Community Building in the Washington, DC area!!

SFP Editor: What is the best advice you can give customers on purchasing Antique and Estate jewelry? Stacey Solovey: The best advice that I can offer customers on purchasing antique and estate jewelry is to make sure the piece is not a reproduction. There are many designers making good reproduction jewelry. If one is looking for something antique than they do not want a reproduction. Do not trust the store that you're purchasing from. The store buyer could say that the piece is antique but it might only be 50 years old. To be an antique it must be 100 years old. We know at Solovey's what to look for to identify the repros from the authentic. Usually if a customer wants an antique piece than they do not want the repro. I suggest asking family and friends for referrals to reputable stores. Yelp is a good internet source to check if a store is reputable.

SFP Editor: What is the most challenging about working at a Jewelry store?

Stacey Solovey: The most challenging aspect about working at a jewelry store is the turn around time. Customers want pieces polished and sized immediately. It takes time to do the work correctly and sometimes it can't be done in a day. The watch repair business is very challenging. Old parts take time to make by hand and customers want instant gratification. Patience is the key.

SFP Editor: How should one go about buying a meaningful purchase, such as an engagement ring?

Stacey Solovey: A meaningful piece of jewelry should be purchased wisely. An engagement ring should not be an emotional decision. The customer should educate themselves before stepping into a jewelry store. The buyer should look at their partner's style of jewelry. If the person wears a round faced watch than an emerald or princess cut might not be the correct choice. Looking at the metals that the person wears is a good idea. I sell 99% white metals with the preference being platinum. Asking the mate a question about likes of friend's jewelry is helpful and one can get a family member involved.

SFP Editor: What inspired your family to start the jewelry business?

Stacey Solovey: My Mother started the antique jewelry business almost 35 years ago. She loved collecting antique pocketwatches. She collected a case full and than did antique shows. Her taste is impecable and she has an eye for what people desire. About 25 years ago, she had a few cases of jewelry in the back of an antique shop in Old Town Alexandria. She developed a good customer following and expanded her business into engagement rings and wedding bands. Solovey Jewelers is located in McLean,VA specializing in all phases of antique jewelry.

SFP Editor: What about working at a jewelry store do you enjoy the most?

Stacey Solovey: I enjoy working with jittery engagement ring shoppers. I am great at calming their nerves. I am also very honest in my opinions and they feel comfortable working with me. I have been invited to some weddings because the customers turn into friends.

SFP Editor: How does one go about getting jewelry appraised?

Stacey Solovey: Getting jewelry appraised is a very important decision. If the jewelry is not kept locked up in a safety deposit box than having the pieces appraised is a good idea. If the pieces are going to be appraised but not insured than one might not want to go through the process at all. Many people appraise their expensive and sentimental jewelry and they never insure it. This is not a good idea. All that they have is a piece of paper w/important information on the pieces. The step taken to insure the jewelry is the most important step. Googling appraisers with a GIA certificate is a must or getting a referral. Do not be turned off by the price of the appraisal. It takes a long time to do a good job and if the appraisal is inexpensive and quick it is not going to help if there is a loss. You get what you pay for!

SFP Editor: Do you have a favorite gem and why?

Stacey Solovey: My favorite gem is tsavorite. It is a beautiful green stone. I love the color green. My bird is the exact same shade as the stone. I see tsavorite in some of the vintage pieces. It is quite rare and not easily found.

SFP Editor: Do you have a favorite antique piece which was a favorite that you hated to see sold?

Stacey Solovey: I have a few favorite pieces that sold and I regretted that I put them out in the case. There was a wedding band with very unusual cuts called bullets that went across the top of the platinum band. I also sold a charm that was an enamel house and I did not realize that it opened and there was a family living inside. A pretend family of course!

SFP Editor: What is the best way to take care of jewelry

Stacey Solovey: The best way to take care of jewelry is to have your stones cleaned and checked every six months. We do not charge for this service and it is very important. I can not stress the importance of taking off your jewelry when you garden, workout, and pick up heavy things. All metals can get damaged-even titanium. Never store pearls or opals in a safety deposit box. They need to breathe. Also with pearls, apply perfume and hairspray before putting on pearls. Wait about 10 minutes. Keep pearls out of water. I know this sounds strange but the coating will discolor and wear off.

SFP Editor: What about your store stands out among the rest in the DC area?

Stacey Solovey: Solovey Jewelers stands out among other stores in the DC Metropolitan area because we carry one of a kind pieces. We specialize in antique and contemporary pieces. We have loose diamonds such as Asscher and Victorian Cut stones. We carry Art Deco mountings and gorgeous wedding bands with colored stones and without. We have an excellent goldsmith and watchmaker on the premises. He is outstanding with the antique pieces. We do pearl stringing. We have an appraiser on site. He is kept very busy and alot of our customers read about him on yelp and only want to use him.

SFP Editor: What are the current trends in the jewelry market?

Stacey Solovey: The current trends are platinum for engagement rings. The halo mounting with micro pave sides is extremely popular. We also have been selling unusual diamonds for engagement rings. Yellow and pink diamonds are becoming popular and yellow gold is starting to make a comeback but not for engagement rings. Pearls have always been popular and we sell unusual South Sea pearls.