In the couture jewelry and diamond category, San Diego Jewelry Buyers’ offerings include a round 6.00 carat G, VS1 diamond for $275,000; a radiant cut 5.12 carat Fancy Yellow Diamond ring for $82,500; a round 10.01 carat K,VS2 diamond for $210,000; and a round 10.03 carat I, VS1 diamond for $420,000.

In the fine mechanical watch category, San Diego Jewelry Buyers offerings include a Men’s Pre-Owned (2001) Rolex Masterpiece Special Edition. This unique platinum timepiece is priced at $50,000, and includes a full diamond bezel and diamond dial. Also available to the horology connoisseur is a Men’s Pre-Owned (2004) Patek Philippe 5040. Priced at $55,000, this timepiece is crafted in 18K yellow gold and comes with a leather band.

San Diego Jewelry Buyers also has more modest mechanical watches and fine jewelry available for holiday shoppers. “We have thousands of loose diamonds in our inventory,” says Blackburn, “plus a wide selection of estate and vintage jewelry. In other words, our vault can more than match the expectations of almost any budget or discerning need.”

Of course, San Diego Jewelry Buyers is also available to purchase or provide an instant collateral loan on any gold, jewelry, or watch item for customers who need extra funds this holiday season. “We are open to purchase any product that is made from gold, silver, or platinum, or which has been set with diamonds or gemstones,” says Blackburn.

Located in downtown San Diego, within the Jewelers Exchange Building, San Diego Jewelry Buyers has been in the luxury pawnbroker and jewelry buying business for over thirty years. Their reputation is such that KUSI TV News chose to feature them in a news program aimed at helping consumers choose a good gold buyer. To find out more about what items SDJB has for sale or how they can help you get instant cash with no credit check, call them toll-free at: 800 557 9413.

For more information about the company, visit their website at SanDiegoJewelryBuyers.com.

Located at the Jewelers Exchange Building in the gas-lamp quarter of downtown San Diego, SDJB leverages over 30 years of industry experience and fine jewelry expertise to make certain that customers receive the fairest cash offers and loans for their diamond/gemstone jewelry, and premiere brand watches.

Bloomberg is reporting that Christie’s International raised 19 million Swiss francs ($19 million) in the biggest watch auction this year. Included in the lots was a collection of 10 Patek Philippe watches for almost double the low estimate.

Nine of the top 10 lots were Patek Philippe, and one was Rolex, in the auction that took place in Geneva. Christie’s estimates the entire sale to raise 10 million francs to 15 million francs.

The most expensive timepiece was a Patek Philippe 18-carat gold watch with a calendar that adjusts for leap years, sold for 2.4 million francs to a Swiss museum, Christie’s said. The collection of Pateks sold for 5.8 million francs.

Watch auctions have been successful, reports Bloomberg, even as Swiss watchmakers suffer from the worst recession since the Great Depression. Rare pieces continue to attract more demand than newly made watches, as Swiss watch exports have dropped 26 percent in the first nine months of this year in value.

A Sotheby’s auction of timepieces in the same Swiss city on Nov. 15 raised 5.1 million francs, within the auctioneer’s estimated range of 4.15 million francs to 5.71 million francs.

In other watch news, the family that controls Porsche SE, the maker of the 911 sports car, is selling watches from its private collection at a charity auction in London today.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche and his sons have entered 49 watches into a sale to be held by Bonhams on Dec. 2.

The group includes examples by Eterna, Porsche Design, Rolex, Panerai, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling and Omega, is expected to fetch 100,000 pounds. Proceeds will be donated to the oncology research department of the Robert Bosch Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany, said Bonhams.

National Jeweler has published an article covering the sale of watches and memorabilia from the late Steve McQueen, the legendary actor who rose to fame during the 1960s in films such as Bullitt and The Great Escape. The McQeen stash was among the pieces that inspired serious bidding at Antiquorum’s summer auction in New York City.

The June 11 auction brought in a total of $5,706,324, reports National Jeweler, with McQueen’s vintage Rolex, Ref. 5512, fetching an impressive $234,000, which was twenty times its estimate and a world record for that reference.

A total of 81 percent of the 416 timepieces in the summer auction were sold by lot and 122 percent were sold by value. Bids came in from across the globe, including from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Italy, Germany, France and Romania. In addition to the telephone, room and commission bidders, 478 bidders competed via the Internet.

