We receive lots of questions regarding the difference between and old mine cut diamond and an old European cut diamond, as well as circular brilliant cut, and round brilliant cut.  For more technical information please see our previous blog post.  To simplify the answer we decided to add this photo just showing relative differences between an old mine cut and old European cut.  The main difference you will notice is overall shape.  Old mine cuts generally have what we like to refer to as "corners" sort of like a couch cushion would.  The European cut is more round!

To learn more see our previous blog posts!


Looking for and Old European cut diamond or Old Mine Cut Diamond?  Look no further.  We have thousands of loose natural diamonds of both cutting styles NOT listed on our website.  If you are interested in a particular size or grade contact us today!

We often get the question why is this stone considered a "circular brilliant' by GIA versus an 'Old European' cut.  This question comes from dealers, as well as the public alike.  After analyzing the stone usually it comes down to measurements, or angles.  Here is a quick guideline.

Size Of Rolex WatchesRolex has produced watches that have changed in size over the years.
Datejust: 31mm; 36mm; 41mm

Date: 34mm
Oyster Perpetual: 28mm; 31mm; 34mm; 36mm; 41mm
Sky-Dweller: 42mm
Day-Date: 36mm; 40mm
Lady-Datejust: 28mm
Pearlmaster: 34mm; 39mm
Cellini: 39mm
Submariner: 41mm
Daytona: 40mm
Sea-Dweller: 43mm
Deepsea: 44mm
GMT-Master II: 40mm
Yacht-Master: 37mm; 40mm; 42mm
Yacht-Master II: 44mm
Explorer: 39mm
Explorer II: 42mm
Milgauss: 40mm
Air-King: 40mm

In recent years we have seen the rise of the metaverse.  Virtual real estate, and digital art have been commanding high premiums both at auction as well as in private sales.  It is likely this will continue yet we suspect probably not at the same rate it has been accelerating as of recently.  We predict that in the coming years the larger jewelry brands will get involved in the metaverse opening digital stores and selling possibly digital versions on their pieces, diamonds, or gems.  This should create new opportunities for designers, programmers, and digital engineers. Creators will blossom and creativity will transfer from screen into physical items.  We are excited to see the transformation and creation of these pieces both in the metaverse and in life!

Non-fungible tokens (NFT) are digital assets that represent a wide range of unique tangible and intangible items.  They are changing the world from sports cards to virtual real estate and to even jewelry.  We are one of the first companies in the jewelry industry to get in on the NFT space and early.
The main benefit of owning a digital collectible versus a physical collectible like a is that each NFT contains distinguishing information that makes it both distinct from any other NFT and easily verifiable. This makes the creation and circulation of fake collectibles pointless because each item can be traced back to the original issuer.  So in certain high value pieces owning the NFT for that piece can be important.  For example any of our photos we are able to convert to NFT's for you should you purchase a piece from us for an additional charge you can buy the rights to those photos.

Some important things about NFT's that make them attractive to own as a part of purchasing a piece from us:

1. Non-interoperable
2. Indivisible
3. Indestructible
4. Verifiable

So having and NFT piece of art, photo, or video of ours purchased separately with one of our pieces is a great way to have your pieces digitally represented as works of art!  Interested in acquiring NFt's of original photos, sketches, videos of jewelry, diamonds, gemstones, or watches? Contact us directly!

​ In 1896 in Paris France Salomon Arpels and his son-in-law Alfred Van Cleef founded the trailblazing brand in fine jewelry. Van Cleef & Arpels baubles have long been coveted by royals, celebrities and other members of high society. The brand even patented the “Mystery Setting”, which is a proprietary technique that allows the prongs of a jewelry piece to be nearly invisible. VCA's unique offerings make many of their pieces in a league of their own.

That being said creating such beautiful items attracts the attentions of copycats and counterfeiters.  Though some do make a fairly convincing imitation, there are usually different tells that one can look for to identify a fake.  We will try to outline some of them as we have been writing a book for about 12 years on counterfeit jewelry such as VCA, Cartier, Winston etc.  One thing to note is these tells are based on our experience and opinion and are not to be taken as advice.  We recommend sending the items to Van Cleef and Arpels for authentication for more guaranteed results however this is a paid service (the cost is around $2000 we were told but cannot guarantee the accuracy)

Our methods are meant as a guide, and not a foolproof security measure, they will definitely help you separate a genuine piece from a counterfeit VCA piece however they are not perfect. Some counterfeits can be easier to spot than others, so thorough inspection and caution are highly advised.

