Vintage Buying Trends Spotted at 2015 Las Vegas Jewelry Week

August 19, 2015

Trend #1: Antique diamonds - Cuts like old European and old mine were prevalent. Jewelry buyers were particularly interested in diamonds in the 1 carat to 5 carat size range. Antique cushion cut diamonds, which bear the distinction of being one of the most popular diamond cuts ever, were also in high demand. Browsers scoured the show specifically for matched pairs of these cushion cut diamonds. The possible reasons for their interest run the gamut from the more obvious earrings to accent diamonds for antique or vintage engagement rings.

Trend #2: Important, signed pieces - JCK Show attendees are a discerning bunch. They know their jewelers and they know who they like. Brand names that proved popular this year, as they tend to do every year, included Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, and Buccellati. Opening its first boutique in Paris in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels is best known for the "Mystery Setting." Unveiled in 1933, this setting is notable for its invisible prongs. Dating back even further into the antique era is Cartier (1847 Paris). Meanwhile, Italian jeweler Buccellati opened in Milan, Rome, and Florence in 1919.

Trend #3: Loose gems - The potential is endless for high-quality gemstones, but for antique and vintage jewelry lovers they can be fit in antique settings that hold sentimental appeal for the buyer. They're particularly useful as replacements for lost or damaged stones in rings that have been handed down through the generations but perhaps haven't been so lucky to have their gems survive.

Trend #4: Top-quality untreated stones - Specifically, buyers were on the hunt for rubies and sapphires. Indeed, among the show's best sellers were "Very fine special colored gemstones - untreated," Rapaport Magazine reported.

Trend 5: Another hot seller the magazine singled out was a "fabulous and rare Art Deco Cartier brooch [which sold] on the first day." Among antique jewelry periods, the Art Deco era remains one of the most popular.

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