JEWELS OF THE SOVIET UNION
Dmitry Tamoikin
2009
JEWELS OF THE SOVIET UNION ©
Gold – or, more precisely, gold jewelry – made by the Soviet Union is one of antiquity's most promising, but saw overlooked, and markets collectible today. For anyone who wishes to make a very profitable investment or acquire a valuable collection, while spending a relatively small amount of money, jewelry Soviet is a gold mine to be explored.
Naturally, you ask – why? What is so special about the jewelry made by a group of countries that have denounced the lavish lifestyle and rich that gold is so perfectly? Well, for starters, it is precisely this paradox, the ideological and controversial history, that every single item of jewelry Soviet has – and no other item that is or ever will. I hope this piqued your curiosity. Getting started.
All Soviet jewelry, especially gold, all that has collectors and investors' desire and demand. First, it has an incredible history and controversial known worldwide. Secondly, it clearly came from. Thirdly, it is rare. Fourth, it is made of precious materials (gold with gemstones and semi-precious stones). Fifth, it is uniquely designed. Sixth, the prices are relatively low today, with a shrinking market quickly, which means higher prices tomorrow. Seventh, it has an easy promotion, marketing and commercial basis (the USSR was a home Hollywood for decades). And finally, eighth, no negative aspects or disadvantages at all. In fact, more jewelry Soviet positive than those eight, but we will continue …
It is well known that the Soviet art market was breaking records for 16 years consecutive, with works selling for millions of dollars in auction houses as leading Sotheby's and Christie's. The market less well established but parallel to the Soviet jewelry has the potential and, Whereas, in many ways is the art itself – but gold and precious stones!
A question arises: Why, with all that potential is still Soviet jewelry roughly the same price as modern jewelry? Before the answer is given, let me mention that I am in favor of a buyer of the current situation. It allows collectors like me to buy large number of items at extremely low prices, and I know it will not continue long. When prices jump – and they will inevitably – I will have more than enough to sit, relax and let my property to develop. It's like investing in shares of a gold mine Klondike newly-found right next to the White House. Okay, so why such low prices, and why nobody thought of this before? More importantly, what guarantees are there and the signs that prices will not only increase but dramatically increased?
The answers lie in the countries of origin, all former Soviet republics. Russia is currently undergoing a new phase opening markets and a wide variety of products, including gold and jewelry especially, is widely available throughout the country. Leading manufacturers of jewelry, such as Tiffany & Co., are now represented in Russia, and sales exceeded all expectations. Moscow has become one of the most expensive cities the world to live. Average Russians have begun to emerge from poverty, and after a long time the middle class has started spending money. Quite naturally, they do not think to invest in the familiar elements that they have lived for so long – they buy new products and modern are seen as having a style and class. Russia wants to show people willing and able to buy European brands, and many are fully willing to sell antique jewelry that has been lying in their drawers for decades, especially with gold prices rising weekly. To summarize, "Russia does not want old Soviet, he wants new and preferably Armani."
A direct consequence of this mentality is that few people look at what happens to the jewelry that is still left – and people who realize what it has already quietly started collecting everything they can lay their hands on. These people are not necessarily Russians. With the help of small objects like eBay travel quickly around the world, mainly United States.
Now for those of you who are familiar with the antiquities market in Russia, I'm not saying it does not go forward. Far from it! The Antiques Market in Russia, despite strict government regulations and uncomfortable, grew rapid in recent years. Wealthy Russians around the world are now buying everything they can get. They are in London, Paris, New York Hong Kong … and rivaling the top collectors outbid by millions of dollars. But look what they buy: Their main goal is all that has been created during the tsarist period or before 1917, while the second is in favor of the antiquity of Europe. Soviet articles will spark great interest, but only when they are all top class.