Trademarks, Hallmarks, Serials, Styles, Local
There are three main things that become important in identifying a genuine versus counterfeit vca piece. 

1. A trademark:  The trademark will appear either as “Van Cleef & Arpels” or in certain cases just the initials VCA.  Some of the most common counterfeits seen on the market is one where the trademark appears as just "Van Cleef" or even "Van Clef and Arpels:.  If you see either of these marks, it's certainly a counterfeit.  Genuine pieces will not be stamped in this way.  Furthermore VCA marked pieces are more rare than the full spelling pieces.  The location of the signature stamp is also important and depends on the particular piece.  As an example for earrings, it will generally be on on the ear clip (always one but many times both).  We have seen the mark on rings inside shanks different placements however.  For the Alhambra’s collection the stamp is usually placed on the clover station near to the clasp.
2. A Purity hallmark: The metal hallmark is an easier way to identify a genuine VCA piece.  Van Cleef & Arpels only uses 18 karat gold (for gold).  If a piece is crafted in 14 karat or 10 karat you can be assured its not a genuine VCA piece.  The hallmark for 18 karat gold is “750”, so that's the number you will see on a genuine piece not 18kt. 
3. Serial number: The serial number will appear near the trademark and hallmark.  Every piece will have a serial number.  If your piece does not have a serial number its subject to question (that being said VERY VERY few examples do exist of non serial pieces however they are very very rare and not made of common pieces.  For extra assurance, we recommend to phone or email VCA to verify a piece however the cost is great to do so as noted above.

*Always look at the entire piece.  The quality of build and quality of stones.  VCA pieces are coveted because of their quality.  

Cost
If you've found a Van Cleef & Arpels piece that's being sold for an uncharacteristically low price its likely because it isn't real.  There are price differences from store to store and online shop to online shop, but when comparing prices,  they are mostly very close in price. If a price is much lower its likely not correct. The price tag is high for a reason, VCA makes quality. Quality, design, reputation, and skill are all reflected in the cost of each piece. 

Quality
Van Cleef & Arpels is crafted by hand with high quality materials and techniques. There is a great amount of time and labor that goes into each piece, you will understand why a Van Cleef & Arpels is coveted. Each piece should be outstanding. So if anything about the piece is of doubt its best to pass.  There should be no gap between stones, all stones should be cut to perfection. Diamonds with easily noticeable inclusions are not VCA pieces. Serial numbers, hallmarks and trademarks should be smooth and legible, very very rarely crooked or sloppy. 

Consider the Source
Certain preowned websites and even local jewelers may need extra caution and attention.  Fraudulent sellers love  websites  and they make it easy for them to sell, with false information, photoshopped or stolen photos, etc.  Many times your item arrives and is not what you ordered, is clearly a fake, or worse yet, you shell out money for authentication only to be told it's not an authentic piece later on.  ALWAYS shop with a reputable, honest seller, with EXPERT KNOWLEDGE, also with an excellent record. Buying from a trusted jeweler very much increases the chance of you securing an authentic piece of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry.  NOTE: a local jeweler may not have the experience with buying or selling a VCA piece.  They may be an expert of their craft however doing business with a company that has experience with buying and selling VCA daily may be a better direction to consider.  We constantly review both genuine and counterfeit pieces.  In fact we have been tracking counterfeiters progress for approximately 12 years documenting signatures and tells.

Note: These notes are just our opinions and experience and in no way are any advice in buying or selling piece.

We are serious buyers and sellers of all things Van Cleef and Arpels.  Our experience is vast from Alhambra collection pieces, to custom one of a kind pieces, and even watches.  Should you have a piece to sell we are serious buyers and have collectors all over the world who are personal friends and clients of ours this helps to make sure you are getting top dollar for your pieces.  If you are looking for an authentic VCA piece we are happy to help. 

Opal is the product of water that drenched dry ground in regions such as Australia’s semi-desert “outback.” The showers soaked deep into ancient underground rock, carrying dissolved silica downward.  The silica spheres deposit and during dry periods, the water evaporates leaving deposits of silica in between layers of underground sedimentary rock. The silica deposits form opal.

Opal is known for its unique display of flashing rainbow colors called play-of-color. There are two broad classes of opal: precious opal and common opal. Precious opal displays play-of-color, common opal does not.  Play-of-color occurs in precious opal because it’s made up of silica spheres which have stacked in a grid-like pattern. As light-waves travel between the spheres, the waves diffract, or bend. As they bend, they break up into the colors of the rainbow, called spectral colors. Play-of-color is the result.

