When shopping online for fine jewelry and watches, you may stumble upon the term gray market, but don’t be fooled by what you find here. While it may look like you’re about to score an amazing bargain, there are very real dangers associated with shopping on the luxury gray market. Because some consumers are unaware of these risks, we’re looking into this phenomenon and explaining why shopping the gray market for luxury watches and jewelry is not the smart way to go.

What is the gray market?

The gray market is a blanket term for the unauthorized trading channels through which luxury watches and jewelry are sold.

Why does the gray market exist?

Authorized retailers are contracted to buy a certain number of units from a brand every year. But, given the high volume retailers are required to purchase each season, not all units are sold. In addition to that, the retailers are obligated to buy a set number of pieces from the new collections. So shops occasionally find themselves in a tight spot: a collection is stuck lingering in their showcase and a new collection needs shelf space.

Saddled with this stale inventory, retailers will dump their product onto the gray market where it can be quickly sold at a discount.

This all sounds like a good thing: I save money and the brands get rid of their old inventory. So why is the gray market bad?

Yes, at first blush, this sounds like a win-win for retailers and consumers. But, there is a very real danger in shopping for fine jewelry and watches on the gray market. While the goods sold on the gray market are authentic, brands will not honor the warranty because they were not purchased through the proper channels.

Luxury brands set rigorous standards for their authorized retailers to ensure that the item you receive is in pristine condition. However, a gray market retailer is not obligated to follow the brand’s protocol, and there is an increased likelihood that a gray market watch or piece of jewelry was damaged in transit, stored improperly, or carelessly handled. And if you purchase a watch off the gray market and wind up with a defective model, the brand will refuse to service it and you may be out a big chunk of change.

Is TrueFacet a gray market?

No. TrueFacet is an online resale marketplace for pre-owned watches and jewelry.

Unlike a gray market retailer who purchases inventory through illegitimate channels, TrueFacet’s inventory is pre-owned and was originally purchased through approved and authorized retailers. Therefore, brands will honor the warranty and service your item should you have any problems. Moreover, TrueFacet extends its own one-year warranty on your purchase for added security. (To learn more about TrueFacet’s warranty, visit us here.)

With TrueFacet, you can rest assured of your purchase’s authenticity and remain confident that it can be serviced by the original manufacturer to preserve its value.

Yellow gold is a surprisingly soft metal that requires special care and cleaning techniques. Before you start buffing away build-up and risk damaging your jewelry, read through these helpful tips. Also, we explain the important difference between karat gold and gold vermeil (or gold-plated) jewelry and how to clean each.

Everyday Cleaning and Storage Tips

Keep your yellow gold jewelry looking bright and lustrous with these super simple preventative measures.

Remove your jewelry while showering and washing hands.

Soap residue quickly builds up on the surface of gold jewelry, leaving it dull. So slip off your rings and bracelet before bathing or washing your hands to reduce unsightly soap stains.

Wipe down gold jewelry to restore its shine.

Every night, gently wipe down your gold jewelry with a soft chamois cloth. This will keep residue from building up. Look for polishing cloths specially-made for yellow gold jewelry; TrueFacet jewelry experts recommend Blitz’s Jewelry Care Cloth.

Store your gold jewelry in a cloth-lined jewelry box.

Because gold jewelry is so soft, it is easily scratched and nicked by precious metals. Therefore, the safest way to store gold jewelry is individually in cloth jewelry bags or a cloth-lined jewelry box.

Karat Gold versus Gold Vermeil

Before you start cleaning your yellow gold jewelry, you should identify if your item is made of karat gold or gold vermeil.

Because pure gold is a very soft metal, gold is combined with another alloying metal (like nickel, zinc or silver) to make the gold more durable and therefore resilient enough to use in jewelry making. This combination of pure gold and an alloying metal is called karat gold.

Gold vermeil or gold-plated jewelry, meanwhile, is when a base metal is coated with a thin layer of gold. When it comes to cleaning, gold vermeil jewelry requires a more delicate hand than karat gold.

If you are uncertain of your jewelry’s makeup, you can bring it to your local jeweler who can use a key tester to identify the metal type.