This analysis of the Russian market is brief given to show the reader what a big mistake even the top Russian collectors do, and we see clearly in the context chosen by their counterparts, particularly European and American collectors who have many more experience in the antiques market. I'm talking about the massive flow of Soviet goods of all types of territories of the former Soviet Union to countries like the U.S. (# 1 buyer), the entire European Union, China (Hong Kong), Japan, Australia and many others. It seems, and I also speak from personal experience on and off eBay, everyone wants to buy anything and Soviet. When I say everything I want say everything from technology and Soviet memorabilia extremely rare to plug a phone jack at medium or bottle, things considered and treated like garbage in the former USSR. In fact, both the "trash" is destroyed in the former Soviet territories by ordinary people who simply have no interest or knowledge of its value, the total could easily equal the GDP of a small countries. Soviet and gold does not receive a better handling, as I will explain soon.
Now it is no secret The Russians are now buying up the market prices from Europeans and Americans what they sold them a decade ago under a nickel, since ten years ago they considered junk … and it proved to be Faberge. Of course, I simplify the matter, but the trend is the same with items from the Soviet era. Today, nobody cares about them, all will want tomorrow. The best part for collectors is that these ten years are at an end, and the Russians are not over react. Well, if you do not catch a bus, you are obliged to take a taxi … and the result is the same, but you just pay more. I write this as a wake up call for collectors who want to take a near-empty comfortable buses. This is the last this cheap.
I covered Russia, but what about members of the former USSR? Well, the situation is the same, or worse. Asian countries have exchanged, sold or melted much of Soviet jewelry (gold) for quick profits, and European new or come members of the Soviet Union scorns as their decision (to profits!) is overshadowed by their political and personal. In all cases, the former Soviet republics do not tend to value their historic properties to all, especially in Eastern Europe, where, For example, they do not buy jewelry with ruby red because it is "naturally" associated with the Soviet regime. You can see the faces happy tourists from Europe, America and Asia when they buy the few jewels left in the Soviet pawn shops and jewelry Low prices. It is as if they win a million. This is because when they arrive home in Tokyo or Chicago, they actually are.
It there are more scary stories about what was and still is made of Soviet gold, and why there is so little left after 80 years of Soviet production of jewelry mass. That's what happened. After 80 years of total isolation, Mr. Gorbachev collapsed and the Communist Union 400 million citizens of former Soviet Union were suddenly free to travel, buy, sell, trade or do anything that was in their minds. Most people preferred rubles dollars, but dollars were very rare in the USSR, so that millions of people turned to the only product others who have been accepted by the rest of the world – gold.
Hundreds of tons of Soviet gold jewelry in the form of the former USSR going mainly to three countries: Turkey, Poland and China. These are the shopping centers anything and everything, where "New Russians" as people of the former USSR were called there, have exchanged their gold holdings for cheap clothes and other goods they could sell at home to relatively good profit. In this case, Turkey, Poland, China and other countries that have received this influx Soviet gold were not enthusiastic collectors, which means that all the gold was melted down and reused in bars – Happens to this day. This is clearly seen in the current market gold jewelry. Jewelers know that while Turkey, for example, buys Modern Gold Russia gold reserves most Turks are in the hands of private manufactures gold and gold if you could give this item a nationality, is Soviet.
Gemstone USSR deserve their own separate article, but I'll try to cover some key points that collectors and investors need to know.
The word on the street is that almost all jewelry stones Soviet grown in the laboratory, and this is true. In late 1950s the USSR began using stones grown in the laboratory rather than gems in jewelry. Yet, whereas the expression "Lab-grown" tends to make people believe these stones are next to nothing or equal to colored glass, these stones are actually very useful. Again, this is an incredible opportunity to buy jewelry with stones USSR as to price more than acceptable. Of course, you request Once again – why? Why stones be grown in the laboratory of any interest to me? Well, if we were talking about using modern or vintage jewelry cultured laboratory and then I totally agree that, yes, the value of these stones is small. However, a laboratory-grown gem made in the USSR completely changes the picture.