Among the additional McQueen pieces featured in the sale were the actor’s Scott Super Squirrel motorcycle painted by Von Dutch, which sold for $276,000, double its estimate, and the Heuer “Monaco” he wore in the 1971 racing film Le Mans, which sold for a world record $87,600.

Other watches that sold for impressive amounts included Patek Philippe’s rose gold Ref. 5004 and pink gold Ref. 5970, which sold for $252,000 and $132,000, respectively, as well as Patek’s “Limited Edition Annual Calendar with Silicon Escape Wheel,” Ref. 5250G, which fetched a record $138,000.

Rolex’s “Double Red Sea Dweller,” retailed by Cartier, sold for $91,200, and Ref. 6239, a stainless steel “Paul Newman Daytona” attained $84,000, while the “Pro-Hunter Black-Carbon Daytona” sold for $42,000.

In addition, A. Lange and Sohne’s “Pour Le Merite” sold for $156,000, and Jaeger-LeCoulte’s “Platinum Master Minute Repeater,” sold for $126,000.

Rolex is one watchmaker that needs no introduction. The Swiss watch manufacturer is the largest single luxury watch brand in the world, producing about 2,000 watches per day. The company’s estimated revenues are around 3 billion US dollars.

Founded in the early 1900s by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, Rolex has always been a leader. Among the company’s innovations are the first waterproof watch case; the first wristwatch with a date on the dial; the first watch to show two time zones at once; and the first watchmakers to earn chronometer certification for a wristwatch. Rolex still holds the record for the most certified chronometer movements in the category of wristwatches.

Rolex participated in the development of the original quartz watch movements, and in 1968, collaborated with a consortium of 16 Swiss watch manufacturers to develop the Beta 21 quartz movement used in their Rolex Quartz Date 5100. The first self-winding Rolex watch debuted in 1931. This not only made watch-winding unnecessary, but eliminated the problem of over-winding a watch and harming its mechanism. Rolex was also the first watch company to create the first water resistant watch to 330 feet.

Rolex has also made a reputation in watches suitable for the extremes of deep-sea diving, aviation and mountain climbing. Early sports models included the Rolex submariner and the Oyster Perpetual Sea Dweller 2000 (in 1971). Another sports model is the Rolex GMT Master II, originally developed at the request of Pan Am Airways to assist pilots in transcontinental flights. The Explorer and Explorer II were developed specifically for explorers who would navigate rough terrain—such as the world famous Everest Expeditions.

Today Rolex operates stores in many urban centers of the world, including: Toronto, Paris, London, New York, Mexico City, São Paulo, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Tokyo, Dubai, and Wellington, among others.

If you would like to learn tips about selling a used Rolex, visit: Rolex Selling Tips from a Watch Buyer

According to a recent report by Bloomberg, California pawn shops have seen a dramatic increase in business over the past several months. The CEO of Beverly Loan (sitting in an office strewn with 18k gold bracelets, Rolexes, diamonds, and other luxury items worth thousands of dollars) is quoted as saying, not surprisingly, that business is booming.

It seems that as regular lenders continue to tighten their belts, California residents are turning to pawn shops and jewelry buyers for quick cash to make ends meet or fund that next vacation. High end pawn shops like Beverly Loan or jewelry specialists like San Diego Jewelry Buyers are not like regular pawn shops, whose average transaction is around $75. At these elite establishments transactions can range from the tens of thousands to the millions. One jewelry and loan operation in Beverly Hills in fact has a parking lot full of Ferraris, Porsches, and other high performance cars which have been used as collateral for loans, while another loan operation has been seeing art work from masters such as Picasso and Andy Warhol.

The only problem with the increased business among these pawn shops is that many people are now choosing just to leave the item behind, when the pawn shop owners would much prefer to help the client be able to hold onto their item if they can arrange a way to pay back the loan. California law states that a pawned item remains in a shop for four months and 10 days. After that time, the client can get their item back by paying off the loan, or they can delay redemption by paying just the interest. The average interest rate at luxury pawn shops is usually around 4 percent.

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As pawn shops in San Diego and cities across the state increase business, shedding their unwarranted “shady” image, more traditional lending institutions are now joining forces with pawn shops: City Loan Forms Alliance.

