The Bulgari Story for San Diego Jewelry Buyers

At San Diego Jewelry Buyers we often get asked about the history of great jewelers and luxury brands. Everyone likes to know a little bit about the history of a brand, as that makes the piece all the more special. Many San Diegans love the Bulgari brand, so here is the Bulgari story.

Bulgari is an Italian jeweler and luxury goods brand which was founded in 1884 by the Greek jeweler Sotirios Voulgaris. The brand’s trademark is usually written “BVLGARI” in the classical Latin alphabet (where V = English U), and is derived from the Voulgaris surname.

The Bulgary flagship store in via dei Condotti was opened in 1905 by Bulgari with the help of his two sons, Costantino and Giorgio. The store quickly became a place where the world’s rich and famous came for the unique, high quality jewelry designs combining Greek and Roman art.

Bulgari jewelry design is distinctive and often imitated (and counterfeited). In the 1970s, many of the more expensive Bulgari pieces (such as necklaces, bracelets and earrings) were characterized by instantly recognizable, bold, architectural designs combining large and weighty gold links with interlocking steel. Bulgari is also famous for colored stones, especially sapphires mixed in unique formats. Genuine Bulgari watches have a unique serial number that is registered with the company.

Under the stewardship of Sotirio’s grandsons Paolo and Nicola Bulgari, and nephew Francesco Trapani, the Bulgari brand began to diversify, introducing a perfume line and establishing itself as a luxury goods brand recognized throughout the world. Since October 2011, Bulgari has been owned by the French firm LVMH.

To sell Bulgari jewelry to San Diego jewelry Buyers, call us at (619) 236-9603.

SDJB Wins Registered Trademark

San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB) has announced that it has been awarded a registered trademark from the United States government. Having been issued the trademark, SDJB will be better able to eliminate confusion in the marketplace. Read more

Horology News: SDJB Acquires Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos Clock

San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB) has recently acquired a beautiful Authentic Limited Edition Swiss Made Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos Marqueterie du Millénaire Clock with 1000 Year Calendar and Lunar Phases. Read more

A New San Diego Trend in Pre-owned Gold & Used Luxury Handbags?

According to San Diego Jewelry Buyers & Loans (SDJBL), increasing numbers of San Diegans are purchasing pre-owned designer handbags and gold jewelry. “On the surface, this might appear strange considering the current economic conditions,” says Carl Blackburn, owner of SDJBL, “but there is a logical explanation for this trend.” Read more

Carl Blackburn & SDJB’s Gold Buying Business

In the following media interview Carl Blackburn, owner of San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB), discusses the ways in which his company’s gold and jewelry impacts the local economy.

San Diego Jewelry Buyers has been in the gold, jewelry, and watch buying business for some thirty years. In these difficult financial times, what role do you see your company fulfilling with regard to the larger San Diego economy?

CB: Every day, San Diegans bring me items which have been lying around in a dresser or safe deposit box, and trade it in for cash. Yesterday a woman in her 80s traded in her scraps of old gold for about $1800, and said she was going straight to Best Buy to get a brand new flat screen TV and home theatre for her apartment. All things considered, I think she’ll get a lot more enjoyment from that TV entertainment center, than she was getting from some old broken gold jewelry that had been lying around in her dresser drawer for 30-40 years. I joked with her that if someone ever breaks into her apartment, the gold would have been a lot easier to make off with than the new giant flat screen TV mounted to her wall!

So you are saying that San Diego Jewelry Buyers helps customers realize wealth they might otherwise have forgotten about?

CB: In many cases, yes. But it also is more than that. When people find out that they have un-tapped wealth sitting in their drawers and cabinets, wealth that can be transferred into quick discretionary income, this feeds the local economy. Money is moved, circulated, spent, and re-generated through all the businesses that the customers patronize with their sudden “windfall”. In addition, taxes are paid on all of these new transactions, thus supporting local, state, and federal government services.

But at some point doesn’t this all run out? I mean, there is only so much of this “untapped” wealth lying around, right?

CB: On the one hand yes, and on the other hand, no. People often ask me “you keep buying all this gold, don’t you think the public will run out of gold soon?” My answer is to point to the whole eBay phenomenon, which turned millions of everyday Americans into moonlighting dealers of second-hand merchandise. That started long before the current gold rush and economic crisis, and people are still selling their unused possessions on eBay, as much if not more so than ever. So do you think that Americans will run out of diamonds, gold, silver, jewelry, and fine watches anytime soon? Sure, the economy is bad now but it will eventually turn around. New precious items will continue to be bought, which eventually become “old” items, and SDJB will be here to turn those items into cash and transfer that wealth back into the economy.

