Bonhams: £60m of jewellery 'gathering dust'
There is an estimated £60m worth of vintage jewellery gathering dust in drawers and attics across Britain, according to Bonhams.
The auction house said that millions of pound's worth of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and other pieces of jewellery are simply set aside and forgotten as a result of changing tastes.
The announcement was made after a dusty ruby brooch, which was bought in a charity shop for £1.50, sold for £2,400 after 'scratches' on its back were identified as a Cartier signature by Bonham's auctioneers.
Other finds range from a £20,000 diamond ring buired in a back garden, an art deco brooch bequeathed to a young girl by her grandmother and considered 'costume' jewellery until it sold for £12,500 and a ring inherited from a grandmother which was revealed as an "ultra-rare" Burmese unheated ruby, selling for £134,500. Jean Ghika, head of jewellery in the UK and Europe at Bohams, said: "We estimate there is at least £60m worth of unwanted jewellery that owners have forgotten or never worn just waiting for a new home.
"Many clients tell us they had forgotten about a piece of jewellery that might have been handed down to them when an elderly relative passed away or that it was just sitting in a safe deposit box and not being worn and enjoyed. A lot of people have no idea just how valuable these pieces could be.
Through out August we will run a series of jewellery valuation days, and invite people to have their jewellery valued.

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3 Things You Didn't Know About Rubies!

3 Things You Didn't Know About Rubies!

-Wearing ruby is believed to provide you with energy, positivity and emotional strength

-As well as being the birthstone for July, ruby gifts are also traditionally given on 15th anniversaries, 40th anniversaries and on a Tuesday!

-The most valuable ruby was part of Elizabeth Taylor's jewellery collection, and was sold at auction in 2011. It was set in a ring that sold for over $4 million.

-Gemma 

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Reveiw; Diamond Dazzle Stik

"The Diamond Dazzle Stik is a purse-sized pen for cleaning diamonds and precious stone jewellery. It features a premium twist-to-dispense click pen to deliver a specialized jewelry cleaning solution to a flow-thru brush. Its unique, cosmetic-quality brush is specifically designed to clean diamonds and other precious stones and their mountings – quickly and easily"

We've been cleaning precious stones for years here at Victoria Highfield, but have been looking for a way for our customers to get our elegant finish at home whilst saving themselves a penny or two. Compact, odorless and one of the best items to come through our door, the Dazzle Stik is perfect making those big ticket diamonds or nicely cut white topaz shine. The specialized brush ensures complete coverage in even the smallest of spaces.


-Peter

How to clean Gold Jewellery with boiling water

How to clean Gold Jewellery with boiling water;

Step 1; Know when boiling is appropriate. 

Gold itself can be boiled with no problems. However, boiling delicate gemstones (like opals, pearls, coral, and moonstones) can cause them to crack or become damaged - especially if the jewellery is cold before boiling. Boiling is also a bad idea for jewellery with glued-in gemstones, as it can loosen the glue. However, if you're looking to clean heavily-soiled jewellery made entirely out of gold or gold jewellery that contains "strong" gemstones (like diamonds), boiling is a great choice.


Step 2; Bring water to boil.

You don't need to boil much water - just enough to submerge all of the jewellery in. As you're waiting for the water to boil, set your gold jewellery in a sturdy bowl or another vessel that won't be damaged by boiling water. Pyrex or metal cooking bowls/dishes are good choices.

• Arrange jewellery in the dish or bowl so that no piece of jewellery is covering up another piece - water should be able to reach every piece of jewellery.

Step 3; Carefully pour the water over your jewelry.

Be very careful not to spill or splash by pouring too rapidly - boiling water can cause serious burns. When all of the jewellery is completely submerged, you've added enough water.

Step 4; Wait for the water to cool.

When you can comfortably put your hands in the water, you can remove the jewellery. Follow a good boiling by scrubbing each piece of jewellery with a soft brush, then dabbing it dry with a soft towel and allowing it to sit and air-dry completely.

• Don't be afraid if the water appears dirty - this is good! As boiling water loosens the dirt, wax, grime, etc. that's built up on your jewellery, it may float to the surface of the water. The dirtier your water looks, the more dirt you've removed from your jewellery!

-Peter.