both online and with books.   Jo Ellen: Absolutely.   Sharon: Let's talk about a book or books and talk about the history. If you want to learn about the history of jewelry through the ages, what would you look at?   Jo Ellen: There are a couple of really good books. When you write a book, it seems like the best formula is always to start at the beginning and take them through the ages. That's what they do with jewelry history. Usually, they'll start with prehistoric jewelry and how jewelry first came to be—it's one of the oldest things that humans have done that marks them as humans—and then it goes through medieval times and Renaissance, and then to Georgian and Victorian and Arts and Crafts or the Aesthetic Period, and then through Art Nouveau and Art Deco and Retro and on up to modern jewelry for today. That's usually how a book on jewelry history is set up. There are couple of really good ones out there that encapsulate what you need to know in terms of jewelry history.   Sharon: Before you tell us that, I wanted to tell our listeners that we will have all this information on the website. Yes, take notes, but you don't have to write everything down; it'll be on our website.   Jo Ellen: Yeah, I created a list of things that you can look for. One of the main books I recommend for overall jewelry history is a book called “Understanding Jewelry.” It's by David Bennett and Daniela Mascetti, who were both cataloguers at Sotheby's for many years and very knowledgeable in their field. It really helps to set up all those different ages of jewelry and gives wonderful examples and photographs. It's a picture book as well as an informative book, but all the information they offer has always been spot-on. I've learned so much from that book. It's one that I would definitely recommend.   Sharon: I've probably seen it in every jewelry office that has books. I see that book.   Jo Ellen: It's a great book. It really is. Another good one that's much simpler and has more pictures is a book called “Warman's Jewelry.”   Sharon: Warman's?   Jo Ellen: Yeah, W-A-R-M-A-N. The second edition was actually written by a good friend of mine, Christie Romero, who has since passed on. She used to be on the Antiques Roadshow. You'd see her on Antiques Roadshow a lot, a very knowledgeable woman. She had started her journey by traveling down to Mexico and learning all about Mexican silver and then just expanded from there. She used to give classes on jewelry at Valley College in Los Angeles. She just knew how to present things in such a way that it was very easy to assimilate that information.   It has tons and tons of pictures. It also has a jewelry timeline. It's very thorough for being such an easily read book. There are even some prices in there, I think. It's now an older book, and I think there have been other editions that have been written since hers, but I always liked hers because I'm familiar with it. So, that's another good one that I would offer.   Sharon: What about a book if we want to be more specific, like Georgian or Victorian jewelry? It's funny that when you say prehistoric, you could take many of the prehistoric pieces and wear them today and nobody would know the difference. But it seems to jump then to Renaissance.   Jo Ellen: Because it has to do with the Dark Ages. A lot of it is about human history and civilization. During the Dark Ages, people were in such terrible shape as a civilization, they didn't have time to decorate themselves, so they usually used items from the past. There wasn't a lot of information coming out between, let's say, the 5th and 13th centuries. Then things started rolling again once society got more stabilized.   Sharon: Is there a particular book we should look at if we want to pick up where society picked up? Let's say Georgian.   Jo Ellen: There's a really good book on jewels of the Renaissance by Yvonne Hackenbroch. It's quite a tome. It's big, and it goes through the history of civilization as well as jewelry. It talks about the light occurring in the beginning of the Renaissance, when people started realizing there's more to life than just eating and sleeping and staying alive. You can decorate yourself. You can show your social status by what you wear, some of it being jewelry. That's a very good book for the Renaissance period.   There's also another Renaissance book called “Renaissance Jewels and Jeweled Objects: From the Melvin Gutman Collection” by Parker Lesley. It shows wonderful examples of Renaissance-oriented jewelry. There's one called the Hope Pearl Jewel. It's this big, baroque pearl that's decorated as the body of a man. It's very well known. It demonstrates jewels like that.   Sharon: From there, does it continue to Georgian and Victorian?   Jo Ellen: Yeah, there's a really good book, “Georgian Jewelry 1714-1830,” by Ginny Redington and Tom Dawes with Olivia Collings. It's great because I had never seen a book specifically on Georgian jewelry. It's not glamorous jewelry because the techniques weren't there. It's just that people wanted to adorn themselves to help their social status. It's very collectable today. People collect Georgian jewelry all the time. It goes through the period before Queen Victoria took the throne and clarifies a lot of things. And, again, the information is spot-on. I've never had a problem with these books. When I go to confirm that information, I've never had a problem with it.   Sharon: I don't collect Georgian jewelry, but I do know it's very hard to find.   Jo Ellen: Yeah, it is, but it shows up at different auctions, sometimes in the most unusual places. Even at Abell Auctions you'll see it. People just hold onto these things. A lot of Georgian jewelry isn't available anymore because people would melt down those items to make new items in a newer fashion, such as a Victorian fashion. They would take the stones out, melt down the metals and then either recast them or remake them in some way into a newer-looking form. That's why you don't see a lot of Georgian jewelry anymore.   Sharon: How about Victorian jewelry? There seems to be a lot of it.   Jo Ellen: There's a lot of Victorian jewelry. Even though people also did it then, where they would melt things down and make a new piece out of older pieces, there is a lot of Victorian jewelry because Queen Victoria, whom that period is named after, wore a lot of jewelry. She was a big jewelry person. She loved jewelry and she used it for sentimental reasons to give imagery, to bestow favor on people. So, there's a lot of it around because people would want to copy her. Everybody started doing that. You'll have mourning jewelry from Victorian times.   A lot of historical things happened during her reign, such as the finding of diamonds in South Africa, which changed the diamond market forever. Before then, there were diamonds from Brazil, primarily, or India, but they're very hard to come by and very, very expensive. Once they opened up the diamond fields in South Africa, you started getting a lot more diamond jewelry.   Sharon: By mourning, you mean if somebody dies?   Jo Ellen: Yeah. A lot of times, when someone would die, they would leave a certain amount of money in their will to make mourning rings or pendants for their friends and family to remember them by. So, you have this memento mori-type jewelry which has its own collecting base. People collect their little pendants, which are like little baskets with a little enamel skeleton inside, little rings that say the man or woman's name written around the inside of the band, all sorts of things like that. It's kind of sweet because, when you think about it, jewelry is one of the few art forms that's worn close to the body. It makes it more sentimental.   Sharon: And the diamonds from South Africa, were they different than the other diamonds, besides being less expensive?   Jo Ellen: The thing with Brazilian diamonds in particular is that they had what they call a lot of knots in them, where their crystals grow into crystals. You would have these harder-to-polish areas. With African diamonds, it's such a pure form that they're easier to polish. They didn't take as much time to polish, and they didn't break on the wheel the way that some of the Brazilian diamonds would break.   Sharon: They used those diamonds in Victorian jewelry?   Jo Ellen: They did.   Sharon: What books should we look at if we want to learn about Victorian jewelry?   Jo Ellen: There is a wonderful book—in fact, I used to know an antique dealer that used to give out these books to his clients because they were wonderfully organized. There's a book called “Victorian Jewelry” by Margaret Flower, and it goes through the different phases of Victorian jewelry. There's an early, a mid and a late phase. What she does is describe exactly what you can see during each of the phases, what types of jewelry. It's very interesting, and it gives you an overall picture of how things came to be during that time period. It's really nicely done.   There's a much larger book I'm still reading because it's so big. It's called “Jewelry in the Age of Queen Victoria” by Charlotte Gere and Judy Rudoe. That also has a lot of very specific information on different types of jewelry, the makers during that time. What's interesting is you'll see the same authors over and over again because these people really use it. It's their way to express themselves as a lifestyle, almost. They're wonderful authors, and they do their research and know what they're talking about. So, those are two Victorian jewelry books I would highly recommend. I think they're wonderfully done.   Then, if you want to go into French jewelry, there's another book called “French Jewelry of the Nineteenth Century” by Henri Vever. It's an enormously fat book. I'm still reading that one as well, but again, it's jewelry makers. It's huge. It gives makers' information and techniques, and it's beautifully done. That's a good book to have as well.   Sharon: First of all, it strikes me that you seem to look at the pictures a lot more. You read. Most people don't read any of the book. They look at the pictures. That's different.   Jo Ellen: They have pictures with jewelry; that's sure to entice you to continue looking.   Sharon: Then what do you go into? Edwardian and Art Nouveau?   Jo Ellen: Before that, there's actually a period called the Aesthetic Period, which is also covered in the “Jewelry in the Age of Queen Victoria” book. It was in the late 1870s through the 1900s. There were certain makers that specialized in it, like Child & Child of London. They would make these beautiful pieces that harkened back to classical times but using new techniques and materials. That was a specific period. It was a very small period, but all the jewelry that was done during that time is beautifully done. There's a book by Geoffrey Munn called “Castellani and Giuliano,” and it talks about that specific time period. For example, Castellani was known for taking antique or ancient jewelry and refiguring it for that time period around the 1900s.   Sharon: He was a goldsmith?   Jo Ellen: He was a goldsmith. It was actually two brothers who were goldsmiths. One of the brothers was very politically active and lost an arm when they were demonstrating or something. He got put in jail, but the other brother kept on, and then their children took over after them. In Giuliano's case, which was another manufacturer in Rome, he was known for his enamels. You will see jewelry specifically with black and white enamel accenting other colored enamels. The work is beautifully done, and it's very detailed.   Sharon: We may be going back a few years. What was Berlin iron, and when was that popular?   Jo Ellen: Berlin ironwork, I believe, was like 1840 through 1860. It was a result of people giving up their precious metals for the Prussian Wars that were happening at that time. They would make this Berlin ironwork, which is very delicate and lacey, but it was made out of iron because they didn't want to use precious metals for that; they wanted to use it for warfare. So, they would use ironwork as a substitute for precious metals. There are some beautifully intricate bracelets and necklaces. It looks like lace. It's really beautiful.   Sharon: Is it wearable?   Jo Ellen: It is wearable. It's kind of a Gothic look, so it's a heavier look. I don't know if you'd want to wear it every day because, again, it's kind of—I hate to say gloomy, but it is kind of a sober look because it's black and the tracery is so fine. But it's certainly wearable.   Sharon: After the Aesthetic Period, we have Edwardian and Art Deco. What do we have?   Jo Ellen: What we start with is Arts and Crafts, which is actually my favorite period. I have a lot of books on it, but there are a couple that were really good in terms of pushing forward the information I knew. One is a book called “Jewelry and Metalwork in the Arts and Crafts Tradition” by Elyse Zorn Karlin, who's a very active member of the jewelry industry. She gives lectures. It's this wonderful book on Arts and Crafts jewelry and metalwork and leads you through the making of it with the guilds.   They tried to restart jewelry guilds in England where everything was made from first to last by the same person. The metal would be drawn and shaped by the person. If enamels were used, they would make the enamels themselves and apply them themselves. The stone setting was done by the same person. That was the beginning of Arts and Crafts, the person making the piece from beginning to end. Usually they're not terribly intricate, but they're beautifully fashioned with a lot of feeling. It's a very comfortable look, and it's infinitely wearable. The first part of Arts and Crafts started around 1883 through 1900. Then there was a repeat of it between around 1920 and 1935, around the same time as Art Deco.   What I forgot to mention during the Aesthetic Period was Carl Fabergé from Russia. He did a lot of Aesthetic pieces.   Sharon: He did the eggs, right?   Jo Ellen: He did the eggs for the Russian monarchy, but he also did jewelry for everyday people. He would make little, miniature enameled eggs for the general Russian population. Those still come up today once in a while. I saw an entire necklace of Fabergé eggs, all in different enamel colors beautifully done. Everything is so beautifully fashioned. You can tell they really took time in every single aspect of the making of that jewel. That's what I love about it. It shows so much attention to detail.   Sharon: We will have photos posted on the website. Please head to the JewelryJourney.com to check them out.    

