Blog: buying jewellery online – insider guide

Changes of fashion are not always easy to spot. I don’t mean changes that are announced every season by Fashion magazines and their ilk. You know the ones, they are announced to great fanfare but are more to do with filling column inches rather than reporting on something fundamental, that is actually happening, in real life.

Most jewellery, whether we think of engagement rings or earrings or costume jewellery seems to have been silver coloured for a long long time. Close your eyes and think of an engagement ring. What colour is the shank? I bet it’s platinum or white gold.

The fashion for metals in different colours probably started as soon as it became possible to use all the metals we use today. It wasn’t until the 1920s that platinum began to be used in jewellery. It hadn’t been previously possible as the hard white metal needs a much higher temperature to melt it than gold. Once jewellery could be made out of platinum - it was!

Platinum fever was halted abruptly at the outbreak of WW2 when the metal was banned for non-military uses. There followed a long period of yellow gold use. Think of 1940s jewellery and it’s probably gold. The 1950s heralded a return to the silver colour of white gold. The longest period of predominantly yellow coloured jewellery lasted from the mid sixties until the early 90s. If you’re old like me, you’ll remember when everything was yellow!

From the early/mid nineties everything became white, as if a layer of fresh snow had enveloped the world of jewellery. With occasional exceptions most items that most people bought until relatively recently were white coloured. Yellow gold looked a little tired for so long!

Something has changed. Whilst yellow gold was always available it played second fiddle to white gold for what seemed like an eternity. We would notice that white gold Bulgari B.Zero rings would sell faster than yellow, the same for Cartier Love rings. With the advent of new ranges – specifically the Tiffany T and Diva by Bulgari we can view yellow gold with fresh eyes. We truly like what we see! Suddenly yellow gold looks modern and clean and sophisticated. Our vintage 1980s and 1990s yellow gold items are looking less vintage and more current. It’s as if the sun has finally come out!

Cartier Double "C de Cartier" earrings

Tiffany & Co. Atlas 18k Bangle Wide

Tiffany & Co. Narrow Atlas Cuff Bangle

Rare Tiffany & Co. Estate 18k gold Woven Signature Earrings

Rare Angela Tiffany Cummings MOP Necklace

Cartier Double C de Decor Trinity Bracelet

You may or may not have noticed change in the air, it’s subtle right now but in five years perhaps we’ll realise that we’ve all stopped craving handbags and we’ve started craving particular pieces of jewellery?!

The designer handbag; Gucci, Tods’, Hermes, Vuitton has been the accessory of choice every since the mid nineties when Prada made the world take notice of their modern black nylon creations. Every fashionista had a Prada bag and every regular woman wanted one. When Tom Ford took over Gucci even more bag desire was created!

Think about jewellery during that time. Cartier was still making Love rings, a style largely unchanged since its inception in the seventies. Tiffany & Co had its never changing (and always desirable engagement rings) and some well-known silver designs, which were created in the seventies and eighties. We loved jewellery but we weren’t hooked on it. We didn’t use it to mark out our identity.

Those days are over! After more than a decade concentrating on high-end jewellery all the big jewellery houses; Tiffany & Co, Cartier and Bulgari have shifted focus onto the high fashion segment of their businesses. All have created new iconic ranges, aimed at the same women who have only had eyes for handbags - until now!

Tiffany & Co. has managed to almost single-handedly shift focus from the Chanel flap to the Tiffany T. The ‘T’ collection is a game changer, pulling in desire from the desire makers: fashion editors and celebrities. Once these guys are hooked we are all hooked! With new design director Francesca Amfitheatrof at the helm they have managed to distill all of the brand’s elegance, creativity and longevity into one collection!

Then there’s Bulgari’s Diva collection, modern yet exuding the classic lines of the art deco era. Mother of pearl and Onyx provide the cool yet classic juxtapositions to the gold tones of this collection. 'Diva' is all diva but in a wearable fashionable way.

At Cartier, designers have been channelling the spirit of the classic Love and Trinity collections into the new and super slick Juste une Clou and Amulette de Cartier. In common with the Tiffany T and Diva range, Cartier’s offering is aimed at a modern woman who wants to look sleek and groomed.

Will jewellery really replace handbags? At Bloomsbury Manor we think that handbags will still be important but that more and more women will be looking to complement their wardrobe with high fashion fine jewellery in the £500 - £10,000 range. None of the premium handbag makers need worry too much though as pretty much all of them sell jewellery too!

