Platinum Tiffany Sapphire Ring

[willkenn23]

Hi - my mother left me this ring when she passed. My father had bought if in the 1990's, I believe, at the NYC Tiffany store. I don't have the authenticity paperwork, but there are stamps on it. I know it's real. My father was a Wall St executive and his was a Christmas present one year. Any ideas on the value? With and without paperwork?

 

[LilAlex]

Welcome, and so sorry for your loss.

It's a very pretty ring! I have no idea how big the center stone is -- mm dimensions would help. The crown looks shallow and maybe the pavilion, too. Not necessarily a bad thing but it probably "faces up" fairly big for its carat-weight. But it could be < 1 ct.

No way to authenticate Tiffany, even with "correct-looking" marks and "family lore" so you will probably not get a Tiffany premium for that when/if you sell. (Just look at eBay where every Tiffany has some claimed chain-of-custody that can never be corroborated.) Are you sure about the back story? It looks almost like a new piece.

If genuine Tiffany, this looks like one of their more commoditized pieces -- very pretty in an easy-to-love style and presumably at an accessible price-point. With apologies to your Dad, it does not "look" like Wall St Executive-level jewelry.

The sapphire -- even assuming that this is a phone photo which should exaggerate the blue -- looks OK but it's not particularly vivid and it's either very dirty or has a lot of silk. A film of oil or hand lotion on the pavilion will (temporarily) kill the appearance but not quite as bad as it would for a diamond.

If you really want to know the value and are not just idly curious: Best bet is to clean it or get it cleaned and then get a report from a reputable lab (GIA or AGL if you are in the US) to determine whether it is a genuine sapphire and whether it is treated. This is very different from an appraisal, which would only be of value from a top place and with a top third-party report already in hand, imo. Do not take it to a pawn shop or get an appraisal from any place that also might be interested in buying it. Others may give quite different advice here.

 

[willkenn23]

Thanks but no need to insult my father. So you lost me there. Sorry. Have some class. What exactly does Wall Street executive jewelry look like? You have no idea what else my father has bought my mother so save your judgment for someone else. I just wanna know what it's worth ballpark. And he didn't even do that so you didn't really help me much thanks.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

"Any ideas on the value? With and without paperwork?" You asked for an opinion and you got a respectful and knowledgeable reply, for no money. Take it to Tiffany, then find a lab or a good appraiser.

 

[LilAlex]

Have some class. What exactly does Wall Street executive jewelry look like? You have no idea what else my father has bought my mother so save your judgment for someone else. I just wanna know what it's worth ballpark. And he didn't even do that so you didn't really help me much thanks.

I'm sorry to add to your grief.

You did not provide the information I asked for -- dimensions of the sapphire.

You brought up "Wall St executive," presumably to help us infer the ring's value -- as in "He could afford the best." Point taken. In truth, I do not know what "Wall St executive" means. Anyway, I inferred that you viewed him as a highly-compensated professional (e.g., > $250K/year in current US dollars and perhaps 10X that) and I based my assessment on that. De Beers at that time would want him to spend $50K (in today's dollars) on an engagement ring.

Most first-time posts of the "what's this worth?" flavor are hit-and-run and those new members have often been displeased with forum members' inability to provide a precise dollar value. Since you're new to gems, I'll use this analogy. You did the equivalent of posting a GoogleMaps aerial view of your home -- without telling us where it is or how big it is -- and asking for the home's value. The most important variables are missing.

If you were to list this on eBay with those photos and that story, you might get someone to bite for $500 but probably not anyone on this forum. Just too many scams and fakes out there and most are stamped Cartier or Tiffany.

 

[minousbijoux]

@LilAlex is a straight shooter, and they are not wrong. Unfortunately, we cannot even provide ballpark valuation without knowing the carat weight of the sapphire (after confirmation it is a sapphire), the metal, and the weight of the ring. Fwiw, I also took you to mean that since your Dad was a Wall St. Exec, you were implying the ring would be expensive and authentic. Perhaps that was not your intention. I do think @LilAlex meant what he said with all due respect and really not to insult.

Another idea for you - you might want to ask about the hallmarks in the Jewelry Pieces and Antique and Vintage Jewelry subforums. I also agree with others that if your photos are accurate, it is not a highly sought after color as it is not close to trade ideal, but still being a sapphire, it has some value! Good luck in your search for answers!

 

[minousbijoux]

Whoops, just now seeing that is is platinum, as you have that right in the title! Sorry about missing that, lol.