Blog: buying jewellery online – insider guide

Do you have a Tiffany Engagement ring to sell? You have come to the right place. Bloomsbury Manor Ltd will offer you more than local jewellers and pawnbrokers (we offer 25% to 45% of original purchase price typically) and pay you directly into your bank account within 24 hrs of receipt. Lets explore why the alternatives might not work for you.

A local jeweller is unlikely to be a specialist in Tiffany Engagement rings. As such they will probably offer you a price based on selling the engagement ring on to a specialist or holding on to the item for years which means they will offer you a low price. The pawnbroker is similar though they will not be working on the idea that they will hold the item. In both of these scenarios you will be achieving scrap or near scrap value for your precious jewel - not ideal! 

You could of course decide to sell the ring yourself. This is absolutely fine but a couple of things to consider:- You will be entering the world of the jewellery seller. This means that you should not expect to sell your ring immediately. There is a joke in the jewellery world "You sold something?" What this joke highlights is the fact that jewellery takes a long time to sell, even for "experts" like us. It might be even longer for non experts like you. If you are going to sell the ring yourself you might want to know that the average time to sale in jewellery is around 12-18 months. If you want to cash in earlier than that it might be worth speaking to us instead!

The other thing you might want to consider when thinking about selling your item yourself is safety and security. Do you really want people coming to your house to look at the ring or meeting up in a coffee bar? Most people to want to examine items before they buy and this could prove awkward for you. When selling to a limited company like ours you are able to come to our secure Central London offices which provide you with the safety and security you need when dealing with expensive jewellery. What's more we will transfer the money to you there and then and wait to make sure it's in your account. If you're thirsty we'll even offer you a drink!

Alternatively you may choose our postal service where we will send you an "Agreement to Purchase" via email so that you have a document that states what you will receive. We will then send you a fully paid and insured Special Delivery envelope for you to send your items back to us. As soon as we receive the items the money is paid into your account. Please note that when you submit items to us we will make you a concrete offer, not give you a range or charge fees. Some companies will offer a range so that you are enticed into thinking that you can negotiate the top price. That is not how it works! On inspection it is usually found that your item sits at the bottom of the range and your negotiating power is nil because you're not the only  person with a Tiffany Engagement Ring to sell. Sorry to be blunt but we prefer to be straight. A price and an agreement will yours within 24-48 hrs of submission if you choose to sell to us.

You might be wondering why you only get 25% - 45% of the original purchase price. Here's the rub, once your item has left the Tiffany & Co store it is worth less. Just like a car. A large proportion of the price you originally paid goes towards Tiffany & Co's overheads. What you are left with is a beautiful ring with a beautiful stone but it's not going to be worth 75% of the original price in the secondary market. You need to be conscious of this fact. On the plus side, because it has been made by Tiffany & Co, it does have brand value so at least with us you will not be offered scrap. Not by us anyway!

Are you ready to contact us about selling your Tiffany Engagement Ring? Please use the form below to provide us with the details. Alternatively you can call us on 0207 692 5103 or email info@bloomsburymanor.com for more information. Whatever you choose to do with your ring we wish you the best of luck.

Here at Bloomsbury Manor we are very serious about authenticity. We use a variety of methods to ensure that all our jewellery meets our exacting requirements and yours. Our jewellery specialist will perform tests using specialist diamond testing equipment and microscopes. Pictured below is a laser inscription from a Tiffany & Co engagement ring.

We check laser inscriptions to make sure that they exist and tally with any certification.

In addition to the testing of precious stones we are also well versed in the workmanship of master jewellers such as Bulgari, Cartier and Tiffany & Co. It takes years to understand what to expect from their craftsmen. So many years in fact that it really does pay to deal with and expert.

A final round of verification involves pure experience. Does the item "add up" does it feel right? There is no blog or youtube video that can teach you this skill. Only experience can tell you.