Deep Cleaning Karat Gold Jewelry

When a polishing cloth won’t cut it, clean your karat gold jewelry with a commercial cleaner, specially designed for gold jewelry. We recommend Connoisseurs Precious Jewelry Cleaner.

If your yellow gold jewelry is in need of a serious polish (think pieces that are tarnished or have dark build-up in hard-to-reach places), bring it to a jeweler for a thorough and safe cleaning.

Cleaning Gold Vermeil Jewelry

The incredibly thin layer of soft gold metal leaves your jewelry highly susceptible to scratches, even from gentle cleaning products, so cleaning gold vermeil jewelry is best left to the experts. Ask your local jeweler to re-plate your gold vermeil jewelry at least once a year to restore its smooth texture and shine.

For more helpful tips on how to care for white gold jewelry, read our blog post on the topic here.

The primary birthstone for the month of May is the deep green form of the mineral beryl that goes by the name emerald.

The Origins and Cultural Significance of Emeralds

The word “emerald” was derived from a word in Vulgar Latin (esmaraldus), a variant of the Latin “smaragdus”, which was a word taken from the Ancient Greek term smaragdos, meaning “green gem”.

Emerald mines were first said to be discovered in Egypt from around 330 BC and lasting into the 1700s. The gemstone’s striking color was said to have endeared the gem to everyone from sultans to royals, including Cleopatra herself. While Egypt was once considered a solid source for emerald mines, the area was exploited by both the Roman and the Byzantine Empires before eventually taken over by Islamic conquerors, leaving nothing more than ruins in the area today.

Colombia is now the world’s largest producer of emeralds, providing 50 to 95 percent of the world’s production. Zambia is the second largest producer, contributing 20 percent of the emeralds on the market. However, emeralds have been found in smaller amounts all over the world in countries like Afghanistan, China, Ethiopia, India, Madagascar, Spain, and even the United States.

In the U.S., the stone has become incredibly popular, especially following the #MeToo movement. Emeralds have been getting a lot of exposure on the red carpet and in the news of late because of their connection to the social movement. Emeralds are said to signify “hope, renewal, and growth”, which is what tied them to the women’s suffrage movement in the oughts of the 1900s. Now, that link endears the stone to proponents of women’s rights today.

Noteworthy Emeralds

One of the most famous and most valuable emeralds in the world was discovered in 1967 in a mine in Gachalá, Colombia. Known as the Gachalá Emerald, the intense green gemstone weighs a whopping 858 carats and measures 5 centimeters across. This uncut gem is now part of the Smithsonian galleries in Washington, D.C, along with other famous emerald gemstone jewels like the Hooker Emerald, which once belonged to the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Abdul Hamid II, and the Chalk Emerald.

The Properties and Hardness of Emeralds

Emerald’s color is unmistakably green thanks to amounts of chromium and even vanadium in the mineral, and the gem’s chemical formula is Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Like all gemstones, emeralds are graded using what is known in the jewelry world as the “four Cs”: the stone’s color, clarity, cut, and carat weight are the major factors in determining the value of a gemstone. However, when grading colored gemstones other than white diamonds, the richness of hue is usually considered the most important characteristic, and while this fact does remain true for emeralds, the stone’s clarity is also incredibly important, since the majority of emeralds mined are highly included, making them prone to breakage.

Emeralds are one of the rare gemstones that look suitable when set in a variety of metal colors and mounting styles, though most often, emeralds are accompanied by white diamonds and set in platinum or in high carat yellow gold. Jewelers commonly recommend against having an emerald as the center stone for an engagement ring, since the stone is only about a 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. The stone’s soft quality makes it dangerous to wear on an everyday basis since it would get chipped or scratched easily.

Surprise Mom this Mother’s Day with one of these watches by Rolex, Cartier, Chanel, and more from her favorite designers and watch brands.

Make your Mother’s Day gift extra special with these personalized jewelry gift ideas for her.

TrueFacet wants to keep all our shoppers and readers informed of the latest trends and industry news and to introduce you to new opinions and perspectives in the world of fine jewelry and watches. In turn, we’re bringing on board a handful of fresh expert voices, including TrueFacet’s new executive editor Roberta Naas. Stay tuned for interviews with even more industry movers and shakers on The Loupe!

