Jewelry is something that we have always held close to our hearts. We wear it, we gift it, and we even create it for the pure joy of it. It can be something as inexpensive as a plastic bead bracelet, to a necklace made with the highest quality of gold and gemstones. It is something that can be extremely intricate or something incredibly uncomplicated. Some people wear it just because they like the way it looks, while others wear it because to them it is sentimental. No matter why you buy or wear jewelry one thing remains constant, we want it to feel special. One of the easiest ways to transform a simple piece of jewelry into a unique custom piece, is through engraving.
Engraving is the art of cutting or carving a design into a surface. It is one of the oldest techniques that jewelers use and it still remains one of their most important. Historically craftsmen would use a sharp steel tool, known as a burin or graver, to perform engravings. Though hand engravings are still popular today, modern technology allows for machine engravings that use a higher degree of precision to perform engravings. Engravings that were originally only able to be done by hand are now done using advanced machinery, precision lasers, or even highly pressurized water. Computer technologies also allows jewelers to create complex designs and engrave them flawlessly. The process of engravings may have changed throughout time, but people’s reasons for wanting them has remained constant.
Here at Gold & Silver of Louisiana we want to help make your jewelry feel truly special. Our
jewelers combine their skill and knowledge with computer technologies and machine accuracy to complete engravings with perfect accuracy. With our wide range of engraving options we can personalize necklaces, pendants, rings, bracelets, flatware, glasses, cups and so much more. You can choose from a large selection of different front, sizes, and images to be engraved. We can even engrave custom logos or designs that you may already have or simply add a monogram to a piece. You may already have jewelry monogrammed and engraving can help to enhance the look of the jewelry. Thanks to our refined engraving process you can expect your jewelry to be finished in only a few days. So next time you are looking to give yourself or a loved one, a truly special piece of jewelry, we hope you think of us. It does not matter if you are customizing an engagement ring or a tumbler cup, we at Gold & Silver of Louisiana are here to help.

Designer jewelry pieces are often found in big retailers and cost a pretty penny above the value of the metals. However, this makes sense, due to the perceived value of the craftsmanship, quality,  and beauty of the piece. Many jewelry designers are artists, and their artistry and style are highly sought after. Designers like James Avery, Pandora, Mignon Faget, Tiffany & Co, and David Yurman often feature sterling silver and gold in their beautiful works of art. Mignon Faget, in particular, is a designer native to Louisiana, and we come across many of her pieces at our store location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Due to the constant changes in culture and fashion trends, our Baton Rouge clients are constantly bringing their unwanted designer jewelry to us to sell. Differing from your standard pawn shop and precious metal buyer, at Gold & Silver of Louisiana, we evaluate all designer jewelry pieces on the current secondary market trends, and offer our clients a value typically much higher than the precious metal content. We view your designer jewelry as a work of art, and we know this the exact reason you paid a high premium for it. While your used jewelry will not carry the same premium as the retail price, the value still remains higher than the silver and gold value for many designers like Konstantino, John Hardy, Cartier, Freida Rothman, Tacori, Mikimoto, and more.

Selling Designer Jewelry Tips

If you are looking to sell your designer jewelry in Baton Rouge, we recommend that you bring any original paperwork, boxes, bags, and packaging, as it may add value to your piece. If you are trying to sell a designer watch, please bring in extra links if you have them, this can increase the value. Additionally, if you have any sort of appraisal, valuation, or receipt, these could potentially increase value as well. Though none of these items are required, we strongly recommend for your benefit.

If you are looking to buy designer jewelry in Baton Rouge, we recommend visiting our store, Gold and Silver of Louisiana, before visiting expensive retailers. You will find our prices exceedingly favorable when compared to big-name retailers in Baton Rouge, because we are able to offer prices in the secondary market. We strive to keep our margins as slim as possible, in order to generate repeating customers. Our clients are treated with the utmost respect and fairness when buying and selling designer jewelry in the secondary market. You can possess the same, beautiful designer pieces found at your typical retailer, while paying just a fraction of the price.