It has been 15yrs since Tiffany & Co. launched the Lucida diamond ring. After decades in development, a diamond cut to twinkle and shed light like the brightest star in a constellation was born. Now that the Lucida is no longer a newcomer but a seasoned member of the Tiffany & Co. engagement ring collection we have decided to cast a spotlight on this most distinct of Tiffany cuts and ponder on the characteristics of the Lucida woman.

The Lucida diamond was and is a trailblazer. A unique cut and revolutionary cut that paradoxically doesn't scream its virtues. It looks magnificent but in a quiet and refined way, shedding light like a flickering candle and quietly drawing in an audience. The Lucida is strong but feminine, dazzling but not showy.

We think that the two women who are most likely to be Lucida women are:

Amal Clooney (nee Alamuddin)

Besides being a Bloomsbury based barrister, Amal epitomises a discreet magnetism and an irresistible glow. She is a Lucida woman par excellence!

Jessica Ennis-Hill

Lovely Jessica is also a Lucida woman. Strong but not overpowering, Jessica brings attention to herself, not because she's a show off but because of her shining qualities. She's another Lucida woman.

Ever since Cecil Rhodes founded De Beers in 1888, London has been associated with diamond trading. But when we think of diamond cutting it's New York, Antwerp and Surat that come to mind. The recent resurgence of interest in older cut diamonds, with their unique charm and fire, has cast the spotlight back on a period of time before the ubiquitous modern Brilliant cut.

These days, 92% of the world's diamond are cut in Surat, India. And in an age of global knowledge, diamond cutters in India employ identical techniques to those used in Antwerp. One hundred years ago however, standardised cutting techniques had not yet evolved. A more artisan approach was in force, relying heavily on local knowledge.

London in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was at the vanguard of new technology and skills. Financed and powered by the nascent Industrial Revolution, diamond cutters in London became renowned for the fineness of their cut stones. In spite of this, for many years after the development of the modern brilliant cut stone, no-one paid much interest in the older cut stones, preferring instead to have them re-cut.

But now, discerning buyers seeking out something truly special are re-visiting older cut diamonds and falling in love with their unique beauty. In addition to the extra fire associated with older cut stones, there is an additional parameter of provenance which owes itself to the highly localised skills of cutters.

Today, the term Old English Brilliant is now reserved for a particularly fine Old European Cut, presumed to be cut in London. It is the perfect homage to the skill set of London's cutters.

We can think of the Old English Brilliant as a superior Old European Cut diamond. Just like we have "ideal" or "hearts and arrows" to describe the finest cut modern brilliant diamonds, buyers now have a term which gains them access to the top tier of antique stones.

Tiffany & Co. has a reputation to protect. Indeed, over the 175 years or so that Tiffany & Co. has been trading, protection against counterfeiting has always been high on the agenda.

In 2004, Tiffany & Co. started marking all engagement rings with individual identification numbers. These unique numbers are matched with the ring’s individual certificate and Tiffany & Co’s own records. When the number is called up by a Tiffany & Co. representative the exact details of the ring, type, diamond characteristics are recalled.

This should be enough! But Tiffany & Co. go further! They ensure that each diamond is laser inscribed with another number. This diamond identification number holds the unique details of that precise diamond! In addition, the diamond number is associated with the number on the ring in Tiffany & Co’s records.

Both numbers together provide consumers with the ultimate guarantee that an item is genuine. Only Tiffany & Co. will know what the numbers relate to and will print the information on their paperwork. Furthermore, the laser-inscribed diamond number can only be added with specialist diamond laboratory technology, making it very difficult to copy.

For those who buy pre-owned Tiffany & Co. engagement rings those two numbers provide re-assurance. Of course, there are rings that were made before 2004 that won’t carry the numbers. These rings can be identified through their outstanding workmanship + certificates, if there are any.

At Bloomsbury Manor our skilled jewelers are able to sort the wheat from the chaff, even without the serial numbers but we thought it would be great to share our knowledge with you, the consumer, by designing a Tiffany & Co. diamond guarantee diagram to help you understand what to look for when buying pre-owned Tiffany & Co. engagement rings. Remember that only one number is necessary for fool-proof identification but the two numbers together are infallible! What’s more, the diagram is in the shape of a diamond!!!