Although gem opals can be divided into many different categories, five of the main types are:

• White opal: Translucent to semi-translucent, with play-of-color against a white or sometimes even a light gray background or bodycolor.
• Black opal: Generally translucent to opaque, with play-of-color against a black or other dark background.
• Fire opal: Transparent to translucent, with brown, yellow, orange, or red bodycolor. Often times without play of color. (red is the most valuable.
• Boulder opal: Translucent to opaque, with play-of-color against a light to dark background. Fragments of the surrounding rock, called matrix, become part of the finished gem.  In other words you will see the host rock in this type of opal
• Crystal opal: Transparent to semitransparent, with a clear background. This type can show exceptional play-of-color.

Did you know?
In 1829 The novel “Anne of Geierstein” gave opal a reputation of being unlucky but actually is only unlucky if you haven't purchased yourself some!

Calculating the value of an opal is actually quite complex as many factors go into valuation of an opal

1. type of opal
2. play of color- type of play of color as well as intensity and colors present
3. crazing
4. origin
5. size
6. shape

As internationally recognized opal experts we are serious buyers of opals.  In fact we currently have opals on display in museums!  If you have loose, or mounted opal in jewelry we would love the opportunity to evaluate it!

We are often asked "How do I find out the purity of my gold?" or "How do I test the quality of my gold?."   
Lets start with the basics:

1. We recommend leaving gold testing to the professionals.  Working with experienced professionals is far better than attempting to determine the purity and value of your gold.  That being said having some basic knowledge is always a good thing.
2. Look for a stamp.  Many times your jewelry will have a hallmark on it.  These hallmarks can tell a lot about a piece of jewelry just keep in mind they are not always accurate.  That being said they are a good starting place.  Take a look at the numbers on the piece.  Is it marked 583 or 585 or how about 14k or 14kt maybe even 14k hge.  There are lots of marks and they can be confusing.  As an example all of the previous marks indicate 14 karat gold except the last one 14k hge which indicated gold plating.  Another reason to just use the mark as a general guide.  You can read more about gold purities and markings in previous blog posts or in our educational section.

Here we discuss a few different methods used widely to test the purity of gold.  There are a number of different ways jewelers use to check the purity of gold.  

1. Hardstone (Hand Test):  This is the simplest gold purity test and fairly accurate as a good guideline, it is performed at most pawn shops and has been in use since ancient times. The central tool in the stone hand test is a touchstone (hence the name) which is usually a dark hard stone with a finely grained surface. When soft metals like gold are drawn across it, they leave a visible line. The color of the line varies with the purity of gold. By observing the color on the line, an experienced jeweler can tell the purity of gold. The one good thing is that it will give a good general idea and, to a very experienced user, can be pretty accurate!  To an inexperienced user however it can be misleading.  Knowing the qualifications of the buyer is quite important.
2. Fire Assay: This method known as 'fire assay' is the oldest known method of testing gold and continues to be one of the most accurate. To do this test gold is melted, a sample of the gold is taken, either by drilling through the poured bar or by capillary tube sampling while the gold is in a molten state. The sample is weighed very precisely and the weight recorded. All impurities and other metals are then extracted and removed, leaving just pure gold (generally .9995 or higher). The weight of pure gold is compared to the previous weight of gold and its purity is calculated accordingly.  Its a tried and true method and extremely accurate (probably the most accurate method).  This method is done by serious gold houses and refineries (like us) to ensure purity levels and accuracy.  The issue is that fire assay completely destroys the jewelry or coins in the process.  Additionally the equipment and knowledge to run this type of test is time consuming and costly to do so.  It generally makes sense for very large quantities of unusable items.  As usable items would be melted and not recognizable anymore
3. Digital Test:  Today there are certain machines that can test the purity of gold. These machines are "simple" to operate however they are not very accurate at all.  Most of the time they give out false readings and mislead users on purity.  
4. XRF Testing: X-RF Testing (X-Ray Fluorescence) is an excellent method to generate a complete analysis of gold samples, including purity and fineness.  X-RF machines determine results quickly as the X-ray assay takes only minutes to complete. This unique form of precious metal testing works by exciting the gold sample in X- rays. The metal then emits light (fluorescence) at an energy level specific to its atomic structure. By measuring this unique energy level, the X-RF machine accurately analyzes the purity of the sample.  These machines can also detect what type of other elements are in the metal and their percentages. X-RF can also be used to check the purity of any metal like silver or platinum making it diverse.  Another great thing is the X-RF method to test gold purity is nondestructive.  The problem is the X-RF machines to test gold purity are very expensive and cost prohibitive to purchase and maintenance cost is high.

