Tips for Selling Antique Stocks

Purchasing antique collectibles can not only be a great hobby, but also can wind up as an effective way to generate some additional income. To come out ahead in the purchasing of collectible antique stocks you need to first be an educated buyer and seller. You should not purchase or sell any antique stock item unless you are educated about the item, and are aware of the its value.

The value of antique collectibles is based on the following factors:

• Rarity
• Age
• Condition
• Signatures
• Vignettes
• Financial Art
• History
• Industry

You will need to find a reputable firm to deal with when purchasing antique stocks. Seek out a company that has been in business for a lengthy time frame and offers authentication and guarantees for each item. It is advisable to review the company's return policy before making a purchase as well. If the firm does not allow any returns this can be a red flag. Most collectible dealers are willing to accept returns within a set time period if the customer is not satisfied with the product.

There are plenty of venues where you can purchase antique stocks, from online auction sites and local auction houses to newspaper classified ads. Take care when using one of these types of venues to purchase antique stock. Keep in mind that anyone can list an item for a set price. While in some cases these may be educated collectors, you put yourself at risk when purchasing from someone who does not know what to look for as far authenticity in antique stock.

Doing business exclusively with an established company that deals solely in this type of product is the best way to make sure you are getting a fair price on an authenticated piece. Check how long the company has been in business. You may also want to check with the Better Business Bureau for any complaints against them in the past. It is also helpful to ask the collectible company to provide references of customers that have purchased from them in the past. A simple call to these contact will give you a good idea how the company operates and whether their products are legitimate.

When making a purchase ensure that the company backs and guarantees all of their products. Each antique stock or bond should be valued for rarity, age, condition, important autographs signatures, vignettes, financial art, history and industry.

Antique investment products for sale as Collectibles Only contain no investment value now or in the future.

Treasure Trove, Ltd.
Jerry Neuman
2814 Greenlake Drive
Ellicott, MD 21042
http://www.treasuretroveltd.com/
loot2814@verizon.net

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Buying and Selling Diamonds: Is Diamond Clarity Important?

While many people consider the actual carat size of a diamond to be of paramount importance, jewelry buyers realize that diamond clarity is also extremely important. Typically, a diamond has inclusions within its core that are considered to be a sort of "birthmark" for the gem. These inclusions are what make every diamond unique, and the less inclusions that are present within the gem, the more valuable it becomes.

The Gemological Institute of America, known as the GIA, has created a clarity grading system that is used worldwide. When a diamond is plotted for clarity, it is examined at a 10X magnification. At that time, various inclusions and blemishes are marked and graded on the scale that the GIA has put in place.

The best degree of clarity that a diamond receives is known as Flawless. A diamond graded FL shows neither inclusions nor blemishes when it is examined at 10X magnification. One level below that is the Internally Flawless diamond. This is a diamond that has no inclusions, and only some slight blemishes on the surface. In many cases, a little bit of minor re-polishing on the diamond can remove the blemishes, making the diamond completely flawless.

The GIA scale continues, moving from VVS1 all the way down to I3. VVS1 is considered to be Very Very Slightly Included, and usually refer to diamonds that have such small inclusions that even a professional grader might have trouble finding them under the typical 10X magnification. I3 is considered Imperfect, and diamonds that are graded at this level will usually have imperfections that are visible to the naked eye.

Naturally, if diamond buyers are interested in a diamond as a jewelry item, diamond clarity is important only insomuch as none of the flaws are visible to the naked eye. Someone who is out in public with a diamond that is less than flawless will not have the imperfections detected by someone simply admiring the gem. Therefore, diamond clarity in many cases, is not truly important for someone who simply wears the diamond jewelry item.

However, diamond clarity becomes important when it comes to certification. Jewelry buyers know that certification is required for insurance purposes, and unless a diamond is certified (usually according to GIA specifications), many insurance companies will not provide a policy on the gem.

This means that from a professional point of view, diamond clarity is important when it comes to the actual cost of the diamond, as well as the diamond appraisal. However, from a purely practical point of view, the only time that diamond clarity is important is if there are flaws within the gem visible to the naked eye.

To view this article in its original blog setting, along with other similar articles, go to the following URL:--- http://blog.luriya.com/blog/?Tag=Diamonds

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Selling Diamonds: How Is the Price of Diamonds Determined?

For those looking to sell diamonds, it's important to know what buyers look for when determining a price. This will help you gain an understanding of the process when it comes to discovering the value of your diamond.

Diamonds have four characteristics that determine value. They are cut, color, clarity and carat.

A diamond is considered rough if it remains in its natural state. However, when a cut is made, it is the cut that can determine the value. There are many shapes that can come from cuts such as Oval, Brilliant, Heart and Princess.

The goal for the cutter is to make cuts that bring out the best in the brilliance of the diamond. The more they are able to do so, the more fiery it is in appearance thereby making it more valuable.

Color is another important determining factor. The color of a diamond forms during its formation. Sometimes elements such as nitrogen or boron may combine with the crystals, which can form yellow or blue colors respectively.

Diamonds receive a grade based on its color appearance. The scale begins at D for the most colorless diamonds and runs through Z, for tinted colors. A white diamond means it is colorless. The more white a diamond is in appearance, the more rare and valuable it is.

When making a grade, often times buyers can determine the diamond's color by placing it side by side with a graded diamond.

How clear a diamond appears will also weigh heavily in its value. Buyers will measure clarity by examining the diamond for inclusions. Inclusions happen when non-crystallized carbon are caught in the diamond during its formation. This in turn provides the diamond with a unique look.

When determining clarity, a grading scale is used. The best and therefore most valuable diamonds are flawless, as they have no outside or internal blemishes. The scale runs from flawless to imperfect 3, which is when the diamond possesses dark inclusions that are visible and may alter the diamonds appearance over time due to wear. The grades closer to flawless will yield the diamond a better price in the appraisal process.

Lastly, the carat size of the diamond plays a pivotal role when factoring its value. A carat is the measurement used to find out what the weight is of the diamond. Often times diamonds are weighed before being set that way a more accurate weight is obtained. Carats also have a scale based on their weight as each carat divides into 100 points. The larger the carat size, the more potential there is of the diamond possessing more value.

It's also important to note that a larger carat sized diamond may not be more valuable than a smaller sized one if the quality is poor. Therefore, carat can determine price, but only when it goes hand and hand with the other factors.

These four details will determine how valuable a diamond is. For those looking to sell diamonds, it's important to know these characteristics, as they can help you understand the process when you have your diamond appraised. Keep in mind that Luriya pays top dollar for any unwanted diamonds.

To view this article in its original blog setting, along with other similar articles, go to the following URL:--- http://blog.luriya.com/blog/?Tag=Diamonds

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