From what I understand, you also see San Diego Jewelry Buyers’ business as contributing to more than just the economy, don’t you?

CB: That’s right. As a professional jeweler and designer, I’ve been a longtime supporter of sustainable luxury. And when it comes to selling your gold to a company like SDJB, people are helping the environment by reducing the need for eco-harmful gold mining activities. The same thing goes for when consumers sell us their pre-owned diamonds and precious gemstones. It’s a win-win situation for our customers, for us, and for the community.

SDJB Opens Diamond, Jewelry, & Watch Vault for Christmas Holiday Shoppers

San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB), California’s premier luxury pawnbroker of fine gold jewelry, diamonds, Swiss watches, and other luxury assets, has announced that it is opening up its vault for the holidays to help shoppers seeking extraordinary jewelry and gemstones. Read more

San Diego Gold Refinery & Gold Buyer Reports Increased Gold Recycling

San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB), San Diego County’s leading buyer of used gold jewelry, diamonds, and timepieces, is reporting a significant increase in its gold refinery service since launching its “green gold” project four months ago. Carl Blackburn, co-owner of SDJB, reports that not only are more San Diegans recycling their gold by selling their old gold jewelry, scrap gold, and other gold items to be melted down into eco-friendly gold bars, more and more San Diego jewelers are buying SDJB’s green gold to make handcrafted fine jewelry. Read more

New Gold Jewelry & Precious Metals Law

Orange County readers of the San Diego Luxury Pawn Shop report should take note that a new law has been passed. The Shawangunk Journal reports that under this new law, anyone who has a business that buys second-hand jewelry (gemstones and precious metals) would have to have a license from the county and undergo a background check. In addition, two crucial rules apply. To sell gold jewelry to a store, you have to be over the age of 18 and you have to have photo ID for the store owner to see and if they want, to record. Then, the store or pawn shop must hold the items for 15 days before selling them.

The journal interviewed Dan Depew, Country Representative of the 18th District, who put it this way. “You can’t just ride into town, stay in a motel, and announce that you’re buying gold. Because, now you have stay in the county a while, and you have to register and undergo that background check.”

Police Chief McCann believes that the new law can be a win-win for everyone, saying that if pawn shops and jewelry buyers work it into their practices, then they can be sure that the police know they’re on the right side of things. McCann also added that residents can take steps to protect themselves. “Everyone [should maintain] a good record of the piece of jewelry, or property of any sort that has a value, or that they think is important to them. A photo is good, but if there’s some marker on the property that is known only to them, so they can ID that piece of jewelry, then that’s a great help to us in recovering things.”

Your Confidentiality & Security

With increased business being conducted by buyers and loan providers of gold, jewelry, diamonds, and watches, consumer concerns have been raised regarding personal confidentiality, as well as public security. In response to these concerns, and to clear up any potential confusion, we at the San Diego Luxury Pawn Shop Report thought it would be good if we laid down the kinds of security and confidentiality polices that your jewelry buyer or pawn shop should have in place. Read more

Selling Your Diamond Engagement Ring

San Diego Jewelry Buyers has updated its Knowledge section for sellers of fine jewelry, gold, diamonds, and watches with advice for consumers looking to sell their diamond engagement ring. “It is always a difficult and emotional situation when someone is thinking about selling an engagement ring or bridal jewelry,” says Alan Blyler, a spokesperson for San Diego Jewelry Buyers, “so we wanted to lay down some practical and personal things to think about before making a decision.”

On the personal side, San Diego Jewelry Buyers recommends that women who are in the process of getting a divorce should wait until the papers are signed before selling their engagement ring and other bridal related jewelry. Feelings among married couples often change at the last minute, and the prospect of losing an engagement ring and wedding band forever should the couple reconcile is something to remember. Customers in need of money immediately are advised to sell less sentimental diamond jewelry, or use it as collateral for a loan.

On the practical side, San Diego Jewelry Buyers informs potential sellers of diamond engagement rings that bridal jewelry which was appraised in the past for insurance purposes was valued at the estimated retail price. This price is much higher than what a customer can expect on the second-hand (used) jewelry market. Consumers who decide to get their engagement ring appraised before they resell it are advised to tell the appraiser that they would like a resell price estimate.

To read the rest of San Diego Jewelry Buyers’ tips for sellers of diamond engagement rings and bridal jewelry (as well as other timely advice on how to sell your gold, watches, and diamonds) please visit the Knowledge section of their website at:

http://www.sandiegojewelrybuyers.com/knowledge/jewelry/51-sell-your-diamond-engagement-ring.html

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Did you know that Mahama Ghandi had a favorite watch that he carried with him? It was a Zenith pocketwatch, and you can read about it at: Ghandi’s Watch Sold at Auction.

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