J Parkerson Jewelers, located in College Park in Starkville, MS is more than just a Jewelry Store... It's an experience.  Jamie started his career with the Jeweler's Bench at the age of 19.  During his 30 plus years of hands-on experience, he also acquired his Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America.  Any time you talk to Jamie, you will find a recurring theme of the importance of relationships.  Jamie always says, "I have always strived to treat people the same way I would want to be treated. "J Parkerson Jewelers has a huge collection of beautiful diamonds and jewelry, does jewelry repairs, and Jamie specializes in custom and heirloom designs. 

What you'll learn in this episode:   How the internet has changed the way people research and shop for jewelry  Why even antique jewelry should be appraised with today's market in mind Why lab-grown diamonds are becoming increasingly popular, even if they aren't necessarily a good financial investment How to tell if you're working with a qualified appraiser, and what techniques they use to determine a piece's value Ed's advice for purchasing jewelry at auction, online and while traveling   About Ed Lewand  Edward A. Lewand, GG, ASA, AAA, is a professional, independent appraiser of fine and antique jewelry. He has earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America, is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America and a Senior Accredit Member in Gems and Jewelry from the American Society of Appraisers.   Mr. Lewand also teaches a course that he developed on appraising jewelry called the Art of Appraising Jewelry at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He lectures on appraising and antique jewelry. He maintains his insurance brokerage license in P&C and has a certificate in Paralegal studies from Adelphi University.   He specializes in antique jewelry appraisals and works with attorneys on estates, trusts, insurance matters, and copyright issues as well as appraisal theories and concepts. He is also an outside expert for the IRS and consults with numerous galleries and dealers in New York on antique jewelry.   Mr. Lewand is also the director of Jewelry Camp (JewelryCamp.org), now in its 43rd year, held at PHILLIPS Auction House in New York, an international conference on antique jewelry and art pertaining to jewelry.    He does work for international accounting firms as well as appraisals for the sale of major companies.  Additional Resources: Jewelry Camp Website Consultant Appraisal Service, LLC Website www.independentlychecked.com   Instagram Facebook Twitter Photos available on TheJewelryJourney.com Transcript: A good jewelry appraiser can give you much more than just an estimate of what your jewelry is worth. As a professional, independent appraiser of fine and antique jewelry, Ed Lewand draws on his historical knowledge of jewelry and his connections in the industry to give his clients a deeper understanding of what they have in their collections. He joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about how to know you're working with a qualified appraiser; why less expensive jewelry, like lab-grown diamonds and art jewelry, is on the rise; and why you should always read the fine print when making a purchase. Read the episode transcript here.  Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the second part of a two-part episode. If you haven't heard part one, please head to TheJewelryJourney.com.    Today, our guest is Ed Lewand, who was one of our first podcast guests several years ago. He's a professional independent appraiser. Welcome back.    Ed: So, I do recommend product knowledge. As far as theories and concepts, a lot of places like to make appraisals more important than they really are. As long as you do your research and your documentation, provide whatever is needed for that particular assignment, explain what you're doing in your scope of work, and maintain all your files and notes, you've pretty much got it. [End of repeat of first part]   It's also establishing the right market for somebody. I don't know who wrote the books a long time ago. There are 12 principles about appraising and theory. I always put every little note down. I'm valuing the second retail. The model is no longer in current production. The value is based on auction comps and comps on the internet from sites such as 1stDibs. I put that in my notes. I don't put the actual comps in; those are in my notes, but I put that on the appraisal just so people understand where the numbers are coming from.    One of the misconceptions—I just ran into this last month in Nashville; I don't run into it in New York—is that everybody is like, “Why isn't the item appraised for double?” It's a real item. It exists in the real world. Appraising it for double isn't doing anybody any favors. It's misleading. The appraisal should reflect a real number that exists and that the piece sold for. This way you understand that it's the value of the piece. It's just like when you're buying a house. The appraisers value it based on comps in the marketplace, the location and everything else. They're not going to give an appraisal for double on the house, because the bank's only going to give you money based on that loan and what they could sell it for if they have to take over the house and you default. The same thing with an engagement ring. If everybody in the area sells the ring for $5,000 for a comparable ring, then the price of the ring is going to be $5,000 on the appraisal. How is it presented? If the color and clarity are correct, this is a $5,000 ring. “Well, my mother always taught me to appraise for double.” Well, if it was worth double, why weren't they selling it to you for double?    Now, when we get down to value, a lot of people don't understand value. I don't fight people on value. I fight people on documentation. I fight people on research, on comps. Value is whatever somebody wants to pay for something, whatever anybody wants to charge for it. There's nothing wrong with that. If you feel this ring is worth $10,000 and somebody buys it from you for $10,000, even if all the appraisers say it's worth $2,500—but I really love the ring, so to me it's worth $10,000—that's fine. The guy didn't do anything wrong. That's what he wanted for it. That's what you paid for it. It's just like with certain things I collect. If I want it badly enough, I'm going to pay what they're asking for it. Even if they think it's high, I'm not buying for investment; I'm buying it for my own enjoyment. As you can see from the background, I have a lot of things in the house on the walls, the bookshelves and everything else. This is my private office. The wife is not allowed to go past the door of my office. I enjoy collecting weird little tidbits here and there. You have to understand; there are certain things you argue, certain things you can't argue. It's basically representation.    Now, if you're buying a new piece—in fact, a situation just came up. I can't mention the names, but the salesperson represented the price with four numbers. She never added the zero. She had said 1625. She said to them, both the husband and wife, 1625, and they took that to mean $1,625. I think anybody would. Now, if you said 16250, that's $16,250. You never add the zero on this particular item. The people came back from their cruise and took it to a local jeweler, and the local jeweler said, “Oh, it's only worth $8,000.” So, they called me. I said, “Well, there's a conflict here. I can't physically give you an appraisal. This firm is connected to an accounting firm and a bank that I do work for, so I can't do that; it wouldn't be fair.” It affects all the companies and businesses too. So, I suggested and recommended that they call the company and see what they can negotiate. I looked at the earrings, the item, and I agreed they were only worth $8,000. Actually, between $6,000 and $8,000. I think they had a very valid thing, and they'll end up getting money back or being able to return them.    What I always advise people is know what the rules are before you buy something. When you're traveling it may seem like a good deal, but jewelry is jewelry, no matter where we go in the world. It has a certain value and that's it. Sometimes you can negotiate. Maybe somebody has things marked higher so they're expecting you to negotiate. It just depends on what region of the world you're in. Always check. Is it a returnable item? Are there no returns? If you're traveling, I also suggest—I'm not an expert or anything, but from my own personal experience, I strongly recommend that you use a regular Amex card, not a credit card, because there is a difference. Some companies have rules that you can't dispute anything more than 100 miles from your home. You've got to be careful with what you do and read the fine print. Unfortunately, today, the fine print is 30 or 40 pages on some things. So, you've got to be very, very careful with that.   Sharon: I missed something, or I didn't understand. If you have a platinum card, let's say, and it's not a credit card, or you use a green Amex, what's the difference?   Ed: It's a charge card. Amex is a charge card. It's an international bank. It's not a local bank. With Visa and Mastercard and some of these others, you have to see what the rules are for disputing something beyond a certain range from the address of the card. Some companies don't do it. Amex is an international company, so they handle things everywhere you go. They're very, very good to their members—they call us members. That's something I always tell people. Do a little research before you buy something. It takes you five minutes to Google, read the fine print, see what their policy is. In this way, if something goes wrong, you don't have a problem a month later. It's always a good thing, even here in the States. If you buy something and the pricing is too good to be true, it probably is.    Sharon: Have you ever bought anything in your travels that you thought was a good deal and then you came home and found it wasn't?   Ed: No, because when I used to go the islands or to Europe and I'd find something for myself or the family, it's basically some souvenir. I like antiques. I collect Sorcerer's Apprentice, Mickey Mouse paraphernalia and stuff. I know what the markets and the values are, but sometimes I'll overpay. If I'm down on the islands and I go into one of these little shops with the balloons and stuff, I'll buy the kids those; they're a few bucks.    Have I ever bought anything overseas where there was an error or mistake? No, luckily, I haven't. I never did. I think when I started, I had some very good teachers who I used to travel with, and they would say, “Oh, don't do that. Don't do this. Don't do that.” We flew to Europe right after 9/11. They took away my tweezers at the airport, but we got on the plane. We're flying business class and first class. When we got on the plane, they gave us steak knives with the dinnerware, and we're going, “Wait a minute. They took my tweezers away as security, but you're giving me a real steak knife? That's classic.” We're sitting there trying to understand this concept.    I think on the trip back, we flew out of Geneva. The people I was with, we all bought Swiss army knives, and we said, “O.K., make sure we put it into our checked luggage, not in our carry-on.” One left it in his carry-on, and we were sure it was going to get confiscated. They called him over. They took everything out, looked in his bag, took everything. We get to the gate and there's a duty-free store. What were they selling there? Swiss army knives. Remember they used to have the little clerks that would go around the plane and sell souvenirs and things? What were they selling? Swiss army knives.    Sharon: You did better than I did. They took away my plastic steak knife and I couldn't believe it.    Ed: I'm telling you, it's weird. It's very, very strange. Our government has developed TSA PreCheck. They've developed Global Entry. There are all different things you could do. There's Clear, which I strongly suggest people use. It makes life so much easier, and it moves so much faster. But you're always going to run into a problem traveling. Like I said, if people take five minutes to read the fine print, they avoid a lot of problems later for themselves. That's what I suggest. That's the story.   Sharon: Yeah, I can believe that. What should we look for in a good appraiser?    Ed: That they have kept updated with the latest USPAP, the Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices, that they have obtained a certain level in one of the appraisal organizations for gems and jewelry, that they're providing you with an adequate description of the item with a photograph, and that they're charging a fair price and explaining the value to you. In other words, they're not just saying, “O.K., here's a ring. It's worth $3,000. Thank you, goodbye.” No. “It's worth $3,000. We checked the internet. We made a few phone calls. We looked at the Rapaport List. We looked at the guide. This is the number we came up with for you, and here's the reason why.” It takes a few minutes to explain it to people. Your explanation should be a narrative of the report, or for a standard retail replacement appraisal, it should contain a very good description for replacement purposes. It should have a fair value on it, which makes sense. Now, if it's not a new purchase, if it's an older purchase, if it was mom's engagement ring, it should still be based on information related to what it will cost you to go out and buy a new ring in a store in this area or nationally.   I take into account the internet because I see a lot of diamonds coming off the internet still. Remarkably, you can buy some very large, expensive stones on the internet. I'm shocked; five, six, eight carats. I'm fascinated that people spend that kind of money, but they do. The other thing, too, when you're buying diamonds, is making sure you have an accompanying GIA web report. They're not certificates; they're reports. A certificate in different states means warranty, but they're lab reports. GIA developed the system we use today. They are still the premier lab that everybody wants to use for identification and grading. I think you solve a lot of headaches for yourself that way.   And, be forthcoming with your appraiser. If you're going to have jewelry appraised or if you're selling something, the appraiser is going to ask you certain questions. Do you have the original box and papers for this watch? Do you have the original receipt? What type of store did you buy it in? Are there problems or situations? Professional appraisers are there to work for you. I can do a standard engagement ring in about 10 minutes. The more information you give me, the better I can research everything you're looking for and help figure out if there's a problem. So, don't withhold the certificate. It's not a game. We're here to work for you. We're charging anywhere from $150 for a ring under a carat to $400 or $500 for something that's five carats. We're charging you a lot of money to sit there, talk to you and explain and investigate your piece of jewelry so we can derive a value that's in the correct marketplace.   Sharon: Do you look for a hallmark on a piece or something that would be a manufacturer's signature?   Ed: Just to clarify something, a hallmark is a government-issued stamp for taxes and content for the gold. A trademark is the seller's mark or the manufacturer's mark. They're two different things. One of the best people that knows about that is—I just forgot his name. He used to teach at Jewelry Camp. He's a good friend; I talk to him all the time. It's Bill and Danusia, who do a great class. They wrote the World Hallmark Book, which is right behind me.   Sharon: I didn't know Danusia wrote a hallmark book.    Ed: Danusia is going to be mad at me if she listens, but Bill, Lindy and Danusia wrote World Hallmarks. It's a great book. They put so much time and effort into that. It was never about profit; it's just about education. They have the most information. They are the top people in identifying marks, and Bill is a walking encyclopedia. If you ever get to hear them lecture—I think this summer they're lecturing for Gail Levine at her NAJA Conference. If you have a chance, you definitely have to hear them talk. They're fantastic.    That's another good little jewelry organization that just specializes in jewelry, the NAJA. Gail tries her best to bring people the best information they can possibly get. The difference between a jeweler appraiser and a professional independent appraiser is not much. If the values are there and they do the work correctly and their report is defendable, then they're doing a good job. Niklewicz, that's Danusia's name.    Sharon: So, a hallmark is like a Tiffany mark?   Ed: No, that's the manufacturer's mark. Hallmark is like the eagle's head for 18-carat gold in France, the wolf's head or dog's head for platinum, whatever you use. You could date a piece with it. You could date an antique from the cut of the stone. You could do a lot of things from understanding products. When was platinum first used? When did it develop? When did the torch come, which combined oxygen and gas to give a hotter, higher flame so you could work in platinum? When you see black platinum pieces, it's because it was a white metal. They used to back silver in gold; otherwise, it would rub on your skin and everything and turn black. They were doing that with platinum early on. Platinum stands by itself, but by understanding hallmarks you can understand if the piece is all platinum. If the piece is platinum in 18-carat white gold, you can understand the country or where it comes from; you can understand a timeframe.   Understanding history is very important if you're an appraiser. I tell people I don't authenticate. It's not my place to do that, but I will value something. If the stamps and everything are correct, I will value something based on those markings. Do I guarantee them to be genuine? To the best of my knowledge, they might be, but again, I'm not authenticating it.    To this day, with the major houses and the major pieces, you still have to go to them to get the best authentication. From what I'm told right now, they're not doing it. There's a new service out there that will verify, I think, Winston, Cartier, Tiffany and Van Cleef. They do those four houses. I think auction houses are finding them quite useful. They're still not the company itself, but they're accepted. They are very intelligent, knowledgeable people who are doing it. They've all worked for those companies. Like I said, you may have to hire someone or find other people who know more than you do, but the sign of a good appraiser is they will ask other people who have more knowledge than they do about something. I do that all the time, especially with antique and aesthetic jewelry. I always ask a dealer I know, who's like a walking encyclopedia. I ask for their opinion, their thoughts, their input, what their prior sales were, so I can provide the best information, not only to cover myself, but also to protect the client. That's important. You're there to protect your client no matter what and to be honest and truthful.   Sharon: Yeah, that would be very important.    Ed: I think so.   Sharon: One last thing I wanted to ask. I was going back and reading the transcript of the very first time you were on the podcast. You talked about the fact that brooches originally were heavier, and people don't want them now because they stretch fabric. What do you think today?   Ed: It's still taste. They're not as popular as they once were. People would wear them because you could wear it with a scarf; you could wear it with a jacket; you could put it on a hat. There were a lot of different things. I do see some designers and people still making a brooch or two, but it's not something that's a mainstay. People don't want heavy things on their clothing. Clothing is lighter. With some people, it's less clothing. So, they're still not super-popular, but they're still there and collectable. A lot of times they're worn on a chain, or they're made with a pendant attachment.    A lot of people don't realize jewelry was sometimes made for several purposes. I've seen pieces made by some of the finer houses where they could be attached onto a bracelet, they could be a brooch and they also had a pendant fitting. Some of them even had tiara fittings to be worn as a tiara back in the day. But as times, styles and people's choices change, so does the jewelry industry and the art world.    Right now, I know that art jewelry is very popular. It's a hard item. There's a lovely lady—I'm getting old; I can't remember her name. She's going to hit me when she sees me, but she represents artists, and it's fun jewelry. Is it super-expensive? Yes and no. If it's a noted artist, it could be worth $20,000, $25,000, but most of the time it's not. She's been to Jewelry Camp a number of times. Some of this stuff is so amazing, how they can concoct it and how they make it and design it. It's a lot of fun. People should consider art jewelry. It's a statement, but it's fun to collect. It's not super-expensive, and it's a piece that when you wear it and walk into a room, people go, “Look at that ring. Oh my god, I've got to ask her about it.” It may be made out of tin. I've seen some weird stuff, but it really is interesting. Not to show my age, but as we used to say, it's really cool. People love to wear it. Some of the finer houses have just now started seeing auctions. I know Heritage had one on art jewelry. You don't see them a lot, but they are starting to come about a little bit more.   Sharon: That's interesting, just became I happen to like art jewelry and it's been behind the scenes for so long. Ed, thank you so much for being with us today. I really appreciate it.   Ed: My pleasure. It was great seeing you and talking to you. Hopefully somebody can use this knowledge. If people contact you with a question, feel free to forward it to me and I'll help them out anytime I can.   Sharon: Thank you very much. We will have photos posted on the website. Please head to TheJewelryJourney.com to check them out.   Thank you again for listening. Please leave us a rating and review so we can help others start their own jewelry journey.

