Salvador Dali Brooch Sells for Nearly $150,000

 

It's certainly eye-catching - but it's price might bring a tear to your eye.

This three-inch long piece of jewellery in the shape of a human eye, designed by surrealist artist Salvador Dali, has just been sold for £96,000 ($150.000.00)

Called The Eye of Time, the exquisite brooch is made from diamonds and platinum that form the eye lids and a small gold watch in blue enamel that makes up the eye ball. 

The original brooch, made by famed jewellers Alemany & Ertman in New York, was a gift for Dali's wife in 1949.

But, with the artist's permission, the company made several copies from his original designs.

The one for sale was bought by an Italian man in the 1950s and it has been passed down through his family ever since.

The artists did not design that many pieces of jewellery

The piece went up for sale at auctioneers Dreweatts of Newbury, Berkshire, and had been expected to sell for £12,000.

But such was the interest in the extremely rare item, went for eight times that amount and was bought by a private watch collector from the US.

James Nicholson, head of jewellery at Dreweatts, said: 'Privately owned pieces of this calibre which have never been on the market before arouse considerable interest globally.

'The Dali brooch is a fantastic piece. He didn't design that many pieces of jewellery, probably about 20 in all, so whenever one comes on the market it is very rare.

'We don't know how many pieces like this were made but this is the first time one of this large size has come up for auction.

'I knew there would be a lot of interest in the piece but because it was so unusual there was no precedent for me to go on.

'It was very exciting in the sale room and moved very, very fast, everybody was shouting down the telephones trying to get their bids in, it was an electric atmosphere.

'There were people bidding from all over the world, from the USA, Europe, the UK and the far East.

'There was a lot of interest because some collectors specifically look for artist's jewellery.

'Eventually it sold to a private collector in the US and the vendor was absolutely thrilled and amazed.'

Tips for Online Diamond Buying

Consumers have more options than ever when it comes to buying diamonds. In addition to jewelry retailers, you can shop conveniently from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Many of the same considerations apply whether you’re buying a diamond in person or online, but GIA has a few additional tips for shopping online that will help you click the “Buy Now” button with confidence.

As with any significant purchase, start by researching your options. Educate yourself about the diamond 4Cs and determine which diamond qualities are most important to you. This decision, along with your budget, will help guide your online diamond buying.

When shopping online, make sure you know exactly what you are buying. Some sites show diamonds with a range in carat weight, color or clarity. To ensure you know the value of the stone you’re purchasing, ask for specifics on its 4Cs, not a range. Then, make sure the stone comes with an independent diamond grading report, like those provided by GIA, which provides an unbiased analysis of the diamond’s 4Cs. For added security, you can verify a GIA grading report using the online Report Check tool, which will confirm that the information on the report matches the GIA database.

Once you’ve decided on the diamond that’s right for you, there are a few quick checks to do on the company you’re buying from. You’ll want to know:

• How long has the company been in business?
• What kind of reviews has the company received?
• Does it belong to any jewelry trade associations? (Associations often have strict requirements around quality and service)
• Do they offer secure transactions?
• How is their customer service?
• What is their return policy?
• How will the diamond be shipped? Is the shipment insured? Is signature required for delivery?

There are a few more considerations when buying from online auction sites. In addition to the questions listed above, you’ll also want to look into:

• Seller feedback & comments
• Is payment processed through a secure service such as PayPal or PayDirect?
• Is the seller located in the US?
• Is the seller providing sufficient evidence of the diamond’s authenticity? (photographs, diamond grading report)
Working with foreign sellers, or using cash, check or money order for your purchase, can greatly reduce your options for recourse in case of a fraudulent sale.

Once your beautiful diamond is in-hand, have an independent appraiser confirm that it matches the description and accompanying paperwork, and provide you with the value of the diamond for insurance purposes.

You can also choose to have it laser-inscribed with a permanent and microscopic marking on the gem’s girdle (in some cases the diamond comes with an inscription, or it can be requested at the time of purchase). GIA can inscribe a diamond with its unique GIA report number, or a personal message or symbol, for identification.

While the vast majority of online diamond purchases go smoothly, there are cases of false or misleading online sales. US-based consumers have options for recourse, including reporting the website to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or pursuing the case in civil court. Foreign-based retailers that do not have a physical presence in the US, are, for the most part, insulated from recourse, and attempts to recover funds can be very frustrating. However, by following the recommendations above, you greatly increase your chances for a stress-free and secure online diamond purchase.

