I Use THIS TOOL To Inspect Jewelry, and YOU Should too. 

I like that you make time to tell the most basic of facts, things I should probably know already, but don’t. It’s no doubt because I’m a newbie to vintage costume, but I definitely appreciate your content + presentation style! Thank you .

Rusty , I freakin ' love your self effacing humor ,which takes a lot of guts . your the best .

Some of you are so critical! If you don't want the FREE lesson he's giving, swipe past the part that bugs you or go to another channel!🙄 Or better yet, hire someone to come to your home and do exactly what YOU want.

Love love love you and your channel Rusty. Your comfortable, down home personality is so welcoming and genuine. Also, I'm learning tons from you, and I thank you for sharing your expertise.

I'm pretty sure that garnet ring is from Czechoslovakia, made cca 1950-1970. Gold over Silver 900/1000, Bohemian Garnets (our national stone) and probably garnet-almandine in the middle. Gretings from CZ, Central Europe ❤🇨🇿

Your channel itself is addictive. I can’t decide if it’s because of your cool sense of humor, the sheer amount of education you provide, or the fact that you and I share the same the vocabulary and expressions from both being in the mountains. This channel is on its way to the top.

The heart pin is a Mother's pin. The colored stones are birthstones of her children.

I worked at Ball Foster those numbers on the bottom of your jars were mold numbers so they could know what mold they came out of if they were not a good one on the glass pour they would throw it away until the mold was fixed.

You and your channel are a hidden jewel among a sea of mediocracy ! love the acrosome!

Oh and another hint for you and your viewers, get a good wuality uv flashlight. If you come across something with red stones hit em with uv and rubys will glow, theyre fluorescent. You can also tell real rubies vs lab created that way ( but that takes much more training and a good eye ) uv is a great tool for some stones.

I'm sitting in the dining room watching this video and my husband walks by when you say your fav tool is crack. He goes to make coffee and overheard you mention crack a few more times, a little confused but says nothing to me about what I'm watching. I'm smiling because now I know he's curious. He makes his coffee and walks by slowly trying to catch more info from your video. He then goes to HIS comfy chair in the living room and turns the tv on. Adjusts the volume real low so he can still listen to this video but at the same time pretend he's watching TV not listening to what I'm watching. I realize this and turn my volume WAY down so he can make out your voice but can't hear what you're saying. He slurps his coffee down in record time (less than a minute) and goes back for a second cup. Still says nothing to me about what this Crack business is all about. I'm laughing out loud but silently to myself at this point because after 26 years living with this man I can tell he REALLY wants to ask me what in the hell I'm watching but.....won't. By now he realizes I'm watching him and I stop the video and plug my headphones in and adjust my chair so he can't see my monitor. We lock eyes. He shoots me a look and cocks his head. I raise my eyebrows and go back to watching my Crack video. I can see him going back to doing his coffee thing, putting sugar in and stirring the cream in and he walks past me slowly with his head turned to me the entire time as if he's expecting me to close my laptop and explain. But no...I'm typing this instead, smiling ear to ear. HA, Ha, ha. Sometimes you have to create your own fun within the days of marriage. Thank you for entertaining our family this morning with you completely benign acronym of CRACK. I don't know if he'll ask me about this incident today but if he does I'll just tell him that I have no idea what you are talking about and keep him guessing. Why? Because it's an innocent way to entertain myself.

Thank you for all the work you put into passing along valuable information for us! We appreciate you. We also get a chuckle from your humorous interludes.

2:30 I bought some black faux suede to use for display background. I wanted something that is durable, easy to clean and not a magnet for dust and hair.

Great Video, again, Rusty! 🙂 I learn so much from you! Your gentle, calm way of teaching, and sharing your years of experience, is very helpful for me, and all your viewers! Thanks!

What a challenging business you have. Fascinating! So many peoples' lives entwined with the objects they used and collected. A true tapesty of history.

Hi Rusty, new Subscriber here! - really glad to have found your very entertaining, informative and unique video. Love your method of determining value :) I also appreciate your filming, articulate speech but mostly you would be fun to 'junk' with...thanks for sharing your finds and ALL the stuff you've taught yourself with us. There's always a Hidden Treasure waiting for you in that 'next purchase!'