What you'll learn in this episode:   How the internet has changed the way people research and shop for jewelry  Why even antique jewelry should be appraised with today's market in mind Why lab-grown diamonds are becoming increasingly popular, even if they aren't necessarily a good financial investment How to tell if you're working with a qualified appraiser, and what techniques they use to determine a piece's value Ed's advice for purchasing jewelry at auction, online and while traveling   About Ed Lewand  Edward A. Lewand, GG, ASA, AAA, is a professional, independent appraiser of fine and antique jewelry. He has earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America, is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America and a Senior Accredit Member in Gems and Jewelry from the American Society of Appraisers.   Mr. Lewand also teaches a course that he developed on appraising jewelry called the Art of Appraising Jewelry at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He lectures on appraising and antique jewelry. He maintains his insurance brokerage license in P&C and has a certificate in Paralegal studies from Adelphi University.   He specializes in antique jewelry appraisals and works with attorneys on estates, trusts, insurance matters, and copyright issues as well as appraisal theories and concepts. He is also an outside expert for the IRS and consults with numerous galleries and dealers in New York on antique jewelry.   Mr. Lewand is also the director of Jewelry Camp (JewelryCamp.org), now in its 43rd year, held at PHILLIPS Auction House in New York, an international conference on antique jewelry and art pertaining to jewelry.    He does work for international accounting firms as well as appraisals for the sale of major companies.  Additional Resources: Jewelry Camp Website Consultant Appraisal Service, LLC Website www.independentlychecked.com   Instagram Facebook Twitter Photos available on TheJewelryJourney.com Transcript: A good jewelry appraiser can give you much more than just an estimate of what your jewelry is worth. As a professional, independent appraiser of fine and antique jewelry, Ed Lewand draws on his historical knowledge of jewelry and his connections in the industry to give his clients a deeper understanding of what they have in their collections. He joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about how to know you're working with a qualified appraiser; why less expensive jewelry, like lab-grown diamonds and art jewelry, is on the rise; and why you should always read the fine print when making a purchase. Read the episode transcript here.    Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the first part of a two-part episode. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it's released later this week.    Welcome back to the Jewelry Journey everybody. We've had about a month-long spring break. It's really good to be here again. Even though I missed all of you, I'm always hearing your suggestions. I also want to know who you want to hear, the speakers that would be of interest to you or whatever ideas you have. Please write me at Sharon@ArtsandJewelry.com, or you can send your ideas to me via Instagram @Arts and Jewelry.   Today, our guest is Ed Lewand, who was one of our first podcast guests several years ago. He's a professional independent appraiser, and he's had a lot of experience. He's worked for banks. He's worked for all the big houses. He's travelled, I would say the world, but I know he's gone to New York. Today he's going to be talking about the importance of appraising. I think that's something we all want to hear about. I know it's so important; especially living in California, you have wildfires when you wake up in the morning or you have a mudslide in the backyard. Whether it's fire, theft or something else, appraising is important, especially when you have to prove to somebody else what something is worth.   Ed is also the director of what is colloquially known as Jewelry Camp. The Antique Jewelry and Art Conference is its real name, but it's known as Jewelry Camp. It's really where I got my start. I learned very quickly that I could sit through a whole day of jewelry-related meetings and not even think about the time, but if it was anything else, if it was work-related, I didn't have the patience. It really helped point me toward what I liked and what I thought I should like, but I found out I really didn't like. So, I have homed in on jewelry. Without further ado, I'd like to welcome Ed to the program.   Ed: Thank you, Sharon. How are you doing?   Sharon: I'm doing O.K. It's good to have you since you were one of our first ones. One thing I wondered is how you kept your business going through Covid.   Ed: That's very interesting. One, I still flew, believe it or not. I got on planes and flew. Yes, you wore a mask, and yes, you sat in alternating rows and everything else like that. Not many people were traveling. New York, where I had an office—I still do; I share an office now—was on lockdown, but essential businesses were still allowed to operate and see people. Guess what? Appraising fell under banking and accounting. So, I was still able to see people. We did a lot of Zoom work for the accounting firms and banks. Of course, that was mainly verifying investments. As long as I saw the piece, I was O.K. with figuring out what was needed for that particular assignment. It wasn't that bad. I didn't see a lot of private people like I normally do, but I was still doing work for the companies.   Sharon: When you were traveling, it was a lot easier I suppose.   Ed: It wasn't crowded. I had to go to Florida for a client and see my sister. That was the first time I was ever on Delta Airlines, in the terminal in Orlando, and I was the only person there. There was nobody else there. I was like, “Whoa, this is like the Twilight Zone. Orlando, Delta Terminal, no one there.” Four or five other people finally trickled through, but I was still able to do stuff remotely for people. One of the weird things was if I was going live in person, I carried a UV lamp with me to scan everything. Supposedly the UV light was killing the Coronavirus. So, I would scan everything before I touched it, and I would scan it again before I gave it back. I would tell people, “I can't wear a mask while I'm working, looking in a microscope with a mask on.” I just couldn't do it, and nobody had a problem with that. So, business still went on; it was at a different level or a different procedure.   Sharon: I'm really surprised to hear that appraising came under banking and accounting as an essential service.   Ed: Well, you've got to understand, you actually get values every day. You get an estimate to have your car fixed, and there's a number at the bottom of the page. That's sort of like an appraisal. Your house gets appraised for a loan or a mortgage. Your insurance company comes in after a car accident. They're valuing what the car is going to be. Appraising is a general term, and it's very important. It's not proof of ownership, but it does help establish that you are in possession of the product. It establishes a value and identifies the product; it's not necessarily always authenticating.    Sharon: I'm learning something then, because I always thought if you have the piece, then you own it. I guess you could steal it and have the piece.   Ed: Yeah, something could go wrong. You could lose it. It's good to have a record. That's what an appraisal basically is; a record. I do a lot of work where people aren't insuring their jewelry. They're just keeping a record for themselves in a safety deposit box. As a matter of fact, with some of my better clients now, the kids decided they don't want the jewelry. They're my high-value clients, and we're doing a value of what the jewelry could be sold for after their time of death, so the kids don't have to go crazy. At first, I thought it was nuts, but I understand it better. I've been getting a lot of calls from my high-value clients to do that.    Sharon: I can see how that would eliminate a lot of bickering afterwards.    Ed: A tremendous amount. So, appraising is used every day. Besides jewelry, which is my specialty, I still did floor plans for some companies and manufacturers for another firm that would call me in. A lot of stuff is looking at numbers and checking and doing the research and valuing it in that aspect. Appraising is basically a lot of research and comps and documentation. You don't always have to put everything into the appraisal, but you do have to keep it in your notes.   Sharon: If you were doing all of this during Covid, was there a change in what you were appraising? Was it one-offs versus a whole estate where somebody had died?   Ed: No changes. The only change was the research. It was very limited because people weren't in. Things stopped, so I couldn't research or make calls or do anything as much as I normally would. I had to put a disclaimer in their reports saying, “This is during the time of Covid, there's a national lockdown, blah, blah, blah,” and that research, which might be necessary, is not obtainable at this point.    Sharon: Today do you see a change in terms of the things you're seeing?   Ed: That's very funny. A change in procedures, no. When things go back to pre-Covid and things are moving smoothly, people again want an appraisal for insurance. They may still want an appraisal because they're looking to get an occasional order to be sold or just for their own knowledge. So, procedures are back to pre-Covid.    What is different now is that people are learning. The internet has become very, very big in the jewelry industry. You could find almost any piece of jewelry you want on the internet, and you'll probably find it for a very good price. There are so many sites that sell loose diamonds—and if you're in the trade, you'll understand what I'm going to say—and there's a price list of things, and they're discounted. Some of these sites are literally wholesaling diamonds for the public, sometimes better than a jeweler can pick them up for.    In my opinion, it's created a problem in the industry and for me. Do I use those sites as a comp, or do I have to take into reality what a jeweler might put on the price to make his fair markup? Which isn't much on a diamond. A fair markup on a diamond today could be 5% to 20%. In some situations, it's more, but there are reasons why, price points, things like that. When you're appraising, it's a lot of market research. As a matter of fact, a lot of organizations now require that the appraiser put in a market analysis for the appraisal. Is it really necessary? Yes and no. In some appraisals it is and other ones it isn't.   Sharon: Have you had anybody come back and argue or dispute an appraisal that you've had?   Ed: I've had people come back and say, “I had it appraised in 2008 for more money,” and I explain to them and show them that times have changed and markups have changed. Once it's explained to a person, they understand that. I can only value something on a certain date. I can't predict the future or anything like that. So, is it sad? Yes.    We just got done with a situation where one report from a government agency, who will remain nameless, said that the diamond business increased in value from 2013 to 2020, and I'm like, “No, it didn't.” I used one of these lists, the Rapaport List, and I showed them the decline in the marketplace. Why are you saying it went up 30% when it declined? I do a lot of reviews and a lot of work within the trade for estates and trusts of people. There's a lot to it, to establish certain markets and things like that.    I think today, what I'm seeing at the little office in Nashville I use—the appraiser there got ill, and she can't work anymore. So, I go up and take care of clients and give her a percentage of everything, so she can afford to pay her bills at least. What I have noticed there is an increase in sales of lab-grown diamonds.   Sharon: I was just going to ask you about that. Do you see more of those?   Ed: I'm seeing more, which is unusual, but then again when I go to Nashville, I'm dealing with the public. I really enjoy going to Nashville. The people up there are great. I have such a good time appraising and having conversations. I do see more and more of it coming. I have to admit that, even with friends of mine, even though some people disagree and there are reasons why they don't like LGDs, but to me, it's a diamond. It will test as a diamond. It is a diamond. You can't pick up a loupe and look at it and say, “This is lab-grown.” It's a real diamond, and they're very, very inexpensive.    