If you have any questions about our verification process or authenticity in general please do not hesitate to contact us on 0207 692 5103 or via email info@bloomsburymanor.com

Which Investment? Shares, gold, pensions? The idea of an investment is not a complex one. We buy something and hopefully its value increases. But not necessarily.. when we buy shares or pensions even the small print tells us that the value of our investment can go up, as well as down. What if you could buy something now that would increase in value and you could wear it whilst you owned it?

Luxury pre-owned jewellery, can fit the brief and a growing number of savvy women are realising that they can have their cake and eat it by buying stylish pieces they know they can hold and sell on later on for profit. The price of new jewellery always rises. Labour, marketing and other overheads all contribute, as well as the fact that luxury items by definition cannot become cheaper. It does not make sense however, to invest in new items. It typically takes 30 years to recoup the value of a new item because so much of the RRP goes on the company’s overheads.

This is where pre-owned luxury jewellery comes into its own. The value of carefully chosen preowned designer high jewellery (platinum, gold) is often more than that of the metals and gemstones. But without the hefty overheads of the brand to pay for you are left with the items' real value. As the price of new designer jewellery rises so should that of the pre-owned. It can even weather the storms of the gold/platinum markets as it's value is propped up by the brand.

So, if luxury designer jewellery is such a good buy why don’t we hear more about it? The truth is that it’s an opaque market where 'value' isn’t clear. You need reliable dealers with a good instinct for what will make a good future investment. Brands such as Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Bulgari will always hold their value, but within those brands there are certain pieces, which carry more investment potential than others. You also need to know how to sell. If you hold for 5-10 yrs the original seller may buy your item back for more than you paid - can you imagine that happening anywhere else? If not high end auction houses are an option. If you buy new jewellery you might wait 30 years to recoup the original asking price. But with pre-owned branded jewellery you could be looking to making a substantial profit on the price paid after as little as 5 years. If you’re really lucky you could buy something that becomes the next super coveted piece. In the meantime you get to have a lot of fun wearing it.

If you would like to talk to us about jewellery for investment please call us on +44 207 692 5103 or email info@bloomsburymanor.com and we’ll be happy to give you our considered advice.

The Panther - a symbol of grace and power has been idolised and depicted by artists for millennia. From the early cave painting of Chauvet-Pont d'Arc, through ancient Egypt and French artist Henri Rousseau, the panther has been admired and feared in equal measure. 

During the early part of the twentieth century the house of Cartier began to take a special interest in the panther. Colonialists, bringing skins and adventure back to the old world were probably inadvertently responsible for the rise of Cartier Panthere.

It took Jeanne Toussaint, muse, creative director and sometime lover of Louis Cartier to really popularise the Panthere by producing highly desirable 3D Panthere jewellery. The first recognisable 3D panther jewellery item was a ring produced in 1935 with a two headed panther holding a star ruby. The iconic animal was truly put centre stage when the Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson) ordered an incredible three dimensional Panthere brooch. She remained a devoted Panthere and Cartier fan all her life.

Throughout the 50s & 60s Cartier developed many of the pieces which would still be recognisable today, bangles, rings, necklaces. Clients for these pieces included The Aga Khan and Opera star Maria Callas. In addition, the Maison developed a unique technique called "serti pelage" which gives the impression of real fur. 

The Cartier Panthere collection tells the story of decades of innovation, refinement and craftsmanship. At Bloomsbury Manor we like to honour the most exceptional jewels. As such we have spent time building up a carefully curated collection of Cartier Panthere jewels so that we too can be known for the ultimate in refinement. 

We hope that you enjoy our beautiful range of Panthere by Cartier jewels.

It's pretty clear from this graph that interest in gold bangles has been rising steadily. Why? We think there are two reasons, fashion and women buying more jewellery for themselves. Bonhams - the luxury jewellery auction house recently reported that female buyers now represented half their sales. These figures would have been unheard of even ten years ago. Tiffany & Co have responded to this trend by producing it's fashion forward "T" line. Women are much more likely to buy jewellery that nods to current fashion whereas men are more likely to play it safe with classic designs. Hence the rise of the gold bangle. Previously seen in the 80s and 90s it really has become the "Article du Jour". Whilst many women will indulge their desire in an inexpensive costume jewellery version, we at Bloomsbury Manor Ltd are of course going to focus on the desire for the real thing!