If you have any questions about Tiffany & Co Engagement ring authenticity please leave a comment below and we'll get back to you ASAP. Alternatively you can email us at info@bloomsburymanor.com

1. In 1851 Tiffany & Co. adopted the British standard for silver and to this day only sells “sterling” 925/1000 silver. Other standards at the time contained lower concentrations of silver and Tiffany & Co wanted to mark themselves out as maker of assured quality.

2. In 1858 Charles Lewis Tiffany bought an amount of surplus transatlantic telegraph cable in order to chop up and sell as souvenirs. Such was the excitement at the time of the new means of communication that the souvenirs proved to be an instant hit.

3. The classic six pronged Tiffany setting was created in 1886.

4. Kunzite and Tanzanite are precious gemstones both of which were discovered by Tiffany & Co's in house gemmologist Dr Kunz.

5. Elsa Peretti, one of Tiffany & Co's most renowned Designers, lives and works in a tiny hamlet in Catalonia, which she entirely owns!

6. The name Tiffany derives from the Greek word Theophania, literally "God appears".

7. The legendary Tiffany yellow diamond is made up of 90 facets, compared to the 58 of a regular brilliant cut.

8. Rubedo - Tiffany & Co's new metal alloy is a secret blend of copper, gold and silver. It tests as approximately 7.5k gold, similar to the 8k rose gold popular in Edwardian times.

9. Tiffany & Co's most recent store opening was in Bogota, Columbia.

10. Currently 8% of all Tiffany & Co's sales are made in the flagship store on Fifth Avenue, New York.

The year is 2190. Your great great great great great granddaughter has just got engaged. In an era where all known diseases have a cure and human beings are able to take to the skies with individual jet packs it might be tempting to think that nothing would be regonisable to her great great great great great grandparent. But certain things have not changed. Humans still enjoy the taste of fresh fruit, live in homes that were built centuries ago and engagement rings are still being made by Tiffany & Co. The company founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1837 is now 300 years old but the founding principles of quality and design have endured.

This scenario might seem far-fetched but perhaps not that illogical. As long as a wheel is well-oiled it will keep on spinning and there are not many brands as well-oiled as Tiffany & Co. The Tiffany setting was created in 1886, and just like a well-oiled wheel it doesn’t need re-inventing.

Having survived two world wars, the stock market crash as well as the 2008 global financial crash Tiffany & Co engagement rings may continue to grace the fingers of would-be brides for millennia!

Recent news that Tiffany & Co’s profits had exceeded estimates comes as no surprise. A recent overhaul of classic product lines such as Atlas has brought some much needed freshness to the line, whilst the creation of a brand new metal alloy – Rubedo - reminiscent of Edwardian rose gold, created a media frenzy.

Underneath new product launches and the titivation of existing lines lies the equally important job of keeping things exactly as they are! We must not underestimate the importance of monitoring that Tiffany blue does not waver one fraction of a colour away from itself. Or that the classic Tiffany engagement ring be created to the same standard and same proportions as it always has.

Understanding what to change - and what to conserve exactly as it is - cannot be an easy feat, involving a combination of science, art and instinct. Whilst fashions come and go some core values and ideas never change. They are our foundations, our standards by which to measure all other things against.

At Bloomsbury Manor we're passionate about sustainability. We believe that by recycling diamonds we can create something more beautiful and more unique than can be found in any store.

Though not necessarily the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about recycling, diamonds are actually the perfect recyclable material.

Created around 3.3 billion years ago, our planet's hardest natural substance knows a thing or two about longevity!

Diamonds mined a hundred or so years ago, and cut by skilled artisans, exist in their thousands and millions, often unloved or unworn because their settings have become unfashionable.

We feel compelled to re-discover the beauty of these exquisite old cuts (Old Mine, Rose, Old European, Old Cushion) by bringing them out of hiding. Our experts examine each stone individually and decide how to set them to maximise their sparkle and fire. We'll take, fore example, a beautiful Old Cushion Cut with all its charm and individuality and place it centre stage in a new engagement ring setting.

The result is breathtaking! Imagine – a 3.3 billion year old diamond stops off in the Victorian era for a face-lift, and ultimately ends up in a stunning, 21st century creation. Proof of beauty in recycling...