City Loan has announced that the company has aligned itself with Abes Pawn Shop in Santa Clarita, California. City Loan hopes that the partnership will increase the company’s exposure to this market, thus eliminating the need for it to open a bricks and mortar location with its subsequent costly overhead.

Thomas Baye, the owner of Abes Pawn Shop, says that they will be able to service more customers and provide other lending options using the methods that City Loan offers them. He believes that in partnership with City Loan they can grow their business with a better product than other lenders offer, while enhancing their competitiveness.

This pawn shop alliance is part of City Loan’s effort to build new partnerships with established, smaller lenders, in order to expand its portfolio growth into areas where they do not have physical locations, and where the car loan market is currently underserved. William Atkinson, President and CEO of City Loan, Inc., believes hat these partnerships will increase the company’s bottom line, without driving up costs. The alliance with Abes Pawn Shop in Santa Clarita is said to have been designed to mend a gap in City Loan’s consumer territory and create a synergistic profitable endeavor for all involved.

Keep on the lookout for more alliances like this, especially in San Diego and other metropolitan areas, as traditional lending options continue to become more difficult.

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Are you a watch collector and a fan of fine timepieces such as Rolex and Patek Philippe? Then you’ll be happy to hear that: The Collectible Watch Market is Red Hot.

It is not only jewelry auctions that have been exceeding expectations lately as investors continue to move money into hard assets. Antiquorum reports that its first auction of the fall season brought in $9,892,812 from its sale of collectible clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches.

In total, 404 pieces were sold. 34 percent of the items were bought via Antiquorum’s online bidding system. Buyers logged in bids from countries around the globe, including China, Germany, and Russia.

The highest sales price went to a Patek Philippe “First Series,” which scored a final bid of $1,514,400. But it was a wristwatch formerly owned by Albert Einstein that sparked the auction’s most intense bidding war. When the gavel dropped the Longines watch from the famed physicist was sold for $596,000, more than 2,000 percent its original estimated value (the highest price ever paid for a Longines wristwatch). Rolex also earned a record amount for its “Platinum Day Date” wristwatch which went for $78,000.

You certainly aren’t going to find those kinds of watches at a San Diego pawn shop, but the these auction results should show you that if you are in need of a good sized cash loan from a pawnbroker, a collectable watch is one of your best items to use as collateral.

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Have you been wondering just what estate jewelry is? Then wonder no longer. We’ve detailed it in this article: What is Estate Jewelry?

San Diego buyers and sellers of antique jewelry and estate jewelry should be informed that last week a long-expected U.S. ban on gemstones from Burma (Myanmar) took effect—some two months after President Bush signed into law the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008.

According to Josh Hall (vice president of Pala International, based in Fallbrook, Calif.) the purchase of older inventories of Burmese gemstones is still legal but many jewelers plan to avoid buying any Burmese gems so as to be in full compliance with the spirit of the law.

As Burmese rubies become more rare, prices are expected to rise dramatically, and likewise the prices of vintage jewelry set with these highly prized rubies. The ban also will likely increase business for companies that focus on conflict-free and fair trade gems, such as Canada’s True North Gems, which mines rubies in the Southwest region of Greenland.

About Burmese Rubies

The legendary Mogok valley in north central Burma (Myanmar) is famous for its coveted “pigeon blood red” rubies, which have set the standard by which other rubies are measured. Mogok also produces rich-colored blue and pink sapphires, green peridot, and fiery red and orange spinels. In recent decades, the Nanyarseik area of Burma’s Kachin State has been building its own reputation as a producer of quality Burmese gemstones. The current ban on Burmese gemstones is due to the fact that profits from their sale are used by Myanmar’s military junta to retain oppressive control over its population.

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Watch lovers of fine timepieces like Rolex and Patek Philippe take note, a new watch auction house as opened its doors in California. Read about it here: Watch Auctioneer Opens L.A. Office.

**The United States has over 12,000 businesses that buy and sell used jewelry, watches, and diamonds. Not all are the same. When deciding on whom to entrust with your fine jewelry transaction, be selective, do research, and choose only those businesses that specialize and understand the current jewelry market.

**The best prices for fine diamond jewelry, fine gemstone jewelry, and designer gold jewelry are based on more than simple gold or gemstone weight. Ask questions of the business you are considering selling your jewelry to. Make sure they demonstrate a clear understanding of jewelry materials, jewelry brands, and jewelry craftsmanship.