First, what is the most precious of all jewelry or precious metal (except platinum, gold, silver, rubies and diamonds, which have physical characteristics that are used in industry)? It is of course to their rarity. If platinum was more common than steel, you probably would not pay top dollar for an engagement ring in platinum. Now, the number laboratory-grown gems were created during the whole Soviet regime? A good estimate is that it might be equal to the production of a year of DeBeers diamonds. Then, the distribution of these stones USSR (in jewelry) in the world, destroy, lose or change 80% of them, and leave the rest to gain jewelers (to be eliminated as a by-product of gold around the stone), collectors or other buyers – and what remains is what you get today. Soviet jewelry grown in the laboratory are indisputably rare.
The jewels that were left in their native environment are not replaced or reused in modern positions are even rarer because in most cases the gold was melted for another use and stones thrown in a box to be reused or eventually lost. The original composition is broken, and therefore its history and business value.
I already mentioned the immense historical value All materials created by the USSR, and jewelry grown in the laboratory are no exception … but we must speak of science. The Soviet Union were large quantities of natural resources, including an almost unlimited amount of natural gems, but he chose to develop from nothing – neither Russia Tsarist nor the USSR after the Second World War had laboratories and technology to develop any type of jewelry, even on a modest scale – a set new industry that has rapidly established itself as the world leader. In fact, jewelry Soviet scientific achievements remain true to this day. How, you ask? Soviet scientists were able to so perfectly match all the physical characteristics of natural stone that almost no analogues exist So far, even with modern technology. What is more fascinating is that they not only match, but actually improved the sustainability of almost all precious stones, making them as strong as they were beautiful.
The following experiment was personally quite extreme shown to me by a jeweler. Take the most often stone Soviet grown in the laboratory, usually a ruby, make sure it is since Soviet not many others would have passed the test. Light a torch – yes, a torch – and direct all the 1500 degrees of heat on your stone beloved. Do not stop there: the heat until the stone passes through all phases of color and turns bright orange (as the molten steel), then heat a bit more before finally cool. Relax and see what happened to it – nothing. The jewel, not only returns to its original color, but its structure does not change at all … you can repeat the test if you like. By comparison, a natural ruby of the highest quality crack almost instantly.
You may be thinking, why do I care if my stone can withstand a blowtorch? I want to wear a beautiful object, not bash the nails in the walls with it. I could not agree more, but accidents happen … and if your 7-carat ruby or emerald accidentally falling on a marble floor, the results can be painful. Thus, the physical characteristics play an important role in the value of valuables, especially jewelry.
Look at gold and silver: They are not only valued for their rarity, half their value comes from their ability to conduct electricity better than any other metal on earth. Gold does not rust or oxidation. These qualities make these precious metals in the aerospace and advanced electronic technologies. The Diamonds are one of the hardest materials on earth, with the possibility to cut virtually any metal or other hard substance, which makes very popular in the industrial sector. Diamonds and rubies are also widely used in the mechanisms of watches and clocks.
When large companies or industries buy these items, they buy in bulk, lowering the overall availability of these precious materials and market prices while keeping high. Soviet jewelry have a similar story, only it is collectors and investors who purchase and availability is already extremely low. And while hundreds of kilograms of gold and diamonds are dug every day, Soviet jewelry and jewelry are damaged, melted or destroyed every day. Whatever the left we see on the market available to private collections. For those who have already formed a collection This situation is very good for those who have not, chances diminish every day.
In other words, the potential for Soviet jewelry is very high. When the price of gold objects were previously USSR based only on the street price of gold (retail price of one gram of gold, multiplied by the weight of an article), it begins to change. Jewelry made by the USSR was finally appreciated for its rarity and uniqueness in the market. This change is only in its beginning phase, however, if the collectors still have a chance to gain incredible items for a good price … a situation who simply can not last long. Every day, fewer and fewer items are available. Regardless of any personal feeling against the Soviet regime, the historical and cultural importance of jewelry created at that time can not be denied, and its value is intended to far beyond the mere value of gold.
