74 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM it is beautiful and wellcrafted, I cannot bear to scrap it,” she says. “Lots of beautiful things have been melted because people have taken jewelry to someone who was not educated.” An example of fine vintage jewelry that eventually found a good home is an exquisite tourmaline piece that a client brought in. “It was from mines discovered in the 1980s,” says Georgie. The piece needed some restoration work and was then placed on consignment for almost two years before finding an appreciative new owner. “It was sold to a woman who loves beautiful gems,” she recalls. Georgie says that, like most people she knows in the jewelry business, she does it because she really enjoys it. “You deal with beautiful things and often there is a history to it,” she explains, adding, “The fun part about the business is that you never know what is coming through the front door.” PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: ONYSKO / ANNIE BARNETT {home & design} insurance purposes, which entails a fee and a printed document.) If it definitely won’t be worn again, Georgie can measure gemstones, estimate their weight and quality and give an idea of how much it might bring in resale. Gleim is willing to take on items long-term. “Jewelry doesn’t sell quickly,” Georgie says, “but if it’s a fine, beautiful gem, it will find a home someplace.” However, if items are “poorly made, badly worn or unattractive,” you might be out of luck. Having seen so much estate jewelry over the years, Georgie can educate clients about the pieces they own. “Oftentimes, people will bring something in with the idea of taking it apart but I will tell them, ‘Don’t do it!’ because it is too nice of an antique.” With the price of gold so high, some customers might just want to have their items melted down, but Georgie takes a firm stance in these cases. “If
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