**Obtaining a loan on fine jewelry is an excellent way for people to maintain anonymity and protect their credit rating. Loan operators don’t do credit checks. If the customer can’t pay back the loan it doesn’t hurt their record. The loan operator simply keeps the collateral.

**Keep in mind when selling jewelry that there are several people who are involved in the transaction, all of whom need to make a profit margin to survive and continue offering their services. These include the gold refiners if the jewelry is being melted down; the re-sellers if your jewelry is being sold again; and of course the primary business who you are dealing with.

**It is not only gold jewelry which can be used effectively for collateral or sold to provide customers with extra cash for their needs. Platinum and palladium jewelry can also be used. The prices for all precious metals are at very high levels, making now one of the best times to get a good return on the jewelry that is no longer worn.

**Not all jewelry can be resold or used as collateral. Very few businesses will accept costume jewelry, unless it a very rare item. And silver jewelry is worth only a fraction of what gold jewelry is worth, although some kinds of designer and/or antique silver jewelry can be valuable.

**For simple gold jewelry, the rule of thumb is to accept 50%-80% of gold’s current trading price, otherwise known as the “spot price”. Remember that 24K jewelry is pure gold, 18K is 75%, 14K is 58%, and 10K is 41.7%. For name brand fine jewelry and designer pieces (such as Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels) you can expect to get higher prices, depending on the condition of the piece, as well as the maker, and overall desirability.

**Selling fine jewelry is a “green” act, a method of recycling that diminishes the need for increased mining of gold and gemstones. In addition, when platinum is melted down it often finds its way into new car engines, where it serves as a catalyst in devices that remove automotive pollutants.

**Beware of sending your fine gemstone jewelry through the mail to gold buyers. There is always an unnecessary risk involved by allowing your fine jewelry to leave your sight.

**When dealing with an unknown business it is always a good idea to search for complaints filed against a company with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org and other online consumer sites.

**It is estimated that 25% of customers walk away from a loan based on product collateral. Be aware of this and do not risk using an important family heirloom for a loan. If your jewelry is melted down it is lost forever.

**To ensure the best price for your gold jewelry, deal only with those buyers who set their scales in grams. Some buyers set their scales in penny weight (1.55 grams), which likely means less money for you.

**Avoid those businesses which charge an unreasonably high interest rate on their loans. In states like Texas the legal rate for short term loans can go as high as 240%! Do not allow a troubling financial situation force you into such a loan arrangement. There are always businesses to be found that will charge you a reasonable interest rate. And if you need help, seek guidance from a free consumer credit management service, such as: http://www.debt-mgt.org/ or http://www.familycredit.org/.

**In a world of dwindling natural resources and increasing demand from developing countries, gold jewelry continues to escalate in value. Although now at record levels, some experts predict that gold prices will increase to $1500 an ounce over the next 3 years.

**Along with precious metals, diamonds also have historically increased in value and are expected to continue to do so. According to Pricescope.com, the price of high-quality diamonds over the past 20 years has increased 40-80%–while the Rapaport Report (the diamond industry’s price-reference bible) states that asking prices for diamonds increased by 25% in 2007-2008. Specifically, there has been a dramatic increase in the prices of large diamonds (over 4 carats) during the last several years.

**The demand for jewelry will only continue to grow. The Jewelry Information Center, a nonprofit trade association based in New York City, reports that jewelry sales have jumped from $43.9 billion to almost $70 billion over the last ten years. The average annual increase in retail jewelry and watch sales is at least a billion dollars a year.

**Industry statistics and projections (like those cited above) are why it’s great time for customers to sell unwanted jewelry and/or buy something new which is more to their liking. Many customers today are taking advantage of the opportunity to upgrade to a larger diamond, or a pre-owned luxury timepiece from brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier (as these types of items may continue to appreciate at a faster pace than the price of gold). Unlike buying a designer shirt or designer shoes, which have no resale value once worn out, large diamonds over 4 carats and premier brand watches maintain their worth and grow in value with inflation.

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The San Diego Luxury Pawn Shop Report often profiles great jewelry brands of today and days-gone-by. Here is one of special interest: Van Cleef & Arpels: A Legendary Brand.