THE DUC D’ORLÉANS BREGUET SYMPATHIQUE BREGUET

Rare Breguet Clock Sells For Record $6.8 Million

The Duc d’Orléans Breguet Sympathique clock set a new auction record for any clock and the second-highest price for any timepiece at auction when it sold for more than $6.8 million at Sotheby’s New York Important Watches & Clocks Auction on Tuesday.

The distinguished example of the exceptionally rare Sympathique clocks, which helped cement the fame and renown of French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, was last offered at auction in Sotheby’s 1999 when it sold for $5.7 million. 
This price has remained the auction record for any clock until Tuesday’s sale.

Invented by Breguet in 1795 and presented to the public for the first time at the Exposition Nationale des Produits de l’Industrie in 1798, 
the sympathique clock was a system consisting of a clock and a watch. 
The clock was designed to hold the watch in its cradle, where it was 
automatically adjusted and rewound. The term sympathique was chosen by 
Breguet to express the notion of harmony and concord.

The Important Watches & Clocks auction totaled more than $11.6 million marking the highest result for a various-owners sale of watches and clocks at Sotheby’s New York, the auction house said in a statement. In addition to the Sympathique, both vintage and modern wristwatches by Patek Philippe 
dominated the day’s top results, led by a rare 46 mm 18K Yellow Gold 
Center Seconds Wristwatch, 1955, Ref 2512/1 that achieved $962,500, 
more than five times its high estimate of $150,000.

Watch Out For Altered Rubies

There is a new process that improves the look of rubies. Average stones with cracks and flaws are being "enhanced" by being filled with lead glass. Doctored stones are worth about 80 percent less than natural stones. There are reports that antique and vintage rings have been repaired with these less valuable rubies. In addition, most rubies have been enhanced with heat in recent years to improve color or fill cracks—a practice that has found acceptance in the market. But any process that makes a gem seem more valuable than it is should be explained to a buyer. Lead-glass-filled stones need special care. Lemon juice and other solvents make them turn white. There are laboratory tests that reveal the glass filler, so if you plan to buy or repair ruby jewelry, ask for a guarantee backed by a testing certificate.

55 of the Rudest Things Rude New Yorkers Do

55. Use a plus sign instead of spelling out the "and" in the title of your famous New York-based travel magazine that declares entire cities of people rude.

54. Take someone else's umbrella from the umbrella bucket WHEN IT'S RAINING. Leaving that broken-ass one that you bought off the street does not absolve you of this sin.

53. Fail to have your Metrocard/cash or credit card at the ready in the 10-person line of people waiting to swipe their Metrocards/buy something.

52. Insist on ordering your bagels with the bagel-part scooped out. Go buy a fucking cracker.

51. Break up with someone on a Post-It note using writing that resembles that of a psychopath. Neatness counts!

50. Kill squirrels and pigeons.

49. Feed squirrels and pigeons.

48. Tell everyone you don't own a television and instead just watch "important things" on Hulu all day. Be smug about this.

47. Have loud sex in your apartment so as to be overheard by your neighbors.

46. Move furniture in your apartment late at night so as to be overheard by your neighbors.

45. Create more rude New Yorkers.

44. Make people who have kids feel bad. Cuz they might CRY.

43. Make gender normative statements about a child's hat.

42. Never call, text, IM, BBM, gchat, Skype, Facebook, or DM again after the first date.

41. Call, et al, after the first date, repeatedly, until the recipient of your madness must a) confront you directly or b) take out a restraining order. Then Facebook friend 'em!

40. Give someone bed bugs.

39. Smoke really fragrant weed without offering the neighbors any.

38. Push your way into the subway car without letting others out first.

37. Cling to the subway pole with your buttocks, back, entire body, or peanut-butter-and-jelly- or influenza-sticky hands.

36. Let your dog defecate on the streets (and fail to pick it up).

35. Pee outside.This is particularly rude near churches, doorsteps, and humans, unless requested explicitly.

34. Tip poorly.

33. Publicly shame your noob out-of-town relatives for tipping poorly and for anything else said noobs get up to. They can't help it.

