Jewelry as hot as stocks

Bling can be a great investment. [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hi everyone! I’m [Chris Rovzar](, and I’m a lucky guy. As the editor of Bloomberg Pursuits, I get to try out many of the things that I love—like adventurous restaurant meals, deranged fitness fads, expensive timepieces, and outrageous skincare routines—under the guise of “work research.” And then, it’s my job to try and convince all of you readers that you should try them out, too! I’ve been banging the drum for [men to wear more jewelry]( for a while now. (My friends still make fun of me for trying to [make the phrase “bro-och” happen](.) There’s so much opportunity for expression in jewelry, not to mention great stories to tell about history and craftsmanship, that I don’t understand why more people don’t explore it. Hollywood is popularizing lapel jewelry for men. Photographer: Hannah Whitaker for Bloomberg Businessweek But lately, the idea is becoming an easier sell. Because jewelry is proving to be quite a strong investment. For example, in 2012 a 6.7-carat Kashmir sapphire auctioned for $206,500; last year a similarly sized one was bought for $550,000. That roughly tracks with the S&P 500 over that same time period—and unlike a stock, you can wear a Kashmir sapphire while it grows in value. And unlike, say, [contemporary art](, you don’t have to spend more than $100,000 to find something that’s investment-worthy. Many pieces at a wide variety of price points will store value. A Cartier Tutti Frutti necklace. Photographer: Joanna McClure Russell Fogarty, former head of Christie’s jewelry department in New York and partner of estate jewelry company [Kazanjian & Fogarty](, has a simple checklist to determine whether a piece is investment-worthy. It should be vintage, high quality, in good condition, beautiful, and signed by the manufacturer. “If you check all those boxes,” he says, “whatever you’ve purchased is going to increase in value over time.” There’s so much more to learn, so if you’re interested, please head over to [our handy, in-depth guide]( to get started. (And enjoy the stunning [Joanna McLure]( photographs of pieces while you’re there!) You can connect with Chris Rovzar on [Twitter]( and [Instagram](. Begin your education right here. [How to Invest in Jewelry: The Gems, Designers, and Eras to Know]( As an asset class, luxury baubles have never been hotter. Here’s what you need to know to get in on the gem game. [The Hottest Gems in Jewelry Aren’t Diamonds, Rubies, or Emeralds]( Rarities such as peridots, grandidierite, and conch pearls are lately setting hearts on fire. [Meet the Bro-och: The Lapel Jewelry That’s Taking Red Carpets by Storm]( Jeweled pins aren’t just for dowager countesses anymore. [Historic Paris Jewelry House Makes Waves With Holographic New Collection]( Sensational stones and advanced technology take center stage at Boucheron. [Bulgari’s Latest Jewelry Collection Has Heads Turning]( Including your own, when you wear these earrings. The latest from me. Here are some of the stories I’ve written recently, featuring products and experiences I’ve personally tested and can recommend. [Why You Need a Six-Month Haircut]( [This Facial Essence Makes Your Skin Look Younger and Brighter]( [TAG Heuer’s New Smaller Smartwatch Is Perfect for Fitness Buffs]( [Amazon’s Big-Budget Fantasy Has One Thing Game of Thrones Didn’t]( [Wearing This Vibrating Headset Actually Works to Release Stress]( What else I’m reading… [Kristen Shirley](, who is the author of much of our jewelry coverage and a total genius on all things fancy, recently launched [La Patiala, the Luxury Encyclopedia](. What a great resource. I just finished the book [House of Gucci](, on which the love-it-or-hate-it Ridley Scott film is based. It’s by a fellow Bloomberg journalist and a friend of mine, [Sara Gay Forden](, and it is SO GOOD. It’s non-fiction, but the story is way wilder than you could ever dream up on your own. Forden also wrote a piece for Pursuits last fall when the movie came out, [at last highlighting a key missing piece]( from the saga. However you felt about the movie, I really recommend reading her work on the Guccis. You won’t regret it. Adam Driver (Maurizio Gucci) and Lady Gaga (Patrizia Reggiani) in House of Gucci. Photographer: Fabio Lovino/MGM and Universal Our contributor [Brandon Presser]( has a book out this week called [Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania and Mutiny in the South Pacific](. Brandon’s a brilliant writer—just check out [his latest travel stunt]( for us—and a world explorer, and I can’t wait to get started on this juicy tome about Pitcairn Island, which is on my bucket list of places to visit. Brandon is writing our newsletter next week, so [please e-mail here](mailto:daydreams@bloomberg.net?subject=I+have+a+question) if you have questions for him to answer. And in the meantime follow him on [Instagram]( and [Twitter](. So, you had some questions... Thanks everyone for your curiosity. Here are my answers to some queries submitted to our [Bloomberg Pursuits Instagram]( account. What is the most overrated in luxury, and the most underrated? I love luxury—I love the craftsmanship, and history, and quality of materials, and I value how its innovations spread to affect everyday products. People often quote Miranda Priestly’s [“Cerulean” monologue]( from The Devil Wears Prada to express this sentiment, but there are examples all over. Just look at the Tesla Model S: it led the way for an entire generation of electric cars that were covetable and actually looked and felt good. It changed what drivers value, in an important way. So I’m usually hesitant to say a luxury item is “overrated.” But there are things that are just expensive to trick people into thinking they are valuable—and that I cannot abide. I recently toured a new boutique for [Amaffi](, a perfume house that sells gilded, ornate bottles at outrageous prices. They smelled perfectly fine, but at $7,700 for 75 mL, that fragrance had better be made with the tears of angels. If not, no thank you. The “Glory” fragrances for women and men, at Amaffi. Photographer: Chris Rovzar/Bloomberg As far as the most underrated luxury, to me it’s time in nature. City folks don’t want to admit it, [but our brains need it](. Here’s [a great travel meditation on old growth forests](, and [a guide to ones that might be near you](. “Luxury” doesn’t have to cost anything other than time, our most precious resource. You’ll get more out of sitting under an old tree for an hour than you’d ever get out of a $7,700 golden bottle of perfume, I promise you. Buddy the dog explores Rockport State Park in Washington with a friend. Photographer: Chona Kasinger for Bloomberg Businessweek If you are given a Rolex as a bar mitzvah present, can you return it 18 years later? If you were given a Rolex 18 years ago and you never wore it and you don’t want it now, boy are you in luck because you can probably re-sell it on the secondary market for more than twice what your bubbe paid for it. [Read more here on places to sell it](. Best engagement rings for men? I love this question, because it asks about “engagement rings” and not “wedding rings.” What do you choose if you want to propose to a man? This can be tricky, because in a lot of cases a man’s engagement ring just becomes his wedding ring after the ceremony. Men don’t tend to wear two rings (a diamond solitaire, say, and a simple band) the way women do. Two of my male friends who got engaged with simple bands faced this issue at their wedding, and how they changed their “engagement rings” to their “wedding rings” was this: at the start of the ceremony, they took the rings off and put them in a small bag, which was then passed around to everyone in attendance. All of us held the rings and gave them good wishes, passing our hopes for the couple into those little pieces of metal. Just in time for them to say their “I dos,” the rings returned to the grooms, changed for the better, forever. My wedding. My husband proposed with Tiffany cuff links. Photographer:Li Ward/Fat Orange Cat Studio If you feel confident that you know what your partner likes aesthetically, then I recommend you find a local artisan who can make you something special for your proposal. I’m obsessed with [Castro Smith](, a jeweler and hand-engraver out of London who makes custom rings. [Jelena Behrend Studio]( in New York makes modern, simple rings that are gorgeous. And then if you get separate wedding rings, I suggest making a fun day of it and going to Tiffany or Cartier, having some champagne, and picking something out together. You’ll make a great memory, and come home with something that never goes out of style. Best gifts for a new dad? I get the same gift for all new parents. The moment I hear a stork has arrived, I order [a monogramed LL Bean tote]( for the parents with the baby’s name or initials on it. It’s a gift that will be used for years, if not decades, and you’ll know you’re playing a tiny part of that kid’s trips, picnics, and adventures. My toddler daughter has about ten totes with her name on them, and we use all of them. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned next week for Brandon Presser’s newsletter takeover, and don’t forget to [e-mail](mailto:daydreams@bloomberg.net?subject=I+have+a+question). Or message him on [Twitter]( or [Instagram]( to get your pressing questions answered. Follow Us Like getting the Pursuits newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com for unlimited access]( to trusted, data-driven journalism and gain expert analysis from exclusive subscriber-only newsletters. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Pursuits newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. [Unsubscribe]( [Bloomberg.com]( [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](