We've got to look at these things. You'll have reports coming out saying, “Well, they don't hold their value.” O.K., is a person really buying a diamond engagement ring for value? Because if you pay $10,000 and you go to sell it, you're only going to get $4,000, so it has lost value. Are you buying the ring for value or an investment, or are you buying the ring for love and a symbol? I think a lot of younger people—and I hate to say this, but even us older people are realizing it's for enjoyment. It's for fashion, and it's a symbol. It is not a symbol of, “Look, I spent $25,000 on a two-carat ring.” I have a two-carat ring, but it only cost me $4,000.   I have a very dear friend. His son wanted to get a stone, and he asked me for the lab-grown. I said, “Fine, what do you want?” He said, “Well, on this website it's $15,000. Dad said you could do better.” I said, “Let me make a call to a supplier I know.” Yes, I got him a five-carat D VS1 oval cut for $5,500. The equivalent stones can be very, very expensive, tens of thousands of dollars more. Is he happy? Yeah. Will anybody realize the difference? The guy's in law school. Daddy has money. No, they'll probably think it's real or a natural stone.    I even recommend them to my family. My son, my daughters, they all end up doing lab-growns because you're wearing it on your finger or your ear. If you spend $2,000 on something, it's not the same as spending $15,000. So, yes, I do recommend them. As a matter of fact, a lot of people I know recommend them now. I'm seeing an uptick. Even secondary market jewelers who do things for their clients are starting to get requests for lab-grown diamonds. They're taking their market share.    Sharon: I can understand that.    Ed: It's funny. Originally, I was trying to get something going where there had to be fines and things like that for lab-growns. Going back five or six years, most people were saying it was just a fad that wasn't going to develop into anything. Well, guys, it's developed into something very fancy. I don't have the stats right now because I haven't checked in a while, but I'm sure if you called JA or one of these groups that monitors things, we'll see a large increase in the sales of lab-growns.   Sharon: That's interesting. It took me a while to get used to it, but you're right; it's exactly the same as the diamond. What does it matter?   Ed: Exactly. Again, like I say to people, you're not buying it for an investment; you're buying it as a symbol of love or devotion or whatever you want to use it for. I've seen women buying themselves diamond studs that are lab-growns. They're like, “Well, why should I wait for my boyfriend to buy me one?” It's not $20,000 anymore; it's $2,000, $3,000, and they're taking it upon themselves to buy it for themselves.    Now, don't get me wrong. If the average person who wouldn't have the money for a five-carat diamond buys a five-carat lab-grown, yeah, people wouldn't know it's not a real stone, or a natural diamond I should say. It's still a diamond, but people would not suspect this person could afford it. They would think it's CZ or moissanite or something like that. But as long as you stay within the realm of what your circle is, nobody would ever suspect that you have a lab-grown diamond.   Sharon: That's interesting. It's worth a second thought.    Ed: Yeah. I strongly recommend them.   Sharon: I know you do a lot of teaching, too.    Ed: I don't teach regularly. I host classes down here every two years because we all need to get our seven-hour update. Between you and me, not much changes, just the wording, but I have an old friend, also from Jewelry Camp, who comes in and does it. She's a certified instructor and does the seven hours. To be honest with you, it's really done for selfish reasons, which is mainly so I get my time in and I get to travel somewhere.    Believe it or not, business down here in the southeast is quite plentiful; it's quite important. Do I see large, 20-carat diamonds? No, that's New York or Florida or California, but I do see a lot of people. One of the things about appraising, you have to have a good bedside manner. You can't insult people. I had one instance where I said to a gentleman, “These items are going to be appraised for less than a certain price point at $1,000. I don't think you need to have them appraised and spend $150 an item on me, but if you want them appraised, I'll do it.” I said, “It's your prerogative.” He said he had a strand of pearls worth a lot of money, and I didn't see a strand of pearls worth a lot of money. Standard cultured pearls under five or six millimeters is not a $20,000 necklace, but whatever. People are told things from relatives.    Funny thing: I had one person once, when I lived up in New York, and I looked at the string and said, “This is a textbook example of a synthetic sapphire.” “Oh no, my grandfather told me it's a real sapphire and it's worth a lot of money.” “I'm sorry to disappoint you, but no, it's not.” I didn't charge for the appraisal. A few weeks later, a colleague and close friend of mine, Barry Block, gets the same stone and said, “Ed, it's a synthetic.” I said, “Yeah, I know.” “I'm trying to explain to her it's synthetic.” I said, “Barry, don't.” From what I understand, later on she took it to the GIA. They called it a flame fusion synthetic sapphire, and she still didn't even believe them. You get people, when they're told a story, they believe it. You can't prove anything wrong because they believe it, even though you're showing them pictures in the book and showing it through the microscope. They don't quite want to hear what's right or wrong. It's interesting human nature.   Sharon: You brought up an interesting point. Last night I was watching a rerun of Antiques Roadshow. I was wondering if you look at the jewelry on there and think, “That's not really the appraisal,” or “They never mention a buyer's premium,” or that, if somebody gets something for $500, they're going to pay at least more than half in fees.   Ed: Yeah, as I tell people, if you're buying at auction, you've got to see what the fees are going to be. If you're selling at auction, are there going to be fees? An estate I did here, after several months, the family decided to sell it. I had an auction company from New York I knew would do well with it come down and look at. It had some interesting pieces in it. Some of the pieces were not correct, and the client knew that, but they got some strong cash offers for the collection.  As a matter of fact, the sale is coming up in Phillips this June. They decided to do that, and I was like, “That's great.” I don't care. I'm not making money on it. I did my fee for the appraisal, and I made the introductions and I was there. I was paid for my time, so it didn't matter if they sold it for cash or sold it through auction. In that particular instance, there were a lot of pieces; it was a great collection. The client is paying nothing, but there are situations where the client does pay 15% or 20%.    When you're figuring value, you've got to figure in the buyer's premium when you're buying at auction. Some places are as high as 20%, 25%. If you don't figure that into your purchase price, you may overpay for something. Auctions are great because they're a lot of fun, especially live when you're in the audience. You watch people bidding, and then somebody really wants something. The auctioneers do their best to represent the best they can get for anything. They try to make sure what they're giving you is accurate, but as I tell everybody, if you want to buy at auction, check the rules. Check what they have disclosed, check what they're liable for, read the condition reports, look at the piece yourself, try it on. They all have previews. Decide that way, because that's the best way, especially if you're spending a lot of money.    You could save money on diamonds—natural diamonds; I can't see putting a lab-grown up for auction—but you should be able to save a considerable amount of money buying something at auction. Again, like I said, going online to buy a diamond, you can save considerable amounts of money. I don't recommend buying colored stones online because color is a personal preference, so you want to see that in person. But with diamonds, the normal person is not going to notice too much difference with their naked eye. As a matter of fact, I don't notice too much either anymore, unless I have my glasses on. That's about it on that, but I do recommend people are aware. Like I said, buying at auction is fun and educational for people.   Sharon: I'm surprised when they give a price and say, “The retail price would be this,” or “I think this would be conservative at retail.” I always want to jump in and say, “Oh, that's retail,” but it isn't really.   Ed: I know some smaller auction companies do that. I know some online sites that are selling people's merchandise for them will say suggested retail, what the retail price is, and what they're selling it for. It's not misleading in my opinion. It's just letting you know that the price was originally $7,000, and today you're able to get it for $2,500. If you went into the store and bought it, you'd pay $7,000, but right now, it's used; it's in excellent condition; all the boxes and papers and everything else you need are here; it's complete for $2,500.    Now, people who sell on those sites also have to keep in mind what the site is charging you as a fee for selling, because there are no buyer premiums there. The seller is paying that commission to those sites. You've got to keep that in mind when you're doing something like that. People will go, “Well, I'm going to go have it appraised,” and I say, “Well, if you're selling, why are you having it appraised? I'm not buying it.” In certain situations, I do the appraisal because there's a reason. But if you're selling something, I recommend you go to several places to get estimates. You'll see the comparison, and the estimates will be very close to each other, and you've established a guideline.    Paying for somebody to appraise it who's not buying it, I'm not putting my money where my mouth is. I could tell you, “You should be able to see up to $4,000,” and you go to four different jewelers, and they all turn around and say $1,800 or $2,000. I'm not buying it. I'm not working off a formula. I'm actually making calls to dealers, seeing what they're offering, what the market is bearing. That's how I come up with a price if somebody wants to sell something for them. I normally don't recommend it because you're paying me for my time. Like I said, if you go to three legitimate, honest, old-world jewelers, they will all be within the same range and be willing to work with you and get you a price. That's what I suggest to people.   Sharon: That's interesting. I wouldn't think about not having it appraised. It makes a lot of sense. What kind of licenses or training do you need to do this?   Ed: There's no licensing for personal property appraisers. There is licensing for real estate appraisers. If you want to appraise, you should take a class. Some of these organizations offer excellent classes to give you a background in valuation theory. There's a number of books one can read. There are one or two schools that still teach valuation theory that I recommend, depending on what you want to go into. If it's jewelry, the group ASA offers several good classes. AAA, another appraisal group, offers very good classes. ISA offers some very good classes.    One of the more important things a lot of people forget is product knowledge. How are you going to appraise something if you don't have knowledge of the product? That's where places like Jewelry Camp come in, where other lectures and talks come in. They are very important because, without product knowledge, you could hire an expert to look at it and tell you, yes, it's real, but you should be able to do a lot of that yourself, unless you have a suspicion something's not right. So, I do recommend product knowledge.    As far as theories and concepts, a lot of places like to make appraisals more important than they really are. As long as you do your research and your documentation, provide whatever is needed for that particular assignment, explain what you're doing in your scope of work, and maintain all your files and notes, you've pretty much got it.   Sharon: We will have photos posted on the website. Please head to The JewelryJourney.com to check them out.