Of personal analysis of eBay sellers gold during the past year, I counted about 14 to 19 vendors constant Soviet gold on the entire site eBay, with two to five sellers listing items weekly. Each week, only three to nine Soviet gold jewelry are listed. For comparison: For each item listed Soviet gold, there are about 300 items similar non-Soviet featured on eBay every week. Taking into account the more than 7000 providers of all other gold, mostly modern, these 19 sellers could create a virtual monopoly on Soviet gold and simultaneously increase the price for what they see fit, giving rise to a frenzy Buying jewelry Soviet. In theory, if such a boom in the Soviet gold is going on eBay, it is bound to spill over into other gold markets as well, so do not be surprised if you find a ring with a Soviet price $ 2,000 to your local pawnshop. The price of $ 5,000 and even $ 10 000 for rings, bracelets and other jewelry of the USSR are quite realistic, given their limited market availability. People possessing these items will simply be able to dictate prices regardless of their fit.
Of course, it will not happen overnight – even if anything can happen – but within one to three years we will definitely see a jump in price. This is already happening to some extent with simple rings Soviet sale of 400-700 U.S. dollars, and this, with little interest shown by the general public. It is linked to all the changes. When specific types of rarities are becoming hot collectibles, attract attention and become noticed by investors, their value quickly jumped by five to twenty times or more. Examples of such events in the antiquities market are endless. One day, nobody even looked an item, then something happens – a major collector buys a similar item at a higher price, or it is published in a famous catalog – And suddenly people are scrambling for him. A buying frenzy pushed prices higher and higher. The question is, why wait happen? Investing in gold is now a Soviet ideal. With the rising price of gold per week, even just to buy it that gold is a very good investment, but with better opportunities to open on the road. Jewelry Soviet exchange average gold collectible gold jumps, and the price are inevitable.
There are a number of key points to look for when collecting Soviet jewelry, some are the same as for any other antiquity. First, monitoring the characteristics of the Soviet gold. Features of gold are as follows: "375", "500", "583", "750", "958". Hallmarks for silver are as follows: "750", "800", "875", "916", "960". The characteristics of gold are more Rare "750" and "958", which represent a better quality of gold were produced in quantities far less than the most commonly used "583" mark. "375" and "500" are also infrequent. Although the purity of gold is lower, that does not necessarily mean less value because what they lack in quality of gold, they earn scarcity brand, and therefore recovery.
Incorporated with or separate from the issue of purity of gold there is always a hallmark of government inspection, which contains information on the location of Manufacturer (city, factory) and a date of creation. It is also often an additional feature with the number of individuals who worked jewelry on the issue. There may be other brands available, but these three are the most common. It is important to note that jewelry with natural gemstones was an additional identification number stamped in the gold surface.
The feature that represents the inspection legend government has changed over the years, while the characteristics of pure gold remained virtually unchanged until the collapse of the USSR. From 1927 to 1959 the brand inspection of government was a man (worker) head with a hat, under which was a hammer (this mark would then mark as "583" next to him). From 1959 to 1992 the government inspection mark has changed a five-pointed star with hammer and sickle inside. Using this information, a collector can quickly determine the age of an element and therefore its probable rarity – usually the most part is better.
"583" was the type most commonly used for gold in the Soviet Union, while "585" or 14 karat is more common today. The passage of the "583" to "585" was set up after the Soviet Union collapsed and thus almost no catalogs or books speak of a Soviet "585" mark. But there were actually Soviet jewelry marked "585" mark (remember that brand because it is very rare). Two types of Soviet "585" features exist, a government official – a sailboat stamped next to the "585" mark, for export only, from 1989 – and the second explanation – the Soviet star with hammer and sickle and "585" mark next to it. There is little information on the latter type. One theory is that just after the collapse of the USSR from 1989 to 1991 chaos in the government structure has led to confusion in jewelry making regulations and some manufacturers have started using the "585" trademark. The official order to use the new features was made in Russia by Boris Yeltsin on October 2, 1992, and was implemented by the end of 1993, when the Soviet star was changed to a woman's purity and the golden head was as follows: "375", "500", "585", "750". This means that until 1992 there was no official order to use the "585" mark to market within the USSR (the "585" gold in 1989, remember, was to export only).