Roberta Naas is a widely respected figure in the watch industry.

During any given SIHH or Baselworld or other industry trade show, Roberta can be found zipping about the fair, taking appointments with the world’s biggest brands and influential CEOs every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour. Her time is as in-demand as that of these top-level executives who always want to remain on Roberta’s radar, showing off their latest collection and innovations.

The industry holds Roberta in high esteem, revering her for her decades of experience and vast historical and technical knowledge. Roberta has been covering watches and fine jewelry for more than 30 years, penning articles for the likes of Robb Report, Forbes and Elite Traveler and authoring six books of her own. In 2008, Roberta was awarded the Gem Award for Excellence in Watch Writing by the Jewelry Information Center.

And, perhaps most impressively, Roberta is credited as the first female watch editor in America and, as an industry stalwart, has bravely pushed against the “Boys Club” attitude. Roberta pioneered the way for more female writers, executives and leaders in the traditionally male-dominated industry.

TrueFacet is very excited to have Roberta join The Loupe’s masthead as our new executive editor. With her unparalleled experience and wealth of knowledge, Roberta will be a great resource via her articles for new and seasoned watch collectors, keen to learn more of the ins and outs of this fascinating hobby.

We sat down with Roberta to learn more about the changing industry and the mesmerizing amethyst gold brooch she quite literally broke the bank on early in her career…

Name: Roberta Naas
Hometown: Hawthorne, NJ
Current Residence: Randolph, NJ

Title and Publications: Forbes and Forbes.com, Elite Traveler, RobbReport.com, Modern Luxury/Niche Media Magazines, DuPont Registry, WatchTime, Journal.hautehorlogerie.com, Monochrome-Watches, WorldTempus.com, New York Times WYT section, Newsweek special sections, and more.

First Big Jewelry Purchase: I was in my very early 20’s and I was in Hong Kong for a jewelry and watch show. I came across the most stunning 10-carat amethyst pendant in a raised 18-karat gold setting. It was remarkable. I couldn’t afford it and, after the proper amount of time spent nearly drooling over it, walked away. The last day of the show, I went back for a final look and I couldn’t find it. That was the moment I knew I had to have it, when it was nowhere to be found. Stricken, I asked the designer if it had been sold, and he told me that he knew I would be back, and put it aside. To the tune of thousands more than I could afford, I bought that pendant, and to this day I wear it proudly, and often.

Dream Purchase: That’s easy. I want the famed and highly exotic vintage Cartier Sapphire Panthere Brooch, where the majestic diamond-and-sapphire panther sits atop a stunning 150-carat cabochon star sapphire orb. It belonged to the Duchess of Windsor, and I believe it was made in the late 1940’s. That’s the dream piece for me.

The moment I knew I was hooked on watch/jewelry collecting was… When I walked into my first summit meeting of watch and jewelry executives at a luxury show. These were all competitors sitting around a huge table in a single room together, sharing design ideas and secrets, and opening up about concerns to one another. On the table were so many incredible colored stone and diamond jewelry pieces, and watches galore. I didn’t embrace collecting that day; I embraced the industry, the people, the camaraderie and the excitement and enthusiasm that remain to this day. I was hooked on the jewelry and watch world that surrounded me, and I am still passionate about the craft, the jewelry and watches, and the exceptional people of this world.

The biggest change I’ve seen in the industry is… There are so many that I could probably fill a book. From changes in product to evolutions in technology and craftsmanship, and right down to the way jewelry is marketed and sold. Instead, I think it is important to talk about the one thing that remains the same: The passion of those who design and create these wonderful works of wearable art. Anyone can buy a piece of jewelry, but it has to have a heart and a soul, a story, something that talks to you – or it is just a piece of stone and metal. Designers pour their emotions and spirit into the pieces they make in the hopes that the consumer will find the same spirit and make an emotional connection. That synergy is what keeps the industry thriving.