Love your videos! I usually don’t have patience for the filler, but you guys are hilarious! So the 900 red-stone ring us bohemian garnets made in eastern Europe and MANY collectors want. The 900 (and 800) is a European silver standard, so *likely* gold plated as these almost always are but there are examples of just gold or just silver

Pins and broaches are things I wear. My mom born 1917 was a pin freak and I always wear pins and brooches. A clear cut stone could be a MOISSANITE, a lab made "diamond". Moissanite is super non expensive. 1 carat is $30. They're harder than a diamond and will register as a very low grade diamond. They sparkle every color of the rainbow which a diamond doesn't do. Even cut colored glass will sparkle like crazy and to the naked eye can look like a gemstone - light blue cut glass can look like a light blue sapphire. With a soft brush and ammonia or toothpaste, those stones can be cleaned and they will sparkle and a soft silver polishing cloth is a must. In a small thrift shop I bought a larger heart shaped ashtray, $0.50. It was/is heavier. When home, it turned out to be made of Peuter. Your channel shows so much - love watching as it's right up my alley. Just found you 🥰

MOISSANITE was discovered in 1898. It was only found in meteors which accounts for the rarity. It was then found Moissanite could be be made under lab conditions by a fellow named Moissan. Moissanite is harder than a diamond and will register as a low grade diamond which is why another test must be performed on them. Moissanite is not expensive but its' sparkle is off the hook - which can give it away. Personally, I like it and have a small Cross Pendant of Moissanite. There are holes behind every stone and as the stones are encased on three sides there are holes on the bottom and either side. Thanks for your informing videos 🥰

I use my old antique earrings to clip on scarves, on necklaces, and actually around rings, and clip on purses and shoes as decorative clipons. Had so many compliments. I bought some beautiful large cameos and had each earring made into two rings.

Hi, I can tell you for a fact that sapphire and diamond bracelet was a QVC item back in the late 90's to early 2k's, my mom gave me the ruby version as a gift, otherwise identical. The clasp would catch on everything and pretty soon got bent out of shape so it wouldn't stay closed. Ashamed to say I sold it for a lot less than it was worth because it scuffed up and the annoying clasp, and one of the stones didn't match the others, and the internet was new and things like that were hard to research. Just the value of the synthetic rubies would have made it worth quite a bit more, if I'd only knew!

I've just found your channel and this is the 1st video I've watched ... thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot! Thank you 🇬🇧 from across the pond 👍👌

A garnet stone is a very hard stone, therefore they are often made with 9 k or 8 k. Gold. You will Especially see this in older pieces Great RU-vid channel 👍👍👍

On georgian jewellery the paste stones predominantly have closed backs, open back didn't really become a thing until the Victorian era. Also a lot of real gold and silver pieces prior to 1870 didn't necessarily have hallmarks. An absence of a hallmark in a ring could be due to the ring being resized too. The final ring looks to be bohemian garnet, probably Czechoslovakia circa 1960s. The design of the rear of the ring is classic for czech jewellery of that era. In general, uniform small holes to let in the light and the oval, very sturdy construction. They were quite commonly set in low-grade gold referred to as garnet gold or gold gilt, more recent pieces are gold vermeil on silver.

you did a good job of covering up the stone you broke of on the heart brooch!

The cufflinks' mark says 10k (which was common in mid century); it's harder and takes wear pretty well, therefore good for wrist & hand wear.

An idea use a black pillow case to display items or for pictures. Put a piece of cardboard or Plexi glass inside. Just an idea.

I appreciate every video of yours that I watch. Not that I want to be a reseller, but I have so many pieces of jewelry from my Mom that i want to learn about. Thank you.

Lots of great info! I am learning so much from your videos. Thanks for taking the time to teach others!

My grandma LOVED that lab sapphire style bracelet. She got me one with garnets. I thought it was ugly as sin but I’m 48 now and it’s grown on me. 😂

My Great grandmother had canning jars like those. I did enjoy the jewelry lesson, I knew some of what you demonstrated, only because I had a sister that worked in a jewelry store. It was a good show.

You just use the presidium gem tester it does 32 different most used gem stones

Rusty, I really appreciated the video. Please be careful when doing things by yourself.