Numismatic refers to the study or collection of coins and currencies. Numismatic coins are often not produced in modern times and carry a premium much higher than the value of the precious metal, whether silver or gold, due to the rarity and collectible value of the coin. Numismatic coins aren’t always rare coins, but often times they are due to low mintage dates and circumstances surrounding the era or time frame of minting. Many numismatic coins are graded and encapsulated by professionals at NGC, PCGS, and ANACS that not only verify the authenticity, but also provide condition grading for the coin. Numismatic coins are not often bought for investment purposes, but for collectible purposes as you own an exciting piece of history.

Unlike many coin dealers and precious metal buyers who try to exploit the ignorance of their customers, we treat our clients with respect and offer very fair and competitive pricing for all rare and numismatic coins. As a premier coin dealer in Covington, we always do our best to provide valuable information when handling with your rare coins. Our trained and knowledgeable coin experts are ready to answer and assist you with any questions you may have regarding your numismatic coins. If you are looking to buy numismatic coins, beware of unscrupulous behavior and ignorant sellers claiming their coins are rare, or key dates. It is imperative to do your own research to determine an accurate price for items you wish to buy. Also, it’s important to know that just because a coin is old does NOT mean it is numismatic or rare. There are plenty of old coins that were minted by the millions, and they don’t really trade above their silver or gold weight unless they receive a high grade by the aforementioned grading professionals.

Numismatic coins do not include coins that are considered bullion. Bullion coins include American Eagles, Canadian Maples, Krugerrands, and 90% junk silver, which are used for the purpose of investment. Numismatic coins include, but are not limited to certain Morgan & Peace Silver dollars, pre-1933 gold eagles, British Sovereigns, Swiss 20 francs, and more. These coins may or may not be encapsulated and graded. However, a coin does not need to be graded for it to be considered numismatic.

If you are looking to buy or sell rare numismatic coins, please stop by our location in Covington. Gold and Silver of Louisiana takes pride in offering clients top dollar for all coins. We provide a safe, friendly environment for you to browse, buy, and sell coins. We have a wide variety of numismatic coins ranging from BC era to modern times.

The first indications of jewelry making began in Ancient Egypt between 3,000-5,000 years ago. Since then, jewelry has been widely used to adorn individuals and show signs of status, power, or attract a potential mate. Jewelry is considered antique when it was made over a 100 years ago. Vintage jewelry is considered vintage when it is at least  20-30 years old, but made within 100 years ago. Within these larger classifications, there are some smaller, more descriptive classifications for jewelry eras. These styles and eras of jewelry include Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Retro, & Modern.

Georgian jewelry style was popular from 1714 to 1830. Georgian jewelry is very rare, and most pieces from this period have been modified to suit the current times. During the Georgian Period, gold was so expensive, so many of these pieces were cast in sterling and 18k gold. Diamond rings were often set in sterling silver with an overlay of gold to prevent the silver from tarnishing. Diamonds were often mine cut or rose cut. The technology of stone cutting machines and devices were not as advanced as today, so jewelry pieces were made to fit the stones that were available. It was very common to have Georgian jewelry with many different sizes of stones. Foil was also used to back the stones and make them refract more light.

The Victorian Era of jewelry spans from 1835-1900. The era is named after Queen Victoria of England, who was very well liked by her subjects, and jewelry styles mirrored her life stages. Fine jewelry became more accessible during this period as the emerging middle class in Europe began to take shape. Queen Elizabeth used an emerald, her birth stone, as her engagement ring, and colored stones became very popular. The Romantic Period, which occurred from 1837-1861, characterized her love for her husband, Prince Albert. Jewelry during this period symbolized love, confidence, and serenity while including flowers, hearts, and bows as common designs. Once Prince Albert died in 1861, Queen Elizabeth began wearing black jet and onyx jewelry to help her cope with morning. Once she came out of morning, Queen Elizabeth began to wear more whimsical styles of jewelry including stars, crescent moons, and dragon designs. As the Victorian Era was coming to a close, there was a mass discovery of diamonds in South Africa, and diamonds became the preferred stone again.

