The most important factor for determining the value of an antique piece of jewelry is its condition, how well preserved and durable it still is. Often it is difficult to make out if the piece is entirely original, or has been touched up, or has been substantially remade. If it has gold of varying colors, this would indicate that there has been some repair work. If the jewelry contains precious stones and if these stones have visible seams in them, this would show that the jewelry has already been subjected to much wear and tear in its past life.

However such marks of past usage on pieces of antique jewelry are not exactly discouraging signs for you if you have your heart set on them. It is almost impossible to come across antique jewelry which has been so perfectly preserved that it requires no restoration. The most vital element here becomes to determine how well the repair was carried out. Remember: the better the repair work, the more unnoticeable it is, the more indistinguishable it is from the base.

These inquiries and verifications should be carried out especially if you are looking to buy antique diamond jewelry, be it a ring or a necklace. These can often be quite invaluable and rare especially if they have high-quality and high-grade diamonds. In that case it becomes necessary to test them according to the same norms as you would adopt if you were buying any other diamond jewelry, namely the test of the 4Cs of a diamond: carat, clarity, cut and colour. The carat refers to the diamonds weight and bigness, the clarity is an index of its purity, the cut is a measure of its brilliance and the quality of craftsmanship expended on it, and the colour is a standard of its whiteness.

But no matter what the make, model or kind of antique jewelry you seek to buy, no matter what the materials they involve, it is in your best interest to always ask your dealer about the past history of the item you are interested in, and especially about the repairs, alterations and replacements carried out on it. You can even insist that the antique dealer commits his answers to you in writing. If the jeweler tries to avoid answering your questions or refuses to answer them in writing without assigning any reasons that you find acceptable, it might be risky to finalize your purchase.