Tiffany & Company Demantoid Garnet Watch with Fob, ca. 1890
Watch
GUEST:
My birthday's in May, so emerald is the stone for May. I don't know if these are emeralds, but my father-in-law was Diamond Jim Moran, so it might have come from him to his son, who was my husband, and gave me this for my birthday in May.
APPRAISER:
What can you tell me about Diamond Jim Moran?
GUEST:
In New Orleans, he was very well known. He had diamonds all over himself. He was a poor boy when he grew up and was very happy to celebrate his success by wearing diamonds all over. So everybody knew him as Diamond Jim.
APPRAISER:
Well, it's a beautiful Tiffany and Company pocket watch, and it's a fob as well. And I'm going to flip it around and show you where the dial is signed. It's not only signed Tiffany and Company on the dial, it's signed Tiffany and Company on the movement and the back of the piece as well. And it's set with these beautiful green stones. They're actually called demantoid garnets.
GUEST:
Oh, I've looked those up. They're worth more than emeralds.
APPRAISER:
They are, and they're very rare. These were mined in Russia in the late 1800s to early 1900s, and they were very prevalent in antique jewelry, and it's a beautiful pavè workmanship that we have here. It's accented with diamonds on the top. You can see the little scrollwork on the top. They have this electric lime green color.
GUEST:
Yes, it's beautiful.
APPRAISER:
It's so rare and unusual. It was made circa 1890, and it is set in 18-karat gold. Today at auction, I would estimate this piece at $10,000 to $15,000.
GUEST:
Wow! Hey, Ann, we're going to Italy! That's great, glad to hear that.
Appraisal Details
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