The Edwardian Period spanned from 1901 to 1915. The era is named after King Edward of Britain. Edwardian jewelry is characterized by graceful and elegant designs. The use of platinum in jewelry began to emerge during this time period. Popular designs include lacy, filigree styles with classic motifs utilizing pearls, platinum, and diamonds. White jewelry including platinum and white gold epitomized class and sophistication. Designers pulled many of their ideas from Ancient Roman, Greek, Napoleonic, and the French Baroque periods. The Edwardian came to an end as World War I broke out.

The Art Nouveau Period began around 1890 and ended around 1915. The overall theme of the period was romantic, mystical, and soft. Diamonds were not used very often during the era, but moonstones, opal, agate, amethyst, and amber became popular. Art Nouveau designers focused on hand crafting their pieces instead of mass producing them. Enameling jewelry became a very popular technique to add designs and create a stained glass effect.

The Art Deco Period spanned from 1915 to 1935. The era is characterized by bold, geometric shapes and straight lines. The style embodied the free-spirit mindset of the times. Art Deco was the style of the “Roaring Twenties.” The economy boom made jewelry pieces much more affordable, so the style was extremely popular. There were technological advancements in cutting techniques, which led to the creation of the beautiful round brilliant cut diamond. The use of platinum was still popular, but white gold, which was cheaper than yellow gold and platinum, became the standard of the time period. The Art Deco age changed the jewelry style forever.

Retro jewelry was popular from 1935-1950. The Retro Period was sandwiched between two terrible crises, the Great Depression and War World II. This time period is the golden age for Hollywood, so women saw the big, flashy rings in the movies and wanted them for themselves. Jewelry tended to be much larger than previous styles, because women desired for their jewelry pieces to be eye-catching. The motifs used during the era included bows, ribbons, and flowers. Gold became increasingly more popular due to a shortage of platinum. Designers became mixing different alloys to create rose gold and green gold. Large cut stones like Amethyst and Aquamarine were often accented by small diamonds.

In Baton Rouge, Gold & Silver of Louisiana sees jewelry styles of all eras come through our store. We buy and sell antique and vintage jewelry. We have a great selection of vintage jewelry, so stop by our store in Baton Rouge or call us today at 225-366-1000!

Physical Gold & Silver vs. Mining Stocks in Baton Rouge, LA

As we see mass inflation occur across the world, many people flee to precious metals and mining stocks in order to hedge against inflation. Investing in gold and silver is a very wise decision when dealing with such uncertainty in the market. We see many of our clients in Baton Rouge invest in gold coins and gold bullion. The same goes for silver as well. There are many, however, that flee to gold and silver mining stocks. Which approach is best? Should you invest more in physical gold or gold mining stocks?

The answer really depends on your approach. There are many different ways to invest. Let’s start with investing objectives. Are you looking to hedge against market inflation in case of a market crash, or are you trying to grow your gold portion a considerable amount over a short period of time? Physical gold will protect against market crash and inflation. Gold mining stocks typically allow for more growth over a shorter period of time. In a bull market run for gold, it is generally more advantageous to focus on stocks rather than physical gold because the mining stocks have a greater room for growth.

Physical Gold & Silver

Physical gold, whether gold coins or gold bullion, has many advantages and a few disadvantages. Physical gold has proven to be a very stable investment over time. Gold can be used as a part of a retirement fund. Many experts agree that physical gold works as a hedge against inflation and provides investors more security in the event of a market crash. One disadvantage of physical gold is that gold is affected whenever the stock market becomes stronger. Another disadvantage is storing physical gold. There many different options to store your assets, whether it be a personal safe, a hole in the ground, a safety deposit box, or various other storage possibilities.

Gold & Silver Mining Stocks

Gold mining stocks are not quite the same as buying physical gold. When you purchase a gold mine stock, you are investing in the miners that work for a company. The key to investing in gold mining stocks is choosing the right company. It is beneficial to research about the amount of gold being mined. This investing method is very risky. That is the biggest disadvantage to purchasing gold mining stocks. Investors can lose their money invested just as quickly as they can gain money from these stocks. One advantage for investing in mining stocks, aside from the possibility of making money quick, is that they appreciate like stocks.