Dreams often bring simple moments of magic that can make all the difference, and every dream has hidden jewels ready to be uncovered. We talk today to dream guide and professional gemologist Jane Carleton. Jane describes how she knows when a person has found the right gem for them because their bodies change and their eyes light up. This is similar to dream work when an "Aha!" will light up a dreamer often without them being able to explain it. Jane shares stories about asking for waking life magic and about using talismans to help remember the dream. She also speaks about waking life inner voice experiences and shares a moment where that voice saved her during a carjacking. We take a call from Walter who shares an intense nightmare of a boy who is attacked by two giant gems. BIO. Jane E. Carleton, MA, GG holds two graduate degrees in Dream Studies, and Consciousness and Transformative Studies and has taught graduate courses on dreams at the California Institute of Integral Studies. As a Graduate Gemologist since 1984 she pursues two careers: as a dream specialist and fine jewelry appraiser. Jane is especially interested in how simple moments of magic can make all the difference, and how all dreams have hidden jewels ready to be uncovered. She is currently writing a book that shows how dreams, inner voice experiences, and synchronistic experiences can inspire us and help us navigate challenging times. Find her at YourDreamingSelf.com Intro music is Water over Stones and outro music is Everything both by Mood Science. Today's ambient music is created by Rick Kleffel. The audio can be found at Pandemiad.com. Many thanks to Rick Kleffel for also engineering the show, to Tony Russomano for answering the phones and to Ewa Malady for audio editing. Show aired on November 12, 2022. The Dream Journal is produced at and airs on KSQD Santa Cruz, 90.7 FM, streaming live at KSQD.org 10-11am Saturday mornings Pacific time.  Catch it live and call in with your dreams or questions at 831-900-5773 or at onair@ksqd.org. If you want to contact Katherine Bell with feedback, suggestions for future shows or to inquire about exploring your own dreams with her, contact katherine@ksqd.org, or find out more about her at ExperientialDreamwork.com. Available on all major podcast platforms. The complete KSQD Dream Journal podcast page can be found at ksqd.org/the-dream-journal. Thanks for being a Dream Journal listener! Rate it, review it, subscribe and tell your friends.