The Vintage Emerald ring as beautiful. I wish I saw this a year ago. Exactly what I'm looking for. Its a custom made.

Too funny 😂🤣 I love it Rusty!! Tell me more 🤠

I LOVE this channel. Definitely one of the best and most entertaining, informative channels on RU-vid.

Rusty, please let us know where you resell your goods. I only see a few items on ebay. Thanks!

Do you know I bought a pin at a car show a really big car show. It look like it was pink gold I asked how much she said 2.50 cents. It was really pretty with an amethyst stone. Anyway long story short they had someone selling antique jewelry at the car show I asked them how much the pin was worth if any she said 650. dollars wow what a deal of the day!!

Thank you so much for all your channels. I inherited quite a bit of jewelry and you have helped me so much with identifying all this stuff. You give a lot of information that has made me feel more confident in trying to identify these pieces. Thank you for doing this . I'm greatful

Great Video! The ring at 29:30 h is a ring from the first half of the 20th century, set with Bohemian Garnets (Pyrop).

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE KNOWLEDGE YOU ARE SHARING WITH US , COUSIN . THANK YOU .

Hi Cousin! 😁 (That makes me smile every time. Lol) What a helpful and entertaining video... Thank you so much for sharing! I was recently blessed with an opportunity to pick up approx 150 lbs of jewelry and I JUMPED on it! Going through ALL of it now and when feeling overwhelmed your sense of humor in your videos helps me stay positive and just keep moving forward to get things done. Thank you Rusty! You help in so many ways! 💖 😊 Aly

Here is a quick rundown of CRACK or QRAC: 5:16 Q - Quality: Any precious metals or stones? 11:00 R - Rarity: Is it unique or common? Does it have a special type of clasp? Is it mass-produced? 15:37 A - Age: Was it limited edition? Who is the manufacturer? Are they still in business? Are the stones synthetic? That can be a clue to when it was made. What type of clasp does it have? What is the style of it? Mid-century? Art Noveau? 25:14 C - Condition: Is it pristine? Is it uniform? Does it have nice color? Does the clasp work well?

That little shell bracelet with the barrel clasp would be impossible to put in without help. Plus it looks like it might be too big. An ankle bracelet maybe?

Aloha hugs Rusty you have so much energy give me some MAHALO Valuable INFORMATION

Very helpful ! I love this page for educational purposes. Thank you Rusty

Good Lord man. First view of your channel. I'm trying to learn for myself, as I have several hundred (close to 500) pieces. I've been collecting vintage and costume jewelry from the 1920's to 1960's, for 45 years. Guess I'd better get a jump on it. Thanks for all the info you give. I have glass and crystal, and ceramic collections as well.

Lol , I thought you were going to say when you’re on crack, you work better. Lol You are very well versed in jewelry.

Ohhh you have the mason jar #5! It's worth $500 on up! Those old zinc lids are awesome! Also Atlas jars are valuable!!

What a fun job! Thank you for sharing your expertise, it's appreciated and fun to watch! I have a fairly big collection of jewelry, I inherited from my mother. A lot of Monet costume, and real silver, etc. My grandfather was a German Watch Repair jeweler, and he gave away real rubies & emeralds...thinking blue white diamonds were the only thing worth having! Some of my jewelry was stolen when I lived in New Orleans..as my condo was robbed in broad daylight. they even took our TV! I love collecting antiques & collectables.Thank you for sharing!

Hi rusty☺ I'm new video watcher , came across your channel 😀 and it's very interesting, I ❤️ love jewelry .those old pieces my style. Yes brings back memories on Polly pocket. My daughter had them all. Anyway enjoyed it man. Great 👍 video

I have been told to display jewelry on maroon velvet. It should show up well.

I love that lamp at the front of the haul . Thanks for you videos.

I've noticed that cheap/weak prongs are usually pointed.

The numbers on your ball jars are the number of the machine they were made on. The number 13 is the most rare because during probation when running illigeal liquor, the men busted the #13 because they thought they would be bad luck to use. So you don't find as many number 13 jars!

You might want to check out the difference between a swung vase and a pulled. I think you have a pulled one rather than swung.

Great Educational and entertaining video. Thanks so much.

Very interesting Good summary and insights! Thank you for sharing 😊

Just had you pop up today and this is super informative! I stay away from jewelry because it is so hard to know so this is nice. Also I love the humor!! New subscriber!

