We were recently contacted by a fellow jeweler who had an intriguing bracelet to sell on behalf of her client. She needed an immediate offer—based only on a photograph.
The piece, dating to around 1880, looked a little rough in the picture. Its centerpiece was a large pearl, which she described as being approximately 10 mm in size.
We offered her two options:
- An $8,000 quick purchase.
- Consignment into one of our international auctions, with an estimate of $10,000–$15,000 and a modest 18% seller’s premium.
It was, admittedly, a gamble. A bracelet this old should have had a natural pearl, since cultured pearls were not introduced until the early 20th century. However, it was always possible the original natural pearl had been replaced with a cultured one somewhere along the way.
And here’s the tricky part—even with Katrina’s expertise (she holds a Graduate Pearl certificate from GIA), no one can tell natural from cultured pearls with the naked eye if the pearl isn’t drilled to view the nucleus bead. The only way to be certain is to send it to GIA for x-radiography. If the pearl turned out to be cultured, we would lose 10–15%. If it was natural, the piece could be worth far more.
The seller chose the fast cash option and accepted our $8,000 offer. When the bracelet arrived, we were delighted to discover French hallmarks and, with a bit of research, identified the maker. We then sent the piece off to GIA, a costly three-week process.
The results were worth the wait. GIA confirmed the centerpiece was an exquisite, rare 10.15 mm natural saltwater gray pearl, surrounded by 8 carats of fine old-cut diamonds. The bracelet bore the maker’s mark CG & CIE, confirming it as the work of the famed Charles Fontana of Paris, circa 1875, whose work is often sold at Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
A pig in a poke indeed—but one that turned out to be a prize. We have often shared our “losers” with you, and thought we would share a winner with this one fetching $14,000.
At Hess Fine Auctions, we love taking these chances on history, and sometimes the gamble pays off spectacularly. If you have a bracelet, ring, or heirloom sitting in a drawer and wonder what story it might tell—or what it might be worth—bring it to us. Whether through outright purchase or international auction, we can help you turn hidden treasures into found fortunes.