Fine Jewellery Designer Talk with Sonja DeklerkSonja Deklerk is the owner of a bespoke jewellery design studio in Edmonton Alberta and offers a curated collection of vintage fine jewellery. After studying Fine Art at MacEwan University, Sonja began her career in fine jewellery design working as an in-house designer for Adamas Goldsmiths and then Vandenbergs Jewellers. With over 22 years experience in the fine jewellery industry, Sonja is passionate about creating fine jewellery as uniquely beautiful as the individual for whom it is intended.Sonja completed the Applied Jewellery Programme through the Gemological Institute of America and is currently studying to become a Graduate Gemologist.Sonja is currently a member of the Canadian Jewellery Association and serves on the board of directors at the Leduc Arts Foundry. In addition to this, Sonja is the host of the podcast “More Than Gold” a podcast that navigates the joys and sorrows of this world while rejoicing in three very important truths:You are preciousYou are of valueYou are worth more than goldDescriptionJewellery designers design and make jewellery using a variety of materials, including gold, silver and precious stones. You could either produce designs for mass production, make jewellery in small numbers or create bespoke pieces commissioned by a client. If you work for a company, it is likely that other members of staff will make your designs.Job ForecastAs job openings and job seekers are projected to be at relatively similar levels over the 2019-2028 period, the balance between labor supply and demand seen in recent years is expected to continue over the projection period.Employment RequirementsYou don't need a degree or HND to be a jewellery designer – proven craft skills are more important – but those without a higher education qualification would usually need to undertake an apprenticeship or on-the-job training.Salary RangeSalaries vary widely according to whether you're employed or self-employed, how experienced, successful and well-established you are, and how actively and skilfully you promote your jewellery or business. It's possible to earn high salaries, but this can be difficult in the early part of your career and an additional income may be needed.Stressed about work? Check out our Career Crisis Interview Series: https://thejobtalk.com/help

HHi! Welcome to Jewelry Navigator! I’m your host, Graduate Gemologist,  Brenna Pakes. Here on Jewelry Navigator, and as a Graduate Gemologist of the Gemological Institute of America, and a jewelry professional, I’m in a unique position to share jewelry tips and stories. More than ever, it’s important to support small, independent jewelry designers and businesses. It’s my pleasure to guide consumers to smart jewelry choices through an informative and entertaining platform. For sneak peeks into upcoming episodes and features, follow me on Instagram on @jewelrynavigator   In this relaunch episode, I share my role as curator of content for a weekly video feature on Beyond Gems for TheTUNDRA, an informative platform for enthusiasts and those with a general curiosity for topics, themes, and hobbies. I share guests featured on Beyond Gems so far. It's been a wonderful way to expand and explore geology, gemology, and other relevant fields of interest. FYI - to watch the full Beyond Gems episodes, subscribe for a free TheTUNDRA account.   Welcome Aboard, and be sure to subscribe to Jewelry Navigator Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

What you’ll learn in this episode: How Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry became the go-to restorer and seller of antique and vintage engagement diamond rings. How the term “vintage” has changed over the time. How customer tastes have evolved toward socially responsible jewelry. How Lang’s Antique Jewelry University originally started as a wiki database devoted to jewelry history and has since become a tremendous resource. Advice for new sellers and buyers interested in getting started in the jewelry trade. About Suzanne Martinez: Suzanne is a highly credentialed senior gemologist, jewelry appraiser, jewelry historian and the curator for Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry, offering the largest collection of fine vintage engagement rings and antique jewels to be found under one roof. She joined Lang in 1992 and actively buys from sellers all over the world. Suzanne is also the founder of Lang’s Antique Jewelry University. Among her many jewelry credentials, include: Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America; GIA Alumni Chapter co-president since 1992; National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, Senior Member; Accredited Gemologists Association, Accredited Senior Gemologist; National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, Senior Member. Additional resources: Website Suzanne’s LinkedIn Instagram Facebook

What you’ll learn in this episode: Why the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) was founded with the sole purpose of focusing on jewelry appraisal, and who should consider becoming a member. How members can obtain certification in jewelry appraisal through NAJA’s course work. Information on NAJA’s Annual Winter Conference (February 2020) and Mid-Year Conference (August 2020). Why Gail believes having a graduate gemology degree is necessary to be a successful appraiser. About National Association of Jewelry Appraisers Founded in 1981, the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers is the largest international professional appraisal association exclusively devoted to the valuation and appraisals of gems and jewelry, watches, and the specialized needs of jewelry appraisers. The Association’s primary purpose is to make available the services of highly qualified independent and professional appraisers of gems and jewelry to the public. In addition, NAJA promotes the trademark and professional designations earned by members in order to ensure that they are among the best-informed appraisers in the industry.  About Gail Brett Levine Gail Brett Levine is an independent personal property appraiser who has been in the jewelry trade for 30 years, specializing in insurance, estate, claims and donation appraisals of antique, estate and contemporary jewelry, precious metals, loose diamonds and colored stones and gem consulting. Gail began her jewelry career as President of the antique shop Presidential Antiques Co., Inc. based in Alexandria, VA, where she focused on antique, period and estate jewelry. She received her Graduate Gemologist in residence (New York) in 1980. Gail is the Executive Director of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, a role she has served in for 15 years. She has also been the Secretary-Treasurer for the Manhattan Chapter of Gemological Institute of America’s Alumni Association since 1982. Additional resources: Website Facebook LinkedIn Gail's LinkedIn

Leela Hutchison is a Graduate Gemologist, from G.I.A., (Gemological Institute of America) explorer, researcher, and published author on crystals, gems and minerals.   In January 2001, Leela was on a team of first explorers to enter the astonishing giant crystal caves. Her book is:  "Journey into the Giant Selenite Crystal Caves of Mexico".  You can find it on Amazon.com.  The giant Selenite crystals were discovered in April, of 2000 by two miners assigned the task of drilling into bedrock searching for a vein of silver, lead or zinc. These colossal pylons of crystal are located nearly 1,000 feet down inside a 200 year old working silver mine and is in the village of Naica, Chihuahua in the Tarahumara Sierra Madre Mountains.  These caves contain what are now known as the largest crystals on Earth, ranging in size to approx. 40 feet tall and weighing as much as 60 tons and estimated to be 550,000 years old.  There were some interesting discoveries found in the thermal waters inside the silver mine. Such as the collection of bacteria as far as South Africa in 2009 and more recently, in February of 2017, strange microbes were found inside water bubbles resulting in weird and alien life forms never found on planet earth. In April of 2017, Leela conducted an interview with Dr. Penelope Boston, Director of Astrobiology of NASA Ames Research Center to understand the implications of these microbes on planet earth and exo-planets in our Solar System.  Leela published her book: Journey into the Giant Selenite Crystal Caves of Mexico, Edition II in September 2016 and has included rare colored images of the earliest exploration. Find it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Giant-Selenite-Crystal-Mexico/dp/1537479733 At the top of the show, it's Anastasia's Starseed News!

As a Graduate Gemologist and fourth-generation jeweler, Olivia Landau has always had a passion for diamonds -- they are a girl's best friend after all. She started The Clear Cut as an educational platform where she provided guidance to friends on how to buy diamonds and pick out engagement rings. But with her extensive experience in the industry, it was a natural progression from content into the world of ecommerce. Now, Olivia has cracked the code on reaching modern, luxury buyers in the ways that are most accessible to them and has even sold engagement rings over Instagram DM!