Rusty, I just stumbled across your channel.. can I say .. I absolutely LOVE IT❤. I loved the broaches on the silver platter one, I previously viewed. I love old rings and things too. Such appreciation for the items of our past. My son had the boy version of Polly pocket, I forgot the name of him. But, I remember the mini guy came inside a fold up volcano .. he had it from the early 90’s when he was about 5yrs old I got for him❤

RU-vid recommended your channel today. Not sure if it’s intentional but the Napoleon Dynamite vibes are awesome (it’s my favorite movie!). ❤

"what she said!"" jeanette wilson nailed it - fabulous fabulous fabulous!!!

The “n” on the rhinestone bracelet might be for Napier. Just a guess, but enjoying learning from you.😊

I'm glad I discovered your videos but yet I hate watching them!! It just makes me want to find more in storage room auctions which I just can't do any more - because I dont like selling things! 😂 I refuse to have my husband call me a hoarder - but i like shiny things! Your videos are great but the jewelry is fabulous!

You hook lined me with that hilarious intro 😂I was just scrolling with closed captions. 😂😂😂 had to find out what this CRACK is 😅

I like how you busted that orange stone of that first piece, kept it hidden under your finger then put the piece to the side outta the shot, you're not fooling anyone Rusty, you broke it didn't you?😂

Holy Moses, man you're something else! blowing my mind. Kinda feel like i missed the boat on some of this stuff. really interesting!

The seven stone silver ring looks like a ring I got from jewelry television that is actually extremely faint light tanzanite.

Hello Rusty. I just found you. Very interesting. I subscribed. I love your things so far and i love learning about them. I was wondering. How about giving this poor old lady 5 minutes...just five little minutes to run free in the jewelry section of your store. Costume would be great. Whaddya say??? ❤

Neptune with horse painting. Nice 😁

Just found your channel….so glad I did! Thank you!

Zinc lids . The ones with the wires on top are the oldest. Blue jars are best. Pop bottles show dates on bottom. And condition is everything.

The green glass might be slightly radioactive. The vase that the camera then pans over might be moonstone, also, slightly radioactive, but less so.

My guy PD the sapphire tennis bracelet you shown. PD or palladium is a platinum group metal. Its not worth as much as gold by weight but it is worth more then regular platinum. About $1500 an ounce or so right now. I think that bracelet is worth more than you think if it actually is gold plated palladium. Platinum while it is a specific metal itself is actually also a generic term for the " platinum group " metals which includes platinum palladium rhodium ruthenium osmium and iridium. I dont think youll come across jewelry made out of any besides platinum and palladium though. Some of the others are worth a LOT more. Rhodium is about 10-12k an ounce right now. Iridium is about $4900 an ounce. I dont think theyre ever really used for jewelry ( I could be wrong though ).

The bracelet shown at 24:13 Hallmarked N is Nadri, sold at Nordstrom, very nice costume jewelry.

Love ur videos. Fun and informative. Happy reselling. Amazing Allex Cuffs

This is the first time I've seen a video of yours, RU-vid recommend this as I've been learning to repair vintage jewelry. Hearing you talk about crack hecking sent me!

In the truck was a blue agate roaster with a concave top. That roaster could be over 90 years old and the best roaster I have ever used. I am 75 and my grandmother got it as a wedding gift and she died at 62 in the 60s’s and we used it at ll the holidays until my mother died 8 years ago. I saw a new one 40 years ago for $125.00. 50:05

VERY good info. I have inherited, been given and bought a lot of vintage jewelry. o, I'm learning a lot from you and even taking notes!! Thanks and pls continue to share your expertise!!

I can't believe, how much I like you Rusty. That may sound really rude, but there is so much C.R.A.P. on RU-vid, I just never expected to like you so much. You are a funny character, you don't take yourself too seriously, no putting on airs, yet you are not making a fool of yourself...true to yourself, I think. You have a great disposition, perspective, again character with different meaning this time. Thank you for the journey of this buy, and the broach video. The broach video was my "take a chance, see what your channel is about". Very impressed. Not just the subject, but the way you do what you do. I can tell you really love your craft, you enjoy it, and you share it with a teacher's heart. Well done. I am decluttering, my recently deceased husband's stuff, and stuff I have dragged from Virginia to Kentucky and back. Mostly trash, very little of value, perhaps I'll learn something from you, and find a treasure, something, hopefully a few things of value to sell to help with gas, groceries & keep the mortgage paid. Every little bit helps now. Thank you again. I hope to prepare my home to make money for me, small town airbnb. The idea may be a pip dream, but there are no decent places to stay in this rundown town.

