The back of a piece of jewelry is very important. It will tell you many things about the piece. I never realized until I started collecting jewelry that the back side tells a story or gives you clues to a great story.

Most people when they sell jewelry at sales do not realize how important it is to look at the back side for a name. This makes it easier for a collector to find pieces worth more at a great price. What I do first is look at the back side of a piece quickly and see if there is a name to determine if it is a good buy. I buy the piece and bring it home and really go to work to find other markings that I may have missed at the sale, I use my loop to check it closely. I also search for anything that could be wrong with the piece.

I start with the name on the piece looking on ebay, Ruby Lane and Google trying to find out anything I can about the designer. There is usually a great story about the designer or artist. telling about his life and how long he or she has been designing jewelry. This gives you more of an appreciation for the designers work. You also find out about the value of the piece and weather or not it may be a rare piece. For instance some Weiss pieces are more sought after than others making the piece worth more and easier to sell. When you go to a sale it is like going on a treasure hunt to find something beautiful and worthy to sell. Sometimes I am greatly surprised at what I have found, that's what makes this business exciting. You will find the stories of the designers lives especially interesting and educational. Happy Hunting. Remember to always look on the back side.

Sandra Compton
Visit: Uniquely Yours