32. Fail to wash your hands after using the bathroom. Be really into shaking people's hands.

31. Accept rounds purchased by others but never offer to pay for one yourself.

30. Shout loud things that nobody wants to hear and are not even remotely helpful or pleasant in public and/or private places while also taking your pants off.

29. Allow your cell phone to ring at the Philharmonic. Chosen ringtone: Marimba.

28. Walk around with your clothing falling off, revealing certain fleshy parts that no one is interested in viewing.

27. Sing in public, badly. Also, listen to your terribly curated music so loudly that everyone else can hear it, even though you have terrible taste in music and you're not all that great at curating, either.



​26. Walk improperly. This includes oblivious, overt texting while walking as well as spitting.Don't spit. Don't "store" your used gum on the ground either. That karma will find you when you least expect it.

25. Be a cabbie; refuse to go to Brooklyn.

24. Be a cab passenger; vomit in cabs.

23. Sneak into a second movie after you've only paid for the first. Actually, nevermind. This is not rude, this is good business sense.


22. Forget to say thank you in whichever written or verbal format is deemed necessary by the generosity received. Forget to say thank you back. Forget to say thank you to the thank you's thank you. Die and go to a hell that is full of stationary and pens that are forever running out of ink.

21. Close talk.

20. Take up more than your allotted space in this world.

19. Claim to have to work when you actually don't.

18. Hold obnoxiously themed baby showers and bachelorette parties that you insist your friends not only attend, at their expense, but also bring gifts to.

17. Be snarky about other people's important life events.

16. Claim that you are poor when you make $700,000 a year

15. Up-stream.


14. Drink the milk directly out of the container.

13. Steal someone's gross lunch from the gross office fridge. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

12. Act like elderly people don't have a right to exist in this city.

11. Cheat.

10. Lie. Unless it makes someone feel better

9. Cut the wallet out of drunk people's pockets when they pass out while riding the subway.

8. Pass out on the subway and rely on the kindness of strangers, whom you may or may not have drooled on, to protect you from the lush workers.

7. Throw pornographic pictures down at the people having the party on the patio below because they are being too loud and having too much fun and it's SO RUDE they didn't invite you.

6. Have a loud party on your patio and fail to invite the neighbors. When pornographic pictures rain down from above, shout "Fuck you!" and give every window you see the finger. Make it the unmanicured one.

5. Chuckle, even inaudibly, when the subway door slams in the face of that loser.

4. Fail to hold the door for the person directly behind you, especially if he/she is disabled, weak, ill, old, holding a large object, a child, or pregnant. If he or she is texting and not paying attention while walking into the door, do whatever the heck you want.

3. Make incessant fun of Thought Catalog.



​2. Think you are better than other people because you are a New Yorker.

1. Claim that New Yorkers are rude.

from The Village Voice

If you plan to sell some gold, it helps to know what "meltdown value" is.

If you plan to sell some gold, it helps to know what "meltdown value" is. It has a value determined by its weight and purity. The lowest price you should take for items made of gold is the actual value when it is melted and formed into bars of 24 karat gold.

The gold price listed in newspapers or online is given in troy ounces. Grocery and postal scales measure in avoirdupois ounces. Troy ounces are about 10% heavier. Your jewelry will probably be marked 14K or with another indicator of the purity of the metal. Our calculator ( http://www.kovels.com/Gold-Calculator/gold-value-estimator.html )does the arithmetic to measure the value changes necessary to go from 10K, 12K, 14K, or 18K gold to 24K, the gold that is made into bars. The only thing the buyer is paying for is the gold. Any mounted stones or other metals do not count and an adjustment is made for them.

Buyers pay a little less than full value because they sell the gold to be melted and, of course, they want to make a profit. Just fill in the blanks and click to learn the value of your items.

Note:
The design, maker, and valuable gems that might be in your jewelry could add value, so a piece may be worth more to someone buying and selling antiques. So ask any local dealer or auction house what they would pay before you consider meltdown value.

This was all proved by The Kovels

Unpaid Winning Bids Change Terms of Auctions

The most expensive Chinese work of art, sold in November, 2010, in London for $83 million, had not yet been paid for according to a Bloomberg News article. It is one of many unpaid for purchases by the Chinese bidders.

Some auction houses now ask for deposits before the auction for very expensive items. This delayed or non-payment habit reaches into lower than the million dollar range and auction houses tell us that they are having trouble collecting for some items selling at $100,000 or less.