The Market for Vintage Watches, Iconic Jewelry, and Colored Gemstones Is Blooming
A few years ago, a woman came to Karina Rousou with an inherited vintage ring featuring a large, blue stone, with no paperwork. Pursuant to her mission of delivering an accurate appraisal, Rousou—who is jewelry director for Borro Private Finance—sent the ring to the American Gemological Lab for testing. The results revealed that the stone was an all-natural, untreated sapphire from Kashmir, making the ring worth roughly $250,000.
“Kashmir sapphires are really valuable and this had a beautiful cornflower blue color,” says Rousou. “Stones like this—exceptional in quality and without any treatments—do really well on the secondary market.”
Borro Private Finance and its team of in-house experts provide appraisals for pieces like this sapphire ring—as well as watches, classic cars, fine art, and other collectible items—in order to assess their value as collateral for the short-term, non-bank loans it offers clients. Through these loans, clients can capitalize on short-lead investment opportunities or address unplanned expenses. (Learn how it works.)
For the company’s expert appraisers like Rousou, who is the fourth generation of a family of jewelers and studied at the Gemological Institute of America, being informed on secondary markets is essential. According to Rousou, vintage jewelry from iconic retailers garners high prices on the secondary market and those more traditional designs are inspiring new pieces.
“Designers are returning to classic styles, such as gold chains, hoop earrings, diamond studs and chokers, and charm bracelets, as well as working with more hard opaque stones like jade, lapis, and malachite,” Rousou says. Rousou also notes that collections from jewelry houses like Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Harry Winston, and Van Cleef & Arpels perform extremely well at auction. “These are highly collectible and in my opinion, will only increase in value.”
She has also noticed a strong shift toward Art Deco bracelets and necklaces, and, to her surprise, brooches are coming back into style. Rousou notes that Borro Private Finance occasionally sees unmounted stones for valuation. She says there is an increased demand for precious colored gemstones—particularly natural-colored diamonds and untreated sapphires and rubies—as collectors are becoming increasingly aware of their rarity.
Color is also prevalent in the contemporary watch market. Wristwatches such as the Rolex Daytona Rainbow, with its multicolored sapphire bezel, and timepieces with bold colored dials and straps are particularly trendy collectibles right now. Borro Private Finance frequently appraises Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet. Vintage sports watches from the 1950s through the 1970s are increasingly valuable, especially those from Rolex, Tag Heuer, and Omega. “For watches,” says Rousou, “condition is the biggest variable when it comes to secondary market value shifts.”
When Borro Private Finance appraises items like jewelry and watches, it asks clients to submit photographs and documentation for preliminary vetting before taking possession of the items for formal appraisal. Rousou and the company’s other accredited experts utilize special tools and thorough market research to make the final appraisal. Whether jumping on a hot real estate prospect, taking advantage of a business opportunity, or growing their collection, clients bring their luxury assets to Borro Private Finance to create immediate capital through short-term loans with flexible structures.
“The client may initially come to us planning to borrow against a piece of fine art, but then end up adding jewelry and watches to supplement the value,” Rousou says. But putting up a cherished piece as collateral for a loan is not an easy decision. “Jewelry is usually the last act for people who want to leverage assets for a loan, because they have such sentimental attachment to it,” says Rousou, noting that it’s hard to place a value on memories. “Luckily, most clients pay back their loans within six months.” And then Borro Private Finance returns the items and the loan is closed, with the clients having seized a financial opportunity.
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