I don’t understand the whole crack thing, but your videos are entertaining and informative. Thank you. Back to the crack, I had a friend who inherited 2.5 million dollars in money and property. He found crack aboit the same time and a year later he was broke, so, I’d personally say no to crack, but that’s just me. You rock rusty

You grabbed me with the intro. I’ve been tired and I think crack sounds like what I need. 😂

Oh Gosh! I wish you could come to my house!. Used to collect all sorts of antiques, old books, jewellery, old mirrors, old pottery, old pictures…. Wish someone in England did this 🎉🎉🎉

I have a similar garnet ring. I bought it in the Czech Republic. Small, dark garnets are mined there so the center garnet may have been imported from Africa or someplace else. Even the gold band looks exactly like mine.

Love the show fella.. This episode did me make giggle with regards to crack lol. I do what you do - but I'm across the pond. I have been doing it for a number of years, my father is an antiques dealer so you could say its in the blood. I know many different types of dealers from China women's shoes handbags. Then I love what I do because you never know what your going to find out there. All the best.. :) I follow a few rules - does an item look good? Can it make a profit? If it does not answer those 2 questions then their is just no point!

Rusty you are great! Taught me so much....see you at the top!

I have a ring exactly like the garnet cluster ring. Mine is vermeil (gold plated sterling). They are true garnets and the origin of the ring is Austria. Hope this info helps. Your ring appears to be in excellent condition with the stones very well secured.

I would love to help. Mama always called me a plunderer and doing what you do is a drug to me. It sets my endorphins to blaze in such a feel good way. I bought storage units for a bit but haven’t in a long time. I told hubby would stop until he got me a brick & mortar store. If I have the items at home I tend to not want to let certain pieces go….LOL if they are in a shop it’s easier to say goodbye to

Don't dismiss jewelry because of weight because a lot of gold jewelry is actually light in weight specially if it's hollow. It can feel cheap and get dismissed. When it feels light in weight, it motivates me to inspect more. Custome jewelry is usually thickly casted with base metals and can be fairly heavy in weight compared to 14,18 and 24 KT gold.

New to the business. Trying to learn .You made my day!!

The numbers are mold numbers depicting where that jar was on the manufacturing machine(multiple jars were made at once).

25:56 I'd bet that rhinestone silvertone bracelet might be Napier.

That rolled gold bracelet is awesome. I would sell it alone, but adding it to other lesser valued jewelry will raise the value of a lot. If you sell a handful of items, buyers will mentally average out the values. So if you add a 1$ item to 4 other $100 items, people will see 5 $50 items (not good as you go from $401 to $250). But if you add a $100 item to 4 $1 items, people will average those to 5 $50 items (much better going from $104 to $250). Super great video. It always amazes me how little people know about jewelry (better for us though right lol) but they really should. My aunt just told me how she threw away all her broken gold chains...because they were broken. Uggggg!!!! I try to educate all my loved ones on identifying the CASH MONEY that jewelry actually can be. Good video, great narration, good camera. Subscribed. A+ P.S. the "14k Italy" fooled me as my first lesson in jewelry many years ago (no money was lost, just the sale). I have since learned that if it is from Italy, it will have boxed or oval with initials and numbers, a star, and/or metal content. It will not ever say "14k Italy."

Very enjoyable. Appreciate your knowledge and time

I had one of those sapphire and diamonds tennis bracelets that I bought at the now out of business department store, Joslyn’s. I believe I paid about $25 for it at the time.

I would help! Love going throu stuff. For no charge!

I had a hoola hoop! Loved it

Thank you for the jewelry lesson! I’ll be thinking about QRAC in the future!

RUSTY! Where have you been? Just found you on tube! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

Thanks. Who knew glass is worth so much? I'm in love with those cufflinks 🕊️