Here is our current collection of fabulous clanging yellow gold bangles. Ok - one if them is a bracelet not a bangle and is rose not yellow gold but we think it fits with the rest of them!

We love Cartier at Bloomsbury Manor. The design, the workmanship, the history all add up to a significant allure. Sometimes though we find pieces that are non branded which emulate the fine features of a prestige designer but without the price tag. Sometimes these pieces even build on the initial idea. 

We love this French Cartier style bangle precisely because it takes the three gold trinity idea and builds on it with a very fashion forward diamond pave accent. Created in the 1980s this piece has stood the test of time and now finds itself very fashionable once more.

At Bloomsbury Manor Ltd we want to make things as easy as possible for you so we offer a straightforward free re-sizing service for any ring (not Bulgari BZero1) unless the listing explicitly says that the ring cannot be re-sized.

We are often struck by how little information there is "out there" about the re-sizing process and, consequently, many of our customers are mystified as to what might happen to their ring should it be re-sized. 

We wanted to let you into a little secret...Tiffany & Co. only produce engagement rings in one size! Anyone that has a ring size greater or less than 5.5 (L) will have their ring resized. The process is performed by laser, and the finished outcome is invisible. For sizing down a small piece of platinum is cut from the back of the shank and the ends are joined together with platinum. The metal molds into one and the join simply disappears. For sizing up a piece of platinum is added. There simply is no join as all the metal has fused into one - like a coin. We could show you before and after pictures but there would be nothing to see!

We use exactly same technique as Tiffany & Co. and all the prestige jewellery houses. When your ring is re-sized it will be in "proposal ready" condition.

If you have any questions about re-sizing please write to us at info@bloomsburymanor.com

When you are proposing on Valentine's Day, it's not a regular proposal. The location is usually somewhere you're very familiar with already, often somewhere fancy – or somewhere special to you both. There are other differences too – the biggest is often the element of surprise!

At Bloomsbury Manor, we think that there is a golden triangle of gifts that should make your Valentine's Day proposal go very smoothly indeed. Whether you've bought a Tiffany & Co. or Cartier Engagement ring from us – or anywhere else for that matter – we think there are two essential little extras...

1. Champagne

As you might expect, we're not in to generic; we know exactly which one is best, of course!  Rosé is just what is needed, and you cannot go wrong with Charles Heidsieck's 1999 Rosé Millésimé. Toasty, mellow, rich – just like you perhaps? Either way, it's a wonderful celebratory drink for you both to share.

2. Chocolates

Truffles no less, but not from your local supermarket! These truffles, made by distinguished chocolatier Michel Cluizel, are undoubtedly the finest we have found. Rich smooth ganache, with a dusting of cocoa powder.

3. The ring!

Isn't everyone these days? The intense blue hue is trending upwards. It seems as though everyone wants a piece! According to Google trends, searches for lapis lazuli have been climbing ever since they started measuring!

If you're #lookingforlapis, look no further. We have the perfect high fashion lapis lazuli Tiffany Cocktail ring in 18k Gold with a splash of diamonds! It looks even more incredible in real life!

We can trace the origins of the now famous “Atlas” range of jewellery back to one watch. You know, the one with the Roman numerals, designed by the now Emeritus Design Director, John Loring. It first hit the display cabinets at Tiffany & Co back in 1983 and was deemed so revolutionary it was granted a patent!

Slick and modern, a distillation of the best of American design, the Atlas watch spawned an entire collection of wearable, distinctive and refined jewellery. Recently tweaked and updated by the newly appointed design director, Francesca Amfitheatrof the Atlas range is once more thrust into the spotlight where we can see that it is a true design classic.

Our current Atlas pieces, please click on each one to find out more:-

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!