Investigations into Authentic, Reproduction and Fakes have always cropped up in
the history of jewelry.
The big question you have to ask yourself is
how can you invest money safely
in jewelry if there are so many fakes out in the marketplace?
Objects of suspicious provenance or actual "fakes" are occasionally and unknowingly exhibited in museums and galleries, presented to the world as genuine and of undisputed orign.
The point is, if curators in museums have a hard time in knowing what's genuine from fake, then what about the rest of us?
Inclusion of the bogus into that which is accepted as the standard or primary reference is subversive. Can it be prevented?
Provenance
Provenance is the history of ownership of the property. It establishes the chain of ownership back to the time the piece was made and can be an important part of the identification process.
Not knowing the provenance of of the jewelry means its source is unknown and its historical and cultural importance remains hidden. The question of authenticity results.
Does the Jewelry in your jewelry box, safe or
Jewelry Armoire
have a genuine place in the location from which it appears to emerge? Or is it from another period or location?
Accurately dating Antique jewelry is a big concern as the final price will, be influenced by the date mark. This is where
Gold Hallmarks
are important as they are a symbol of Authenticity to ascertain the date. Gold Hallmarks are the oldest form of consumer protection.
Many times a piece of Antique Jewelry has been
repaired,
enhanced or components added to from different eras, in an effort to save the life of the jewelry.
However, does a "marriage" of this kind, no matter how well meaning, reduce the jewelry status as being genuine? At what point does the enhanced jewel become a fake?
Although there may be scrupulous scholarship and attribution undertaken, the absence of a guarantee remains. And then there are the questions about guarantees, valuations and appraisals in Antique Jewelry that need confronting.
Just because you have what appears to be a qualified Antique appraisal document, does that mean it's right? After-all, no Antique appraisal is definitive!
Since an Antique jewelry appraisal is made by comparing the jewelry at hand with a similar piece that has sold, If the appraiser does not know the Antique jewelry market well, implying the jewelries Antique Store Of Value, what is the worth of the Antique jewelry appraisal then?
The best way to get past the Antique jewelry authenticity appraisal predicament is quite simple, get TWO appraisals carried out! The second appraisal is called an independent Antique jewelry appraisal.
Does inclusion of the bogus into that which is accepted as the standard or as conforming to a primary jewel become subversion? Or is it acceptable, if it is just a goldsmith at play?
Unfortunately there seems to be no easy answer on the question of authenticity. However, the more Antique Jewelry knowledge you have, the less likely your chances will be of buying an impostor.