I tested The Mix-Up Theory me when I decoded a number of gold rings from my collection personal. I checked the first link was dated 1990, part of the story, but the next 4 rings were back to the 1980 and so totally at odds with the theory of collapse. This mystery, I'm leaving for historians, collectors note that the Soviets "585" is a very rare trait to possess.
Inconsistencies, irregularities and uncertainties in punching Soviet deserve another publication, where all possible combinations and rare and inconsistencies could be discussed. This is a very broad topic, but I can clarify the whole issue in a statement: "The more contradictions, irregularities and the unknown current jewelry, precious and interesting than the jewelry, period. "Because the USSR characteristics are fairly well documented, so any new kind of point defects, the previously unknown story and tend to be very rare, may have been produced in very low numbers.
This rule applies to all antiquity. A good example of the "rule of scarcity" is a stamp of the United States in 1918 called "Upside-down Jenny" which was sold for $ 825,000 U.S. for an auction on the Internet in 2007. In 2005, a "Jenny Upside-down" was sold for $ 525,000 U.S., and that same year, a block of four stamps was sold for 2.7 million U.S. dollars. These prices high for a postage stamp are simple thanks to an error by the publisher when printing, when the Curtiss JN-4 plane was represented upside down. Only 700 stamps have been made with this error, and only 100 survived to this day.
In the opinion of many, even simple earrings Soviet no contradiction feature should be priced at not less than $ 5,000 U.S., because there are so few of they left. If the earrings are marked as rare as the "585" value would jump even higher. For some it may seem surreal, and yet, prices have already begun to show on the market.
The second important point to consider is gold plated jewelry. Let me tell you about a ring that I bought what I thought was a good price at the time. On a local antique market that I saw This attractive gold ring at a low price. I checked to make, the lighting was poor and the stamp slightly overcast but I clearly saw the Soviet star and a "5" at the end. Think of rare "585" ring of characteristic I bought it and carried on. Only when I got home and inspected the ring more carefully I found that the mark was "875". The ring is silver plated. And for the money, I felt that I overpaid a little. Naturally disappointed, I began research on the issue, finding very little information on silver jewelry gold plated Soviet. Then I talked with other collectors and antique and learned that the gold-plated silver jewelry has been rare, and collectors, it is just as precious as gold. Gilding on plate was common, gold cigarette cases on money has been widespread, but the gold-plated silver jewelry has been produced in quantities much more conservative. There are many gold-plated items, watches, cuff links, but most are not plated with real gold and is rarely precious metal plated, silver plated jewelry and gold has a great historic and commercial value.
If you looked closely at the numbers brand I mentioned earlier, you probably noticed an interesting one: feature "750" is the same for both money and gold. If money with this brand has never been gold plated, it would be almost impossible to distinguish the money in gold without the expertise Science. It is unclear whether a characteristic of money "750" has never been gold plated. If it were, it would make a rare and interesting piece.
A third key point to watch is whether the jewelry was made by hand or machine. A large Part of the USSR was handmade jewelry and its value is higher than items made by machine. This issue should be addressed before purchasing or taking this to a jewelry expert.
A fourth and final point to consider is the combination of metal and other materials. In some cases Soviet jewelers combined different types of metals in the work process. For example: red gold with yellow or white gold, silver or platinum, silver with platinum. It was also very common in jewelry Soviet combine precious and semi-precious stones or metals, even non-precious metals and stones. The USSR has shown this trend long ago and it was very People, especially in its own market. Curiously, it is a way of jewelry today, where we see leather with gold, wood with platinum, and so on. Today we return to what were the Soviets 20 to 40 years with just a touch of modern style. As the saying goes, "The new is the forgotten old. "
Soviet gold will exceed the top brands in the market and become much more valuable because it is an antique made in high quality precious metals and gems with an incredible story behind it.
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