#1 Piece of Advice to Shoppers: Not every purchase is a major purchase; some can be small – yet all are special. When it comes to buying jewelry or watches there is no right or wrong, only personal taste and a connection to the design, or to the message it conveys to you. Even when investing in a big-ticket item, you have to love it. Wearing watches and jewelry is a way to make a statement, to project the true you, so don’t be afraid to buy the piece nobody else likes. Buy for the way a piece will make you feel when you’re wearing it … fun, fashionable, sophisticated, daring… and so much more.

More and more women are reevaluating luxury goods as an investment opportunity—and a wearable investment opportunity at that. But, before you go spending your budget on a fresh-from-the-store piece, consider shopping fine pre-owned jewelry instead.

Pre-owned jewelry is a savvier investment than buying a piece at full-price and here’s why.

 1. You will save a lot of money.

By far, the number one reason to shop pre-owned jewelry is to save a significant sum. Just like how a brand new car immediately depreciates once you drive it off the dealership lot, the value of your new Tiffany & Co. charm bracelet plummets the second it leaves the store. Going the pre-owned route allows you to smartly circumvent that (rather disheartening) drop-off in value and save yourself some serious cash.

2. You can make your budget go further.

While retail prices are firmly set (and will never go on sale), there is a much wider price range for pre-owned jewelry. If you have a set budget and a specific style in mind, it’s easier to find a pre-owned version that will satisfy both criteria. Similarly, if your budget won’t allow you to get the lavish jewels of your dreams, shopping pre-owned jewelry will help push that high-ticket item into your budget.

3. You can upgrade your collection worry-free.

After you sink a pretty penny on a piece of jewelry, it can be next to impossible to let it go: you’ll find yourself hanging onto it longer the more you spent on it. But pre-owned jewelry carries less of that sunk cost and dampens the fear that you need to cling to pieces you don’t even like anymore simply because they were expensive.

Pre-owned jewelry saves you money from the get-go so you don’t feel as financially affected. Moreover, online marketplaces like TrueFacet make it simple to sell or trade-in the jewelry that no longer suits your style, that way, they help you recoup a part of your initial investment.

The tourbillon movement was developed and patented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1795. Today, the tourbillon is still regarded as one of the most complicated—and therefore most expensive—movements. We take a beginner’s look at how a tourbillon movement works and the updated flying tourbillon.

How to Pronounce Tourbillon
Tourbillon is the French word for whirlwind so, given its origins, it’s pronounced “tour-be-on”—slightly different than the Americanized, “tour-billion”.

Just the Basics: An Overview of the Tourbillon
The tourbillon is a mind-bendingly complicated movement but here is a simplified look at its marvelous complexity.

Before the tourbillon, the time-keeping accuracy of pocket watches was heavily affected by gravity. Gravity would “pull” on the pocket watch’s delicate balance spring. The balance spring acts like a pendulum of sorts and controls the speed at which the balance wheel oscillates. This, in turn, maintains the rate of the movement of the hands. So, when gravity “pulls” on the sensitive balance spring, it throws off the timing regulator and the watch is less accurate.

The tourbillon movement was designed to offset gravity’s effect on a watch’s accuracy by rotating all of the time-keeping components a full 360 degrees over a set period of time. Unlike a traditional balance spring that only moves in a back-and-forth motion, the full range of the tourbillon theoretically means a watch will pass through both the slow and fast positions (or the positions when gravity will slow down or speed up time) so the time-bending positions will effectively cancel each other out.

A Quick Look at the Flying Tourbillon
Breguet’s original tourbillon was so complicated that only the most elite watchmakers at the time could build even a tourbillon, let alone improve upon it. So, when Alfred Helwig, an instructor at the German School of Watchmaking, introduced the flying tourbillon in 1920 (nearly 100 years after Breguet’s death), it was a brilliant breakthrough in haute horology design and technology.

To understand a flying tourbillon, think of a gyroscope and imagine the tourbillon inside a cage at the center of the gyroscope. In this setting, the flying tourbillon is cantilevered and supported on only one side, instead of being held in place by a bridge at the top and bottom. This allows for the flying tourbillon’s balance wheel to move in three dimensions, unlike the traditional tourbillon that only moves in two dimensions.

If you’re eager to learn more about watch movements and complications, read our post “Understanding the Tachymeter Bezel” here.