Here at Velvet Box Society we use ALL of these methods in house and verify our materials in different ways based on subject matter. With the volatility in the price of gold and other precious metals, we cannot afford the time or the potential inaccuracies to not check every single piece.  So if you should have items you wish to sell we'd be happy to assist in the matter.  For more information contact us directly as we offer this service for dealers as well as the public!

We get a lot of inquires from customers regarding buying old jewelry. YES WE BUY ALL JEWELRY, COINS, GEMSTONES, DIAMONDS, and WATCHES.  So I thought this will be a good blog topic to cover and provide solid tips to our customers and readers on how to effectively sell gold jewelry. 

1. Research The Current Price Of Gold: Find out the gold price at the very least this will help you have a concept of the market.  The current gold price will just give you a general idea as keep in mind jewelry is made in different purities and your jewelry is likely not 999 gold.  
2. Know Your Karats: Pure gold is generally too soft to be practically used to make jewelry so it is combined with other metals to create durability and color. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that all jewelry sold in the U.S. describe a karat fineness of the alloy (after 1976 and prior much of the jewelry was under karated- even more modern jewelry we see is often under karated) . One karat equals 1/24 of pure gold by weight. So 18 karats would mean the jewelry is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals. 
3. Find Reputable Buyers: Go to reputable jewelry companies to sell your jewelry. Highly qualified buyers are important as many people can buy gold however experts in other areas can make a big difference in the value of the piece.  Many buyers simply do not have the knowledge.  We'd be happy to quote against other jewelers as we are always serious buyers and welcome you to get quotes from other jewelers prior to contacting us!
4. Qualifications: Determine if your buyer is qualified.  Graduate Gemologists generally have more knowledge then your standard gold buyers and that knowledge can be helpful when your pieces have gemstones.  Additionally years of experience, current inventory, and experience in other areas such as watches can be important. Buyers won't be offended for asking qualifications.  Often times more qualified buyers will have dramatically more equipment in order to determine value.
5. Consider Trading Your Jewelry: Sometimes we are able to boost the value of your item in trade for a new piece or credit with us.  This is always a good option and generally will get you more!
6. Getting An Appraisal: If your are unsure of the value of your piece and unsure if you want to sell it because of various factors getting a written appraisal may be a good idea. We do charge for a written appraisal however a written liquidation appraisal will give you a general idea of value and if you decide to sell the piece to us we will credit you the amount paid for the written appraisal.  This is generally a good idea for estates matrimonial cases etc.  If you just want to have your items evaluated we do that free of charge for verbal appraisals!
7.  Shop Around: Remember, you don't have to jump at the first offer for your gold. Shop around for a few different bids to ensure you are really getting the best price.  Our recommendation before shipping us your items or meeting with our buyers is to shop your items around.  We welcome the competition as it will only make us look good!  So we recommend taking it locally then contacting us.  We cover shipping if we make the purchase so no worries about that.  If you wish to skip the leg work that's ok as well as we do it the right way every time.
8. Protect Yourself: Before leaving your jewelry with, or shipping your jewelry to, a potential buyer, document and photograph the pieces. Check the company’s reimbursement policy in the event of a loss. Jewelry should always be insured, but especially when it's in the process of trading hands in transit. Getting the package insured will cover shipping the package safely and securely to a jeweler and you will be covered in the event the package is lost or stolen.  If the jeweler asks you to leave it with him generally we do not recommend doing so.  If you are shipping with us we will email you over an insured shipping label or you are able to ship it insured yourself for safety (we will walk you through the entire process).  Our entire process in office takes place under camera and is very safe and secure and always handled by ONE PERSON, ME, the owner of the company to ensure the security of your package.
9.  Prepare These Documents: Gold buyers are required by law to ask sellers for government-issued identification like your Drivers License or Passport Copy. This requirement is designed to protect consumers by helping police investigate the sale of stolen property and prevent money laundering. 

​
We welcome the opportunity to evaluate your items.  Whether you are a dealer, a retired jeweler, or the public we are happy to help.