David Webb Bracelets, ca. 1965
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GUEST:
These were my mother's bracelets, and they were made many years ago. She knew David Webb. He designed these specially for her. And what's really interesting is, all the diamonds come from bracelets and jewelry of her mother's. So it's like three generations. The bracelet makes into a necklace, and she wore it quite often. I've worn it for very special occasions.
APPRAISER:
Yeah, yeah, I can tell you what I know about David Webb. He was a very prominent jeweler in New York City. He had a shop right on 57th Street. He was actually known for making jewelry for clients with stones, so that's not unusual. But his designs were unique. These were probably made in the '60s. What I love about it is the texture of the gold. Can you see? It's almost like bark.
GUEST:
Yeah, uh-huh.
APPRAISER:
And the way he's put the diamonds in there in three steps, lower, higher in the middle, and then lower. The diamonds are set in platinum.
GUEST:
Oh, wow.
APPRAISER:
And it is marked, "Platinum and 18-karat gold." David Webb jewelry right now in the market is trending. People really are collecting it. But one of the problems is, a lot of it is being copied and faked. So a lot of people that buy it in the secondary market are kind of worried.
GUEST:
Oh, isn't that too bad?
APPRAISER:
But these are correct, and since you've had them all these years, there's no question they came from your mother.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And you said she made it into a necklace.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
The best way to wear these, personally, if they were mine, would be together. Let me show you. When you put them together, they almost look like a snake. And they are really chic. So during the day, you could wear one on each arm, but in the evening, I would double down on them and make them into a very…
GUEST:
Oh, won't that...
APPRAISER:
…important-looking…
GUEST:
…That would be beautiful.
APPRAISER:
bracelet. Just to tell you, we did the diamond weight. You're probably at ten carats for both of these.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
And I would say, in a retail setting, you are looking at $20,000 to $30,000.
GUEST:
Oh, wow!
APPRAISER:
So I don't know if that's what you were expecting.
GUEST:
I didn't, I had no idea.
Appraisal Details
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