Edward A. Lewand, GG, ASA, AAA, is a professional, independent appraiser of fine and antique jewelry. He works with attorneys on estates, trusts, insurance matters and copyright issues; appraisal theories and concepts; and matrimonial appraising. Edward also works with international accounting firms such as KPMG and PWC with banks for inventory review, as well as appraisals for the sale of major companies. Additionally, he is retained as a business consultant by jewelry companies. Edward earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America and is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America as well as a Senior Accredited Member in Gems and Jewelry from the American Society of Appraisers. Edward is the Co-Director of the Antique Jewelry & Art Conference (Jewelry Camp™), an international educational conference for the beginner to the advanced in antique, estate and modern jewelry, which is now in its 41st year. What you’ll learn in this episode: The certification process for appraisers, and why it’s important to know the background of the appraiser you’re working with. The history of Jewelry Camp and who should attend. The lineup of speakers and topics for the 2019 conference. How Jewelry Camp exposes you to research and expert information about periods, styles, motifs and stones. Ways to contact Edward Lewand: Jewelry Camp Website Consultant Appraisal Service, LLC Website Instagram Facebook Twitter

Gigi Ferranti, Graduate Gemologist and Jewelry Designer: How Fashion, Architecture, & Italian Heritage Influence Gigi Ferranti Jewelry   From an early age, Gigi has been influenced by Italian architecture and jewelry design.   As a fashion marketing and business major, Gigi began her career in management within a large retail clothing chain.   She owned and ran her own high end boutique for twenty years, dressing and supplying her clients for special events and personal styling.   After getting a taste of supplying her boutique with jewelry from the JA New York show, she transitioned into jewelry design, starting by acquiring her Graduate Gemology credentials from GIA New York.   She worked briefly for David Yurman selecting gemstones for their prominent pieces, then returned to GIA to learn jewelry design.   She launched Gigi Ferranti Jewelry in 2015, and hasn’t looked back!   I met Gigi last summer at the JA New York show, and next week, she’ll be showing in Las Vegas for the first time for the Premier of the Premier Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center May 30 through June 3 in booth 2203.   You can follow along with the Gigi and the Premier Show on Instagram @gigiferrantijewelry and @premier.showsand me @jewelrynavigator.

Is your jewelry covered by accurate and legitimate appraisals? If you lost your engagement ring tomorrow, would it be adequately covered by your insurance for it to be replaced as close to the original? These are questions that are answered with a proper appraisal that is current and accurate. Part of why I share the information related to jewelry is so you don’t feel intimidated by shopping for and caring for your jewelry. You should always feel comfortable with the jewelry professionals you trust, and feel they have your best interests at heart. That brings up the subject of ethics, which should be the barometer that underrides the practice of personal property and jewelry appraisals. Knowing who to trust, and who will appriase your jewelry fairly and honestly should be your first priority when choosing an appraiser. I’m so excited to share my visit with today’s guest, Fred Van Doren, Graduate Gemologist, and Certified Jewelry Appraiser. His story starts in a chemistry lab, and while he still uses a microscope on a regular basis, he has solid experience in jewelry appraisal, as well as a long history within the retail sector of the industry, from a corporate perspective, to his own privately owned store. Type of appraisals: A sales appraisal reflects the retail price of an item. Most jewelry appraisals are created for insurance coverage based on replacement and fair market values. Other reasons for jewelry appraisals are for -liquidation value -consighment purpose -estate appraisals -tax write offs for donations Credentials to look for with an appraiser: GG  (GIA - Gemological Institute of America; Graduate Gemologist) or FGA (Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain Certificating Agencies NAJA (National Association of Jewelry Appraisers) ISA (International Society of Appraisers) ASA (American Society of Appraisers) Continuing education for gem and trade updates, such as lab created options, and gemstone treatments.

Edward A. Lewand, GG, ASA, AAA, is a professional, independent appraiser of fine and antique jewelry. He works with attorneys on estates, trusts, insurance matters and copyright issues; appraisal theories and concepts; and matrimonial appraising. Edward also works with international accounting firms such as KPMG, LLC. and PWC, along with banks for inventory review as well as appraisals for the sale of major companies. Additionally, he is retained as a business consultant for jewelry companies.   Edward earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America and is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America as well as a Senior Accredited Member in Gems and Jewelry from the American Society of Appraisers.   Edward is the co-director of the Antique Jewelry & Art Conference (Jewelry Camp™), an international educational conference for the beginner to the advanced in antique, estate and modern jewelry, which is now in its 40th year. Edward also developed a class titled the “Art of Appraising Jewelry” at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies.   What you’ll learn in this episode: How jewelry follows history. How the diamond industry has changed over the years and what has caused that change. What signed jewelry is and the price difference between signed and unsigned pieces. Trends in the jewelry marketplace, including jewelry trends among millennials and why they’re buying less jewelry. How clothing trends can influence popular types of jewelry. Best practices for networking in the jewelry industry.   Ways to contact Edward:     Website: www.jewelrycamp.org     Website: www.consultantappraisalservice.com  

More American Made Jewelry Discoveries   Besides sharing more amazing jewelry designers with jewelry made in America, I thought I’d also take the time to catch up and share some shopping and sale opportunities, which I’ll share in a few minutes.   Summer is for fun and traveling, and we’ve been busy doing that!   In fact after I record this episode, I’ll be headed to DC to visit the Smithsonian museums with my family - and gems etc   For the month of July, I’ve been featuring jewelers and designers of America, and jewelry made in the U.S., starting with Hugo Kohl out of Harrisonburg, VA, who creates jewelry from original, antique tools and hubs used just like they were in the 1800’s.   A lot of his jewelry is accented with ornamentation that held secret messages for the recipients, from cigar band style rings, to signet styles, to the delicately engraved gold wedding bands.   If you missed that episode, it’s number 16 America’s Vintage Jewelry Legacy with Hugo Kohl of Hugo Kohl Jewelry Then, in episode 17, I featured Kiara Boughner of Wade and Willow Hand Forged Jewelry. The Eclectic Story and Designs of Wade and Willow Hand Forged Jewelry with Kiara Boughner   Kiara is a talented young woman, who sources many of the stones she sets in her jewelry with her husband, and often includes their young son on their gem hunt excursions in the California desert.   I was mesmerized by both their stories - if you still have summer travels, make sure you download the episodes yo’ve missed to catch up!     Wrapping up July’s podcasts, we continue with American made jewelry, I have some new designers to share with you I met at the Jewelers’ of America Jewelry Show in NY last week.   I was so excited to meet several people I follow on Instagram, most of whom are designers, and one very special gemologist, who I’ll tell you about in a few minutes!   I attended the show with one of my favorite people in the world, and best friend, Angelica.   We worked together in Virginia for a small indie store, and became close friends.   Angelica is passionate about serving shoppers and their jewelry vision by custom or ready made means.   She has excellent “jewelry intuition”, and can move a job along quickly by interpreting a client’s needs and design ideas to finished jewelry joy.   She’ll be taking over The Jewelers Bench in Hershey, PA at the beginning of next year.   It’s wonderful seeing the evolution of the jewelry trade changing over to the next generation with capable and enthusiastic direction.   I was excited to get be with her at the show as I was getting to meet the designers and see their jewelry.       Ok, so on to what I discovered at the show!   Last weekend, I attended the JA show for the first time, and LOVED it! . I especially enjoyed meeting the jewelers and designers in the New Designer Gallery, hearing their stories, and what inspires them to create their jewelry. . We’re navigating a unique business arena - one that can change in months rather than years. . What’s really exciting is seeing the opportunities evolving and growing from the mechanisms of online reach, not only forming friendships, but connections so we can champion for each other. . Most of the designers I met are women, yet many did not start as jewelry designers - which makes their jewelry and stories even more intriguing and endearing.   I’ll share a few of their stories today, and in the coming weeks, I hope to have more in depth features with them.   I flew to Harrisburg Saturday, so I could take the train to New York with Angelica on Sunday. With filled travel mugs of coffee to go, and our latest trade magazines, we departed for New York.   Before we arrived in the city, we did our homework, and made notes who we wanted to find at the javits center.   We went straight to the New Designer Gallery, a special, but small selection of new designers.     EMILY KUVIN I was excited to recognize the explosion-type designs of Emily Kuvin as I entered the section of the New Designer Gallery.   I’ve been following Emily for several months now, and always love seeing her joyful gem explosions suspended from necklaces, earrings, and as statement rings.   As I visited with her, she shared her formal education and former career was in marketing and journalism. She picked up jewelry design in high school, and transitioned from her former career to pursue and grow her jewelry business full time.   Based in New Hampshire, All of her jewelry is made in the U.S.   Her signature star explosion motif is part of her Stella line, and almost looks like a comic book emotion explosion, but hers are either freeform shapes to create earrings and necklaces or engraved on cuff bracelets.   She also creates elegant but simple forms using three bezel-set stones to form a single triangle, or paired up with a trillion cut colored gemstone.   You can find her at emily kuvin dot com as emily kuvin jewelry design. as well as in several specialty and jewelry boutiques in the Boston and New England area, which are listed on her website.     ____________________________________         I really enjoyed hearing the designers tell their stories, and as we strolled down the aisle, we were drawn to the booth where Danielle of Merzatta warmly welcomed us to visit her and her jewelry.   Bold, but elegant, Merzatta jewelry is designed and inspired by textures and forms of nature.   Cast directly form organic and botanical originals, Each piece I wore and examined was comfortable with its own unique features, and the price points are very wallet friendly.   Danielle and her husband, Chris met while on a construction project in the Grenadines.   While in the tropical location, they would collect trinkets of nature while on walks, like a piece of sea fan coral, shells, and random pinecones.   After returning to the States, their relationship continued, they married and had their first child.   In between starting their family, and their continued design work, they discovered means of jewelry fabrication to translate patterns of nature into jewelry, many taken from the items they originally found in Grenadine.   The couple creates and manufactures Merzatta jewelry from their home studio in New Jersey.   I love rings, and she and Chris have created a selection of beautiful designs, some with stones, like a trapiche emeralds and a star sapphires, others with open designs of the patterns and textures they were formed from.   One of my favorite rings is created from the small pinecones that interlock and spin together. You can see a video in my Instagram feed of the pinecone ring.   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++       Imperfect Grace is a line of colorful jewelry designed with a geometric flair with an endearing history, and is named for the  confidence we grow into as we come into our own adulthood.   Krista Trpkovski, immigrated From the Ukraine at 12, and weaves small colorful gems into her designs as lively as the colorful Ukrainian cross stitch embroidery from her homeland.   The geometric designs and bright gemstones are set into innovative stacking designs that reflect creativity and versatility.   I loved watching her demonstrate how the rings stack together seamlessly.   She makes stackable bands that look like single or double sided crowns, so when they’re stacked together, they look like a solid band, with the gems alternating from either side.   I’ll put photos up and watch my instagram feed for photos as well.   you can fine her at imperfect grace dot co,   There were ten designers all together in the New Designer Gallery, but I’m saving a few of the others for another podcast, because I want to tell you about who else I met and saw at the show!   I also met both Gigi Ferranti and Lori Ann Friedman of Lori Ann Jewelry.   I’ve admired both Gigi’s and Lori Ann’s jewelry because their designs stand out as being unique and innovative , and I love how their combinations of colored stones and shapes.   Many of Gigi’s jewelry designs have what’s become her signature pattern from her Lucia collection - Lucia meaning graceful light reflects the elegance of her jewelry.   Because most of her designs are based on geometric patterns, the rings and bracelets are stackable, and can be worn together or separately.   Besides meeting Gigi in person (and she’s lovely, warm, and welcoming), I had the honor of visiting and wearing her mermaid ring!   If you don’t know what that is, you HAVE to see it!     Mermaid ring in 18K rose gold set with a rectangular 7.09 ct with Brazilian Indicolite Tourmaline, Pink Sapphires, Diamonds and Tsavorite Garnet.   Once in a while, you come across a spectacular gemstone, and the inspiration comes through that stone; this is one of those cases. We love when the stones speak to us and the creativity starts flowing. This is our interpretation of a Mermaid, beautifully crafted with quality gemstones. For gem lovers, a definite conversation piece.   Her jewelry is a show stopper, and every time we passed her booth, she had shoppers and visitors captivated by her and her jewelry.   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++   Many of the jewelers and designers I feature came from former careers, and ultimately, their skills and past experience contribute to their jewelry in one way or another.     If you’ve ever played with water color painting, you know the color is added in layers.   Building on the concept and design of layers, Lori Ann Friedman of Lori Ann Jewelry, does just that.   How?   It’s a technique that I wouldn’t have expected, but one an intuitive artist like Lori Ann came up with!   For her Mediterranean collection, she Uses high polished gem slices as a the sort of transparent canvas , she then adds layers of gems.   The stones added are mostly bezel-set, and often with a primary center focus stone, surrounded by accent diamonds or other gemstones.     With collections, like     she selects the gemstones while subtly capturing and pairing them with complementary metals and accent gemstones.   Unique combinations, like labradorite, opal and green sapphire create ethereal wearable art, like a ring from her Galaxy collection.   Lori Ann was awarded the Mort Abelson New Designer of the Year from last year’s New Designer Gallery.   Her first career as a graphic designer and art director for an engineering company serves her well as an innovative jewelry designer.   I met up with Lori on one of the semi circular couch alcoves set up throughout the showroom and was able to visit with her before heading to the airport for my return home.   Lori Ann’s jewelry can be found on her website, lori ann jewelry dot com, as well as in Mitchells stores, a luxury brand retail store, with locations  in New York, CT, CA, and OR.   I had been trying to connect with a very busy gemologist while at the show the two days we were there.   You might know her from Instagram as Gemology Geek. Erica was striding down the aisle of the New Designer Gallery when we found each other.   Smart, beautiful and a wealth of knowledge from all sides of the jewelry industry, Erica is a Graduate Gemologist who shares detailed and interesting gem and mineral facts on her instagram feed and stories.   She’s also worked in almost every arena of the jewelry trade, so she’s familiar with the inside, outside and sideways details of what designers and jewelers go through to produce, show and sell their lines.   The timing was perfect, because she joined me and Lori Ann on the semi circle couch, and we enjoyed an enlightening pow wow.   I didn’t realize how quickly the time would go at the show.   First of all, it’s a large space. JA does a great job at organization and allowing for plenty of open space for overviews and visiting with new vendors and attendees.   I’ll definitely go again, and next time, schedule in more time to visit with designers and friends.   Wow! That was a lot! I have been busy this summer, but because it’s the quiet before the holiday shopping storm for jewelers and manufacurures, it’s the perfect time to catch up with them for features and visits.   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Speaking of the storm of holiday shopping…   I have some shopping news to share with you!   Get a jump start on holiday shopping in July - seriously - knock off that gift list early so you can enjoy making cookies and drinking cocktails, eggnog, whaterve -  while everyone else frantically shops when the days get dark earlier.   Check out these two designers’ offers to take advantage of deals that will make holiday shopping so much easier!       There are certain people - especially men - I find are very hard to shop for. Crash Jewelry makes is a whole lot easier.   Christi Schimpke makes jewelry for men and women from minor damaged parts of luxury and high performance sports cars, like Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferraris and more.   Right now, she’s running a 30% off sale on everything in her store!   Cufflinks (they’re not just for men anymore, either), cuff, bangle bracelets, necklaces and earring, all made from the painted doors, hoods and side panels of these luxury cars. What’s really cool about this jewelry besides being made from these cars, is that it’s super light weight.   go to crash jewelry dot com     I’ve been a big fan of Cate Claus of Thesis Gems for sometime now.   She creates jewelry with an organic, and sometimes almost tribal, but feminine feel.   A lot of her metal accents are hammered, which allows for a complementary texture that makes the stones she uses stand out even more.   She only uses stones that have been ethically sourced, and verified to the ethical treatment of those who source and mine the stones as well as for the land it’s sourced from.     Here’s the mission statement from her   We believe that people and the environment are more valuable than any gem. That’s why Thesis seeks sources that are committed to ethical treatment of workers and the land. We are not afraid to ask important questions about labor practices and environmental impact and seek hard evidence. And we donate 1% of our profits to organizations fighting to conserve and defend our planet.   Our partnerships work to ensure that your jewelry is made with integrity, from the time your gem is liberated from the earth in Africa, Australia, Sri Lanka, or Canada, to the time it is crafted into a finished heirloom by master goldsmiths in the San Francisco Bay Area or London. -Cate Claus, Thesis Gems     She has a super interesting story that I’m going to share in a future podcast!   Oh! And, her logo is super cool! A lion and a kangaroo as her coat of arms - but very friendly.   Tsavorite, Mozambique ruby, and Lightning Ridge opals are just few of the gemstones beautifully showcased and set within her 18kt yellow gold settings.   Right now, through August 31, 2018, she’s offering $500 off any of her pieces!   See her instagram feed story highlights for complete details and the coupon code @thesisgems.       There are so many wonderfully talented jewelers and designers, and I love sharing their jewelry and stories with you!   If you like learning about new jewelry you can feel good about wearing and sharing, please leave a review in iTunes or through the platform you listen to podcasts on - I’d SO appreciate it!   I’m so excited!!!! We’re almost to episode 20!!!!   Next week, I’ll be sharing the story of a jeweler who not only creates jewelry, but paints it!   AND…we’ll be doing a give away of a bag of gems together, so you’ll really want to listen in, and stay tuned!!   Until next time…cross check your asterism (that’s for gems that exhibit a star, like star sapphires!) and sparkle - talk to you next week!

