Estate Sales & Auction Blog

Some terms don't necessarily fall into the neat categories of gemology or metallurgy, but are nonetheless good to know. We've collected some miscellaneous jewelry terms -- most of them have to do with embellishments. Here are our terms of miscellany.

Since the dawn of the Bronze Age, metals (precious, semi-precious, and non-precious) have become ubiquitous with jewelry. From tin to gold, popularity and values of metals ebb and flow. In our sixth installment of our jewelry series, learn some key terms and metals used in jewelry today.

A defense attorney and former mayor of Burlington, NC turned interior design firm entrepreneur, William ("Billy") Lewis Durham's career path was diverse, to say the least. He was a life-long connoisseur and collector of fine home furnishings. Billy's passion for home furnishings fed his entrepreneurial spirit and led him to begin two design businesses which sourced, curated, and provided exceptional design, antiques, and extraordinarily well-designed home good items. His name became ubiquitous for fine design in the interior space.

For millenia, people have sought ways to decorate themselves beyond clothing and textiles. From ancient times to the modern era, jewelry has played a key role in personal adornment -- from rings to necklaces to earrings. Learn about key types of jewelry ....

Styles and forms of jewelry have transformed through the ages, while others have become ubiquitous with good design. Join us on a brief trip back in time to explore key eras in the history of jewelry.

When it comes to jewelry, knowledge is definitely power! How can you tell the difference between something that is pure versus plated? How can you determine the difference between a real diamond versus some of the really beautiful modern-day high-end cubic zirconias on the market? It just so happens, that BRG has its own jewelry lab and now we're giving you an inside peek inside.

With the country shutting down because of COVID-19, we've been looking for ways to help our consignors to earn more for their smalls -- all from the comfort of their homes. Introducing the latest initiative born from our search ... Consign by Mail.

Baubles galore. Funky costume pieces. Fine, delicate gold pieces. Chains, bracelets, anklets, rings, earrings, brooches, pins, and whatnots piled in heaps and twists within the compartments that make up your jewelry box. If that sounds like your jewelry storage, then it's time to "detox" your jewelry box. Learn how here.

Over the years, we have serviced thousands of estates and their respective families. It's not often that we see estates that fall into the "veritable time capsule" category for the quality of their collections. When we do, we like to highlight them in a special way. But, the real story often comes to light when we dig beyond the tangible "stuff" contained within the estate -- when we get an in-depth glimpse at the person behind the estate. Such is the case with Sandy.

Exposure to tens of thousands of fine works of art over the course of a curator's 30 years career gives her a very discerning eye for detail and quality. This is most certainly the case for one renowned former Museum of Fine Arts Boston curator, Barbara Stern Shapiro, as evidenced in her lifetime personal curation ... from Boston to New York and back.