An interest in geology while growing up led Steven Fearnley into the jewelry industry and eventually the antique jewelry business. He credits amethyst and malachite as the two gems that really captured his interest, mostly because of how the rough material was transformed when it was cut and polished. Fearnley’s interest in science guided him to attend the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, California where he studied colored gemstones, earning his degree in 1982.
“After I graduated, I wanted to get a job in the GIA’s lab, but they said I should work in a jewelry store,” recounts Fearnley, principal of JS Fearnley, who took the advice and went to work for a few retailers before opening his first business in Atlanta, Georgia in 1986. At that time he was stocking mainstream contemporary jewelry.
First Exposure
His first exposure to vintage jewelry came through his former father-in-law, a hair stylist in New York City, who just happened to dabble in jewelry, which Fearnley found interesting. Most of the jewelry was very generic, but there would be a more unusual piece here and there.
Then during the 2007/2008 recession, Fearnley knew that he had to make a change in order to keep his business thriving. Some friends encouraged him to go to the Baltimore Summer Antique Show. It was one of those things he really didn’t want to do, but did it anyway and it changed his business completely. “I closed my store and in 2009 opened a by appointment only salon. I was investing in better pieces that were signed,” comments Fearnley who notes that he is the first generation in his family to enter the jewelry business.
More Studies
Given his lifelong interest in geology, gemology continued as a strong interest for Fearnley who earned his advanced colored gemstone degree from SSEF (Swiss Foundation for the Research of Gemstones) with a focus on emerald, ruby and sapphire. The training emphasized how to determine gemstone origins and how to identify heat and other treatments, that combined with forty years of experience has given Fearnley a particularly well-rounded education in colored gemstones.
Artistic and Intrinsic Value
When it comes to jewelry, Fearnley cites Buccellati as a favorite design house. Although, he does admit that he had a hard time buying his first pieces due to the higher price points of the brand in relation to the intrinsic value of the metal and gems. Then a friend suggested that he buy a few pieces of Buccellati jewelry that he loved, regardless of the price, to see what happens. “Buy what speaks to you. What is the worst that can happen? Maybe you end up owning the pieces, but for sure you will learn something," Fearnley followed the advice and ended up selling the pieces very quickly. “That experience taught me to look at the artistic value as well as the intrinsic value of a piece, especially with older jewelry.”
Fearnley considers design to be the heart of a piece of jewelry. When he evaluates a piece, Fearnley looks at the construction. Is the piece made by hand, machine or cast? Is it wearable?
He notes that older handmade pieces often took a lot of time to make and that it was time well spent. “How wearable is an item and can it stand the test of time?” Fearnley asks. “Buccellati is a good example of well-designed jewelry. It’s beautifully done, elegant and always wearable. It’s not bombarded with gems, but the design is beautiful and the metal is not overly heavy.”
Kashmir Splendor
One of the most interesting items that Fearnley has ever handled was as a sapphire and diamond bracelet that had reports for two of the sapphires stating that they were of Kashmir origin. Fearnley had a hunch that the other sapphires were also from Kashmir. He bought the bracelet and partnered with another dealer. “We got each of the sapphires evaluated by five gemological labs and each gem has five reports,” explains Fearnley, who is deeply involved with trading colored gemstones in the dealer-to-dealer market. “The GIA did a special report saying that a matched, graduated set of Kashmir sapphires like these was likely to never be seen again. We created a contemporary bracelet with a vintage feel and sold it to a collector.”
Over the past five years Fearnley has seen the jewelry business change and he observes that people want to buy what is recognizably important. “The market is going to more wearable pieces by fine makers, something that is recognizable.”
Buying Advice
When purchasing a piece of vintage jewelry, Fearnley advises buying what sings to you and that is within your budget. He also suggests thinking about why you are buying the piece. Will you be wearing it frequently, or a couple of times a year? Will you still be excited by it in the future? If you’re buying for investment the criteria will change and Fearnley advises that you get documentation authenticating a piece along with a second opinion to verify that the jewel is actually what it is represented to be.
“Jewelry is about an artistic feeling,” concludes Fearnley. “When a piece is well made you can pick it up and tell that it is well made. The hand piercing in Edwardian jewelry, the glass work in Art Nouveau jewelry, it took artistic talent to make that jewelry.”
Top of Page: Steve Fearnley
Diamond, emerald, enamel, platinum and 18-karat gold bangle by David Webb; Aquamarine, diamond and platinum brooch, circa 1950s; No heat 9.66-carat spinel, diamond and 18-karat gold ring; Emerald, rose cut diamond, silver and 18-karat gold necklace, signed Buccellati, circa 1940s; Diamond and 18-karat gold Doppio earrings, signed Bulgari, circa 1980s; Imperial topaz 10.84-carats, diamond and 18-karat gold cocktail ring, signed Kurt Wayne, circa 1980s.
Authored by Amber Michelle