The Appraiser's Archive: Gold, Diamonds, and Old Stuff
- Danny Triplett
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
In today's edition of The Appraiser's Archive, we take a heavy focus on the various happenings in the personal property industry, including gold prices, a new system for measuring lab-grown diamonds, and a study that reveals why we fill our lives with antiques.
PERSONAL PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT
Today’s spotlight is on a unique vase with a scenic painting of two formal men bowing to a beautiful lady in a long white dress. The vase is an entirely glazed piece of handmade pottery.
French artist Charles Clair was more than just an average painter; he was known among the world of artists and printmakers. His work was regularly on display at the Salon de Societe de Arts Francais. His expertise as a painter and engraver came through in his love and knowledge of his everyday surroundings and community. Romanticism was the theme of many of his paintings, and inspiration from the romantic landscape painters of the 1800s is seen in many of his works.
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UNLOCKING VALUE: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Although war doesn't typically have positive long-term effects on the price of gold, the short-term fears around economic instability and the strength of the US Dollar certainly intensify the drive for a safe haven asset such as gold. Just as gold rapidly skyrocketed to all-time highs earlier this year, analysts are predicting gold to reach $4,000 per ounce over the next year. While the Israel-Iran conflict is driving some of this movement, the U.S. budget deficit is perhaps having an even stronger impact. Gold surpassed the $3,000 threshold sooner than analysts predicted, and we can't help but wonder if it will continue to rise faster than expectations once again.
News about another one of humanities favorite rarities: diamonds. You've probably heard of "the 4 Cs" if you've ever worked with, purchased, or simply been curious about diamonds. The 4 Cs were developed in the 1940s by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and are used worldwide to describe the primary characteristics of the gem: color, clarity, cut, and carat weight.
In an announcement made earlier this month, the GIA announced it will no longer describe lab-grown diamonds using the color and clarity nomenclature. Their reasoning: over 95% of lab-grown diamonds today fall into a narrow range of color and clarity. While natural diamonds vary widely in these categories, they are no longer a useful metrics for measuring the quality of lab-grown diamonds.
The new descriptive terms for lab-grown diamonds are "premium" and "standard," which will describe more relevant metrics to reveal the quality of these types of diamonds. If you work with diamonds, keep an eye out for these new terms that will help you and your clients make more informed decisions when purchasing diamonds.
And finally, in rather heartwarming news, a socioecology study from the University of Florida published last year might help reveal why we surround ourselves with antiques: place authenticity.
Place authenticity describes the feeling of connectedness with a place due to its nostalgic ambiance, which gives us genuine appreciation for it and a sense of belonging with it. The factors that contribute to place authenticity include the visual appearance of a place, the smells and sounds of the place (you know an estate sale is going to be good when it smells like old paper and vintage perfume), the history we know and learn about it, and the common bond we share with people over the place.
A room full of unique, carefully chosen antiques (as opposed to dime-a-dozen, mass manufactured goods) reflects our own styles and backgrounds. It makes the place feel authentic to ourselves and our character, and helps others feel connected to us. Ultimately, antiques can help us curate places that foster human connection and personal authenticity.
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