Here are two of our Sustainable Diamonds collection. Ask about other sizes or cuts – we can make rings to order.

Do you have an old diamond you'd like to re-set? Ask about our re-setting service.

Old Mine 0.82ct diamond, 18k rose gold engagement ring

Old Mine 0.72ct diamond, 18k white gold engagement ring

1. Ask questions. A good seller will reply promptly and articulately. Bad English = bad jewellery!

2. Only buy from sellers with with a no quibble returns policy.

3. If you're in any doubt use a free authentication service such as ours. We can certainly tell you if we see something suspicious.

4. Pay with Paypal or a Credit Card so you're protected in case anything goes wrong.

5. Compare identical articles with another seller. Do the signatures and hallmarks match? Remember it is better to do this with more than one other seller as you could accidentally find yourself comparing your item against a fake!

There's always going to be value in buying preloved/second hand fine jewellery but some eras yield more value than others. Why? It's down commodity prices (that means gold, platinum and diamonds to you and I). 

Around the time of the millennium from around 1995 until 2003 gold and other commodities were at an all time low. That meant that jewellers could use more of it. When gold/platinum prices are high they use less. That means that items made around the low gold/platinum price era tend to be heavier and therefore better value for money than later items. In fact Tiffany & Co discontinued many of their heavier items towards the end of the noughties as they became too expensive to produce.

Counterfeits, forgeries or fakes... they put a lot of people off buying Tiffany & Co. jewellery on-line. To be honest, I'm not surprised. It was my big fear when I started out. How would I know something was fake? Here's a little about what I've learned...

(Don't worry - if you'd rather not make the judgement yourself, you can use our Free Authentication Service.)

Fake Tiffany jewellery is generally made in Asia, in bulk by manufacturers attempting to pass off silver plated Tiffany designs as real Tiffany & Co solid silver jewellery. These items are sold on websites which mimic Tiffany's own website but are called things like 'tiffanydiscount' or 'uktiffanyjewellers'. You can only buy genuine Tiffany & Co new from Tiffany.co.uk itself.

With regards to the second hand market - and Ebay in particular - contrary to popular opinion, this can be a very safe place to get a great Tiffany bargain!

The kinds of sellers on fake sites like 'tiffanydiscount' don't have access to the Ebay market - because they are banned! (That said, it's entirely possible that individuals, having purchased items from fake sites might try to sell them on through Ebay.)

Fakes often mimic popular classics like the 'Return to Tiffany' range. Remember the people manufacturing these fake items are trying to make a fast buck. They are not highly skilled and cannot afford to finish the items to Tiffany's exacting standards. You'll find, for example,  that the links in a chain on a fake item will be pushed to, rather than invisibly soldered together like the real thing.

Have a look on the Tiffany website and check the item you want to buy against the genuine item. Has it got smooth links or can you see little gaps where the links have been pushed together? If you can't see clearly enough, ask the seller to send you close ups of the links. Gaps = fake, no gaps = genuine!

If there are no links to check, ask for the weight of the item - remember fakers don't produce items in real silver - it's too expensive. Compare the weight of the item you want to buy against the weight of the same item sold by other sellers. If your item weighs the same as most of the others then it's likely to be real. If it is significantly lighter then it's fake.

Finally look at how long people have been on Ebay and their feedback. If they mostly sell jewellery and have good feedback, the chances are they are running a business. The last thing they want is to ruin their business by selling fakes. A confident seller will also offer a returns policy. That way, if there are any problems at all, you can get your money back.

I've only been talking about Tiffany silver because that is where the counterfeiting problem stems from. I don't know of any large scale operation that fakes Tiffany & Co fine jewellery ie. gold, platinum and diamond. The reason for this is that it's impossible to make fine jewellery without skilled craftsmen and fine materials. Imagine filing down the prongs on a gold plated engagement ring - it wouldn't work because you'd see the base metal underneath. Of course you could re-plate the item once you'd got the perfect shape but why bother with all of that when you can make a fast buck with silver plated items? Maybe you could take the diamonds out of a genuine Tiffany ring and replace them with fakes? This is possible but you'd struggle to find enough second hand Tiffany rings to make a career out of it!

If you're not sure however, and you'd like an independent professional opinion about your jewellery, feel free to use our Free Authentication Service.

Hope this helps. Happy jewellery buying!