At Gold & Silver of Louisiana, we primarily see many come into our Baton Rouge location to purchase physical gold and silver. There is no right answer to which is really better between physical gold and mining stocks. Your personal investing objective plays a big role behind which method to choose. Experts conclude that a diversified approach is the best way to invest. Timing is the biggest key when you buy gold or silver, physical or mining stocks.

In Baton Rouge, we, at Gold & Silver of Louisiana, purchase loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings, and diamond fashion rings fairly often. As diamond buyers, we are sometimes faced with the tough task of informing diamond owners that their stones aren’t worth the price they paid to buy the diamonds. In fact, there is a very stark difference between the price paid and the worth of their diamonds. When buying diamonds it’s always recommended you first consider the four C’s: Carat, Cut, Color, Clarity. All diamonds can be accurately described by these C’s. This is the proper way to evaluate diamonds, but there is the unspoken 5^th C, Cost! How much is this going to cost you? This is important to consider because the 5^th C, in retail, does not always accurately reflect the other four.

Marketing Tools

In the large retail chain stores, it’s more about marketing and less about the quality of the diamonds. Department stores have pretty much the same strategy. As a general rule, other than the occasional inexpensive gift or after thought, it is best not to purchase diamonds in the same place you buy a toaster or lawn mower. Most retail chain stores offer a trade up policy on their diamond rings. This is actually a sales tool designed to build value in diamonds that have very little value, and to possibly generate another sale. Under the special high beam lights at the diamond counter all the rings are of VS (very shiny) quality. Most of these rings, however, are of very inferior quality stamped out by machines; they are mass produced in China & India and sold to the large retailers in the west at a fraction of price the consumer ultimately incurs.

Unfortunately, sometimes it’s only when people bring in one of these rings for repair, resizing, or a valuation estimate to sell diamonds to an experienced, reputable Jewelry concern like Gold and Silver of Louisiana that they discover a harsh truth, the difference between retail and reality, the 5th C. To receive the best value while purchasing loose diamonds and diamond rings, the secondary market is your best bet. At Gold and Silver of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, our diamonds are priced at their true value, so it allows us to sell diamond and engagement rings at a price that is much more affordable than diamond retail chains. Come in to see us at Gold and Silver of Louisiana, where the 5^th C is just as important as the other four C’s.

Precious Metal Coins and Bars / Rounds in Baton Rouge

Whenever there is uncertainty regarding future values of cash, we see buyers in Baton Rouge flee from cash and flight to precious metals like gold and silver. Our buyers choose precious metals for a variety of reasons: accumulation of wealth, protection against inflation, or for store of value during war and political crisis. The options of what, when, where, and how to buy gold and silver can seem overwhelming when you’re just getting started.

What Coins or Rounds / Bars to Buy?

Investors have the option to buy precious metals in a few different forms. The different forms include government minted coins, privately minted bars and rounds, and for silver only, junk silver (old US currencies). How do you choose what to purchase?

Well, for starters, the government minted gold and silver coins have a face value on the coin, so that the coin can be treated just like cash and may have legal benefits depending on your jurisdiction. These coins have a specific amount produced each year, so they are more collectable and are generally more recognizable than the privately minted counterparts. The coins carry a bigger premium above spot price than bars and rounds whenever you purchase them, but you also get more money, generally speaking, for them when you trade them into your local gold and silver coin dealer.

The privately minted gold and silver bars and rounds are another option. While these bars and rounds carry a smaller premium than coins, you don’t receive as much money back when you trade them in. The bars and rounds produced generally don’t have any collectability. They are traded solely based on weight, purity, and current gold and silver price. They are not as liquid as the government minted coins, so they cannot be accepted the same as cash and may be treated differently under the law. They are, however, still a great store of value if the liquidity and collectability aren’t what you are looking for.