Amanda is the 6th generation of the Nelson Coleman Jewelers family business and is currently first female owner. She is a Graduate Gemologist and Certified Gemologist Appraiser with AGS. With a Bachelor's Degree in Business, she has worked to create a diversified business full time since 2004. Other achievements: Board member for Maryland Retail Association and AGS, President of the AGS Maryland National, Capital Guild, member of Center Club of Baltimore and Baltimore Chapter of Accelerant and Vistage.     Podcast Highlights: Give your people the benefit of the doubt The only thing you can control is your own behavior Good leaders walk their talk Care for your employees and they will take care of your customers in the same way   Contact Amanda: LinkedIn Website Twitter  

In this episode we take A Day Trip to San Pancho, a Beach Community North of Puerto Vallarta. Then an interview with Cassandra Shaw, owner of Cassandra Shaw Jewelry in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.   Listen to The Podcast Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El [caption id="attachment_196" align="alignright" width="300"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Dorado Restaurant, and at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into the ever so romantic Vista Grill with those dramatic views of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors. Of course, at La Palapa you can enjoy that same view of the Los Muertos Pier all day long for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! This week I have a couple of fun things for you, a day trip to San Pancho, a little town north of Puerto Vallarta, and a great guest, Cassandra Shaw of Cassandra Shaw Jewelry on the Southside of town in Puerto Vallarta, but first, let’s see what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, this week the 10th of October 2017. Meet and Greet, Tuesday, October 17th at Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse. [caption id="attachment_1633" align="aligncenter" width="404"] Meet and Greet at Pour Favor[/caption] There will be a Meet and Greet, Tuesday, October 17th at Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse where I will have my microphones at the ready, to capture your stories and suggestions about the things you are doing in paradise. I’ll have my microphones at the ready so come by and let’s gab. By the way, if you have a business that you want to pitch, a service you want to tell my listeners about, come by and give your business or service a pitch. Come on by, this coming Tuesday evening at Pour Favor on Lazaro Cardenas starting at 6:30, going for couple hours I imagine. Come by. It’s not a live feed or anything guys, I take the audio and make them into interviews so if you are really interesting, or if your story is really compelling, you may end up being the featured guest to a particular episode in the future so who knows right? Now I’m only going to be in town for just a couple of days, just enough time to get some very important interviews for you guys. And you know what? I still haven’t told my wife yet. Oh, I’m not leaving without her, in fact I’m taking her along, she just doesn’t know it yet. Now, I know for a fact that she doesn’t listen to my podcast, so she won’t know till I break the news to her Friday morning. At least, I figure that should give her enough time to buy whatever she needs before we fly out of LAX Monday Morning. Fun fun, fun in the sun! Dia De Los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta Preparations are under way for the day of the Dead Celebrations or Dia de los Muertos, which take place right after the traditional Halloween in the states on the 31st of October, but in the states as well as in Mexico, Mexicans stretch out the celebrations out a little bit and in Mexico, Día de los Muertos is celebrated from the 31st to the 2nd of November. Anyway, there’s lots to be said about the upcoming celebrations throughout the Bajia, and I will be bringing you all of the activities planned for this very festive occasion in Puerto Vallarta. Actually, El Dia De Los Muertos, is the celebration that really kicks off the tourist season in Puerto Vallarta. Now speaking of next week, I will not have an episode of the podcast for you next week due to my planned travels to paradise. You just need to know that I’m not shirking my duties as podcast host,  I’m just going to be busy getting you some of the best interviews and on the ground information you can shake a stick at. Or whatever you shake, stick, whatever. Just go ahead and shake it at it. A Day Trip to San Pancho [caption id="attachment_1709" align="aligncenter" width="1250"] San Pancho Map[/caption] A couple of weeks back, I got an email from Polly who wanted me to do an episode on going to San Pancho. Actually, Polly gave me a great review on iTunes, and she made a request, and now Polly, I’m going to grant your wish and take a day trip with you to San Pancho. Actually formerly known as San Francisco, San Pancho is just 4 kilometers north of the hippy town of Sayulita. Sayulita is located about 38 kilometers north of the Puerto Vallarta Airport. Approximately a 45 minute drive. Now I began my day trip at about 2  on a Saturday afternoon. I was on the Southside and looked for a bus to take me to Walmart. Okay, I know what you are thinking, Barry, aren’t we going to San Pancho? Yes, we are going to San Pancho, so instead of me telling you all of the intricacies of bus taking in Puerto Vallarta, let’s review with JR. I have a clip of a conversation I had with him back in January about taking buses in Puerto Vallarta. Let’s see what he says about catching one of those buses from Vallarta, to those beach towns north. JR, Take it away!!!! Link to JR's Maps  Listen to The Podcast Okay, so I hopped on a bus that said Walmart on the windscreen and I told the driver that I wanted the bus to San Pancho. Quiero el bus a San Pancho. Which means, I want the bus to San Pancho. You can probably just say it in English, and the driver will most likely understand, but hey, learn the lingo. Write it down, practice it. So in this case, the driver did drop me off at the location JR talked about, the one at the beginning of the Libramiento. South, actually way south [caption id="attachment_1714" align="aligncenter" width="5312"] Tienda at The Puerto Vallarta Bus Stop South of Walmart[/caption] of Walmart. And he is right, I was able to get on the bus before the crowd did, and pretty much had my choice of seats. So the driver motioned to me when we got to the stop. I made sure I was sitting up front near him so he could give me the hi sign. So this place where you get dropped off has a tienda where you can buy drinks and stuff, and you walk a little south along the sidewalk and you will see busses lining up. Their destinations written on the windshields of the bus. Before you get on the bus, if you aren’t sure, just ask the driver. They will tell you how much to pay, and you pay them there. If you are planning on making several stops along the way, for instance if you want to stop for breakfast in Sayulita, then move on up north to San Pancho for Lunch, you pay in segments. There’s no day pass. Get it? So the busses are comfortable. Not air conditioned, but reclining seats, and the driver will play their favorite tunes as you travel along the coast, then cut across the Point. If you go to the website at www.puertovallartatravelshow,com, you will see the rout, and the towns you pass through on your way up to San Pancho. [caption id="attachment_1745" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Bus to San Pancho[/caption] You hit Bucerias, and just before you get to Cruz de Huanacaxtle, route 200 cuts inland, bypassing the Punta de Mita, and travels through a wooded jungle like [caption id="attachment_1740" align="alignleft" width="1000"] San Francisco/San Pancho Fruit Stand[/caption] area, well, it is a jungle out there, really, and eventually you arrive at the coast, in the town of Sayulita. You can get off here, and like JR said, the bus actually drops you off in the middle of town, so you  can actually get off the bus right there, and start exploring the hippit dippie town of Sayulita. It’s colorful, and gringoized with lots of specialty shops, not just your typical Mexican souvenirs, although you will find that too. Great places to eat, and the surfing is all the rage. Although, use caution, there have been many reports of unclean waters there. Something about too many people and not sufficient facilities to properly treat raw sewage. So ask questions before entering the water, and use caution. But hey….we’re on our way to San Pancho right? We are going to stay on that bus, because we paid to get to San Pancho right? Right. The bus continues up the coast to the next stop which is San Pancho. The Bus Stops alongside the highway, at the intersection of Highway 200 and Avineda Tercer Mundo, or in English, Third World Avenue. Kinda has a lovely ring to it doesn’t it?. Humm.  So the bus lets the passengers off at Third World Avenue where there is a huge Pemex station. You cross the highway, and follow the Third World road right to the beach. Like JR said, the walk is about a mile or so, and it takes you right to the beach. You will pass very colorful shops, hotels, B & B’s, Hostels, and restaurants as you walk down this road, and you will see the homes of the people of the town of San Pancho, on the streets behind these establishments. [caption id="attachment_1736" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] San Pancho[/caption] Now, if you don’t want to walk, just wait around for a taxi to take you into town if you like, but if you are in good enough shape, the walk is totally worth it. The closer you get to the beach, the more restaurants you will find, and shops and stuff, and when you get to the end of the road, it makes a T right into the beach. [caption id="attachment_1737" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] San Pancho, Nayarit[/caption] To your right and left you will find numerous beachfront eateries. Now unlike in Puerto Vallarta, this is a wide beach. Lots of sand. So there’s lots of room at this beach to stretch out. To your left, there is a lagoon, and the beach curves out to a rocky outcropping. To the right, the beach stretches for almost a mile. It’s a big beach, I’m telling you. So food and drink are abundant here at and near the beach. The waves are not the quality of Sayulita, but I’ve heard the water is cleaner to swim in. If you want to see a really cool video of San Pancho from the air, my buddy Dan The Flying Man Dimov has this wonderful YouTube video with him flying along in his Paramotor machine, along the coast in San Pancho. [embed]https://youtu.be/p-KEUtAGW8g[/embed] In fact, I’m going to be interviewing Dan on my visit to Puerto Vallarta next week, and I can’t wait to introduce you to him. He takes people up in the air. Tandem on his glider, so you have to check out the video, and definitely listen to the podcast when I air it in the coming weeks. Dan also has a wonderful video he shot the day of the full solar eclipse, along the coast over the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta. I’ll add that video too to the show notes so check that one out too. I can’t make up my mind which one I like best. You decide. [embed]https://youtu.be/moLff_OiPoI[/embed]   I also have some screenshots thanks to Google Earth, showing the town, the bus drop-off spot and the path you will take into town, down Avenida Tercer Mundo. I just love that! So where do you eat? They have a great Bar-b-Que place called Mr. Ribs San Pancho. I couldn’t help myself, it smelled so good. I had pork ribs and [caption id="attachment_1726" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Mr Ribs[/caption] the fixings. Pretty darn good, and the people watching was great too. Then there is a branch of El Barracuda, run by the same group as in Vallarta. Las Palmas Bar and Grill is the biggest place right on the beach they have lots of loungers for you to sit on and sip an umbrella drink, and watch the people play in the sun, at the beach. There are lots of Mexican families playing at the beach, and of course, tourists too.  Anyway, you won’t go hungry in San Pancho, or San Francisco. Actually, the town is called San Francisco, and the Beach is called San Pancho Beach, but everyone calls the whole place San Pancho, there are literally dozens of places to eat all around you. It’s pretty cool! [caption id="attachment_1729" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] El Barracuda, San Pancho[/caption] I spotted a doughnut lady, and made a beeline for her, and purchased a couple of yummy pastries which I happily munched and headed back up the road, back to highway 200 for my ride back to Vallarta. Once you get to the highway, go to the right and walk about 100 feet to where the busses stop to pick you up, and head back to Walmart, I mean Vallarta. Now bus rides in Puerto Vallarta never are ordinary. Every once in a [caption id="attachment_1746" align="alignright" width="300"] Singer on The Bus[/caption] while, the driver will let someone on the bus who will clear his or her throat and begin a soliloquy, in Spanish of course, and proclaim to their captive audience, we bus riders, their cause, whether it’s a sick family member, maybe they are out of a job and need to feed their family, maybe speak on behalf of a particular cause, and then at the end of their plea, and let me tell you, these guys are really good, I mean, well-spoken and practiced, they will work their way through the bus, hat in hand, collecting pesos from the riders, then, when the bus makes the next stop, they are out the back door of the bus. Sometimes these take longer than a stop or two. I had one where the driver let this guy on, dressed like a clown who literally went on and on for about 15 minutes. Oh my god! But on this ride home, the driver let on this guy you are hearing now. This guy had a jukebox item around his neck, and he sang to the music. He was a pro. He was a little guy, but he sang with such heart. I recorded it for you to listen to. Please indulge me as I play it for you, to get the flavor of the ride, home from San Pancho. [caption id="attachment_1718" align="alignleft" width="300"] Walmart in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1717" align="alignleft" width="300"] Walmart in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] So you go to Walmart or to the end of the line, and either take a cab back to your hotel, or a bus back, if you feel comfortable. Just remember, if you are going to the Southside, look for a bus that says Centro on it and not Pittial. Otherwise, you may go on one of those magical mystery tours that JR talks about in our episode about taking busue in Puerto Vallarta. And if you haven’t listened to that one, you really ought to have a look. Also, I have a copy of JR’s map that shows the bus stops that I talked about here. So, that’s the day-trip to San Pancho. Give yourself at least 5 hours total to take the bus back and forth, to get the flavor of the town, to get a bite to eat and a spot to drink, and maybe, just maybe have an opportunity to be serenaded by this guy. I have a photo of him in the show notes of this episode of the show. [caption id="attachment_1719" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] San Pancho Beach[/caption] Now Let’s get to our interview. [caption id="attachment_1751" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Cassandra Shaw Jewelry[/caption] In my previous life, I was in the jewelry business, before real estate. Like for 36 years, I worked in the industry. I’m a jewelry designer by trade, a GIA trained Graduate Gemologist and a American Gem Society Certified Gemologist. So naturally, I’m attracted to shiny things, and jewelry stores. And as you walk down Basillio Badillo, you will notice a beautiful storefront and behind the glass you will notice stunning incredible pieces of jewelry, and art pieces. You know right away that this is a special place. Well, being a nosy person, I wanted to meet the lovely lady who has her name on the front of the store, Cassandra Shaw. We talked for a little bit, and I knew right [caption id="attachment_1755" align="alignright" width="300"] Bean Pup[/caption] away that you had to meet her. Let’s go to Puerto Vallarta Mexico, and talk with Cassandra Shaw, of Cassandra Shaw Jewelry. [caption id="attachment_1759" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cassandra Shaw Ring[/caption] Listen to The Podcast   [caption id="attachment_1758" align="alignleft" width="428"] Cassandra Shaw Necklace[/caption] So now you know Cassandra. Don’t be afraid to go into the store, and explore. I know jewelry stores can be intimidating to enter, but these people are so nice and down to earth. Really check out her place. You will be so glad you did. Cassandra Shaw Jewelry Website  Cassandra Shaw Facebook Page [caption id="attachment_1757" align="alignleft" width="437"] Cassandra Shaw Earrings[/caption] 276 Basilio Badillo, Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico Store Phone: 011-52 (322) 22-39-734 Cell Phone: 044(322) 227 1864   [caption id="attachment_1749" align="alignright" width="1000"] Cassandra Shaw Jewelry Artwork[/caption] Well, that should do it for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. [caption id="attachment_1750" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Cassandra Shaw Jewelry Artwork[/caption] And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. [caption id="attachment_1756" align="alignleft" width="437"] Cassandra Shaw Bracelet[/caption] And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven't been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven't already all-right? All right. So, thanks to JR for the bus info, and thanks to Cassandra Shaw, You will find links to Cassandra Shaw Jewelry as well as pictures from the store, in the shownotes of  this episode of the show at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com as well as pictures I took along the way on the trip to San Pancho, JR’s map and more.   So thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!              

Mark Matos interviews Shane Michael about diamonds and gemstones. Shane is a fifteen year veteran of the jewelry trade and has attained the highly coveted Graduate Gemologist certification from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Share offers his services as a Certified Jewelry Estate Appraiser through his company Aqua Diamonds in both Lee and Collier […]

Leela Hutchison is a Graduate Gemologist, explorer, teacher, presenter and now author, on crystals, gems and minerals. She specializes in educating listeners on the remarkable qualities of Selenite, considered by many to be one of the major power generating energies of the emerging new global consciousness.  In 2001, she became the first American woman to enter the astonishing giant Selenite crystal caves near the village of Naica, Chihuahua in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. These caves contain what are now known as the largest crystals on Earth ranging in size to 36 feet, and weighing as much as 60 tons and estimated to be one million years old. Also, linking grid lines from power spots on the earth to Naica has begun her teaching around the globe to students interested in crystal grid technologies. Leela is also a healing arts practitioner with more than 3,000 hours of hands-on-healing. She specializes in crystal energy amplification with the use of rough and faceted gemstones, quartz and Selenite crystals. Her classes provide education to utilize these same healing modalities through the layout of grids of crystalline energy patterns on the body and energy gridlines on the land.  Leela's new book, Journey Into The Giant Selenite Crystal Caves, takes you on an adventure into the caves, which have one of the most hostile environments on earth, with temps so high you can perish in 30 minutes.  Her book is available on Amazon and her sites:  http://www.leelasgems.com and http://www.thecrystalgiants.com At the top of the show, it's the Starseed News with Anastasia, bringing topics you won't hear on the mainstream news! Now Gathering! Starseed Crystal Quest to Arkansas, September Equinox 21- 27. Email: crystals@starseedhotline.com Thanks for tuning in!

Celebrated jeweler Daria de Koning formally trained as an artist and graphic designer at Washington University in St. Louis. She holds a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America, and cut her teeth with a world-renown Italian jeweler before launching her eponymous collection in 2006. Ms. de Koning's refined designs are known for being both striking and graceful. Her eye for the unusual and her extensive resources for high-quality and unconventional gemstones are manifest in her sophisticated jewelry, including hand-rendered, one-of-a-kind creations. In addition to bespoke pieces and custom commissions, Daria de Koning designs and creates her eponymous fine jewelry collection, which has been featured in numerous publications, including The Financial Times How to Spend It, The Huffington Post, Brides, Elite Traveler, Lucky magazine, Marie Claire, Martha Stewart Weddings, New York Magazine, Marie Claire, O: The Oprah Magazine, Town & Country Weddings, Veranda and Women's Wear Daily.