De waardefactoren
Een taxateur weegt bij deze categorie een vast aantal criteria. Hieronder leggen we ze uit, in de volgorde waarin ze doorgaans worden bekeken.
Clasp type as a dating anchor
Boxlock with safety chain. Classic clasp from Edwardian to mid-century. Robust, datable by the shape of the boxes.
Carabiner clasp. Dominant from the 1970s. On older pieces, often a sign of a later replacement.
Toggle or T-bar clasp. Characteristic of Etruscan Revival and late nineteenth century; on mid-century pieces usually intended decoratively.
Spring ring clasp. Twentieth-century, continuously used. Neutral for dating.
Length and period
Choker (35–40 cm). Popular in the early twentieth century and again in the 1990s.
Princess (42–48 cm). The classic length, continuously worn since mid-twentieth century.
Matinée (56–60 cm) and opera (70–90 cm). Formal; typical for pearl necklaces from the 1920s to 1950s.
Sautoir (100 cm+). Characteristic of the 1920s; often with a tassel or pendant. Strongly increased in value on the vintage market.
Link weight and construction
For gold necklaces, the weight of the link is the most important intrinsic factor. Weigh the entire piece and subtract the indicative weight of any stones. For 18kt: weight × 0.75 × daily gold price = lower limit. Heavy, solid links (e.g., gourmet, figaro, Gucci link) count heavily; airy or hollow constructions only based on design.
Completeness of intermediate links and pendants
Over the years, necklaces lose intermediate links, small pendants, safety chains, and sometimes main pendants. A complete piece in an unaltered state is significantly more valuable — often twice as much — than the same model with replaced parts or missing accents. Keep loose components you find and offer them together with the necklace for appraisal.