The reality that we see in our Baton Rouge gold and silver market is that buyers don’t overwhelming lean one way over the other when deciding what form they want to invest in. At Gold & Silver of Louisiana, we see a bigger market for Silver Eagles over the privately minted rounds and bars, but we see buyers looking for both. We’ve noticed, however, that each individual buyer generally sticks to one method. The coin enthusiasts stick to coins. The privately minted investors continue to choose bars and rounds, and those looking for junk silver and fractional (less than one ounce) silver stay with old US currencies. There are pros and cons to all methods of buying when comparing them to each other. Stop by Louisiana Gold & Silver in Baton Rouge to learn more or give us a call at 225-366-1000.

Precious metals in the wake of ECB’s stimulus plan and Danish rate cuts

Gold prices rose to reclaim a key $1,300 price mark after the European Central Bank announced its intentions to go forward with a full-blown stimulus plan. Gold for February delivery Increased $7, or 0.5%, to finally settle at $1,300.70 an ounce while March silver futures Increased 17 cents to $18.36 an ounce in electronic trading.  The European Central Bank announced an open-ended bond-buying program worth €60 billion a month as part of its quantitative easing program. Although the introduction of a bond-purchasing program was widely anticipated, analysts and investors said the size was toward the upper end of most expectations. Gold’s sharp increase may also have been affected by the recent move of the Danish central bank to cut its key interest rate for a second time this week in an effort to counter the impact of the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing on its currency. Historically, a more accommodative monetary policy can often lead to inflationary pressure and as inflationary pressure is increasingly felt by investors, investors tend to favor precious metals as a hedge against inflation. Investors recently seem to have anticipated weaker currencies on the back of the European Central Bank’s bigger-than-expected bond-buying program.

As current world economic events continue to trigger a rise in precious metal prices from recent market lows, now may be the right time to consider investing in precious metals. If you have any questions about the precious metals market, buying or selling, Gold and Silver of Louisiana would be happy to answer your questions and provide you with information necessary to make an informed decision that is right for you own personal investment strategy. Customers in the Greater Baton Rouge area continue to utilize the resources of Gold and Silver of Louisiana to facilitate their precious metal needs.

Gold rose to a new multi-month high on after the introduction of negative Swiss interest rates was seen as a positive for the precious metals markets. Gold moved up more than 2 % on news that the Swiss National Bank will do away with its three-year currency cap of 1.20 francs per euro. Gold appears to be gaining because no one expected the Swiss central bank not to keep the cap, and this has created a potential for big losses in many market sectors and seems to be triggering some flight to safer markets. The currency cap was originally enforced in 2011 after the Swiss National Banks failed attempt to counter deflation through the purchase of foreign bonds. The European Central Bank is set to meet next week and is expected to announce a new fiscal strategy, which could be the reason behind Switzerland’s move to exit its previous monetary policy. This is all happening just one week before the European Central Bank meeting, which could add even greater pressure to the euro and send the prices of gold and silver climbing even higher. If recent precious metals trends continue through 2015, this could be an excellent year for precious metal prices.

Contact a representative at Gold and Silver of Louisiana with any questions you may have about precious metal prices or buying and selling precious metals. We will be happy to provide professional assistance and information tailored to your personal precious metal transaction.

7-11-2014

Gold and silver prices have risen to fourteen week highs as European stock markets have fallen lower and the dollar showed signs of weakness after the Federal Reserve minutes were released. Gold jumped 1.3 % to a peak of $1,345 per troy ounce, while silver jumped as much as 2.3 % to $21.55 an ounce. Both metals have shown strong surges since June, with gold rising 8 % and silver up 16 %.  One could argue that the precious metals are recovering from an extended bear market that silenced many precious metal bulls. Meanwhile the stock market continues to reach new high after new high. However when a market like gold or silver appears oversold or under-followed is when big swings to the upside can occur. It seems that when the market majority is of the general opinion that the bears cannot be beaten, is the moment that the market turns bullish. Also, when most everyone seems to feel that an investment is a layup, this tends to be a good time to exit that market as a sharp decline is likely to follow. Considering the above trends, it is of this author’s opinion that gold and silver may have reached the end of their bear market corrections and are looking for room to run upward into a new bull market trend.  Retail activity in Louisiana, especially the Baton Rouge market has continued to pick up steam as more people seem to be protecting their wealth in physical gold and silver acquisitions.