Estate and antique jewelry requires a fundamentally different kind of expertise than modern fine jewelry. Period identification, maker's marks, hallmarks, construction techniques, and the specialized secondary market for historical pieces all play a role in accurate valuation. At Revere Jewelers, Steve Hami's 40+ years of experience spans every era of jewelry history — from Georgian mourning jewelry to Mid-Century Modern signed pieces — ensuring you receive a valuation that reflects true market value, not a generalist's guess.
All Jewelry Periods Purchased
Revere Jewelers buys estate jewelry from every period and style:
- Georgian (1714–1837) — foil-backed stones, cut-steel, pinchbeck, hairwork, mourning jewelry, early diamonds in closed settings
- Victorian (1837–1901) — early, mid, and late Victorian styles; archaeological revival, jet, garnet clusters, lover's eye brooches, gold lockets
- Edwardian (1901–1915) — platinum millegrain work, old European cut diamonds, seed pearls, delicate lace-like settings, bow and garland motifs
- Art Nouveau (1890–1910) — René Lalique and contemporaries; enamel, plique-à-jour, naturalistic motifs, baroque pearls, horn and ivory
- Art Deco (1920–1935) — geometric designs, platinum, old European and transitional cut diamonds, calibré-cut colored stones, onyx and coral accents
- Retro (1935–1950) — bold gold work, large synthetic rubies and aquamarines, fan and ribbon motifs, rose gold dominance
- Mid-Century Modern (1950–1970) — abstract and sculptural forms, yellow gold, cabochon gems, signed American designers
Colored Gemstones and Rare Stones
Estate jewelry frequently contains colored gemstones that require specialized knowledge to value correctly. Steve Hami evaluates all colored gemstones including rubies (Burmese and pigeon's blood command premiums), sapphires (Kashmir, Ceylon, and Thai origins), emeralds (Colombian origins most valued), alexandrite (the rare color-change chrysoberyl), paraiba tourmaline (neon blue-green from Brazil, among the rarest gems per carat), and tanzanite. Natural pearls — whether baroque, blister, or graduated strands — are also evaluated with specialized expertise.
Complete Estate Collections Welcome
Many clients come to us with an entire jewelry box from an estate — dozens of pieces, mixed quality, some easily identified and some mysterious. You don't need to sort, separate, research, or appraise anything before your appointment. Bring everything. Steve Hami evaluates each piece individually and makes offers on the specific items he purchases. There is never any pressure to sell the pieces you want to keep.
Platinum and high-karat gold pieces — particularly 18k, 22k, and 24k — are purchased at strong current metal prices in addition to gemstone and collectible value. This is especially relevant for Victorian and Edwardian pieces where the metal content alone can be significant.