Krementz jewelry has been around for more than 100 years. Krementz & Co. is the name of the company and they made beautifully crafted fine vintage jewelry pieces.
Some Krementz jewelry is worth a lot of money. George Krementz, the founder of the company, felt it was his duty to produce high quality pieces with the best materials. He worked with pure gold and perfected techniques for gold overlay, making settings for rare stones from all around the world.
Krementz jewelry dates back to the 1800s. Antique collectors and jewelry dealers will likely pay top dollar for a well-maintained piece of Krementz jewelry. Read on to learn more about this vintage high-end brand’s value.
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Table of Contents
The Beginning of Krementz & Co.
George Krementz had been an apprentice to a jeweler in New York when he was young. He immigrated from Germany and learned everything he could for more than a decade to become a highly regarded jeweler.
Krementz & Co. was founded in 1866. George and his cousin established their jewelry brand in New Jersey. They started making only men’s items. They offered cufflinks and high-quality collar buttons.
Originally, the collar buttons were made of pure gold. But Krementz found the key to increasing sales would be to produce more collar buttons for less money.
The cousins began working on a process to make the buttons from a core metal and overlay gold on top. After some time, Krementz was granted a patent on the gold overlay buttons.
It wasn’t until 1920 that Krementz & Co. entered the women’s jewelry market. The jewelry quickly gained in popularity and in less than a decade was selling all over the world.
Read also >> Is Krementz Jewelry Real Gold? (All You Need to Know)
What Is Krementz Jewelry Worth?
George Krementz believed they should use the best materials they could find. And he wasn’t afraid to travel the world to find them.
Over the decades, Krementz jewelry produced a lot of gilded jewelry. However, in 1980, a younger Krementz took over the company.
He sold off the less valuable lines of jewelry and shifted the company toward making only fine jewelry crafted with higher karat gold and platinum.
Krementz jewelry has always been crafted with care and fine materials. Pieces from a century ago could still look amazing if someone has cared for them properly.
Some Krementz jewelry items are worth thousands of dollars. Collectors will pay a lot of money for pieces in good condition.
How Can I Tell If I Have Krementz Jewelry?
Krementz & Co. developed its own hallmark that was stamped on all its jewelry. It looked one way up until 1950 and another after that year.
From its founding to 1950, the hallmark was the word Krementz stamped on the item in uppercase block-style letters.
After 1950, Krementz & Co. changed the hallmark over to Krementz in script.
Jewelers have identified other jewelry made by or associated with Krementz. The family bought other brands along the way and branched out in other directions. Other hallmarks represented some of these.
- Correct Jewelry For Men
- Krementz Plate
- Snap-Bar
- Nu-Kay
- Krementz Made In USA
- Heraldic – on a shield
- Krementz USA
- Kremaloy
- Diana – with three dots underneath
- Krementz Plate
What Should I Look for When Buying Krementz Jewelry?
First, look for one of the hallmarks stamped somewhere on the piece you’re considering for purchase. An authentic Krementz piece will be stamped.
Next, look at the condition of the piece of jewelry. These pieces were made to last but they still need care. While it’s ok if you need to clean a piece up, it shouldn’t be missing anything or have any chipping anywhere.
If you’re shopping online, look closely at all photos provided. You should zoom in and look at stones and settings, too. If you don’t feel like you have a good view of the jewelry, ask for some additional angles.
You can request a condition report. Vintage and antique jewelry should come with a condition report, especially for high value pieces.
Before you purchase anything, find out what the refund policy is. If you’re going to have a third party look the piece over, you want to know you can get your money back should concerns be raised.
Is Krementz & Co. Still in Business?
Krementz & Co. was purchased from the family right before the turn of the millennium. Until then, it was still owned by the Krementz family.
Today, Krementz jewelry is no longer manufactured. As you can imagine, that increased the value of some of the pieces already in existence.
You cannot purchase brand new pieces of Krementz jewelry any longer.
Where Can I Buy Krementz Jewelry?
The best place to find Krementz jewelry is online. You’ll find the widest assortment of pieces. Krementz jewelry is sold on eBay and Etsy. You can also look on Poshmark.
Some antique or vintage specialty shops may sell some Krementz pieces. It’s nice to purchase from a physical store location because you can handle the piece and look for the hallmark.
If you plan to purchase from an online dealer, make sure you are diligent in vetting the seller.
You should only buy from a reputable seller that’s proven themselves through a history of good transactions.
What Does Krementz Jewelry Look Like?
Over the decades, Krementz jewelry evolved in different ways. There was the Art Nouveau movement that brought about curvy and wispy pieces full of accents from nature.
Lines curl and curve around with flowy movement.
Later the brand also adopted the Art Deco style that consisted of various geometric shapes. Lines were straight and the pieces looked more clean than previous Krementz jewelry.
Conclusion
Krementz jewelry is worth good money under the right conditions. Unique pieces with intricate designs from early on in the company’s journey could be worth thousands.
Jewelry that’s in good condition with a clearly stamped hallmark is worth more than pieces that have not been well-maintained.
Whether you’re looking to add to your own collection of vintage jewelry, or you want to turn a profit, do your research first and only purchase items you feel confident about.
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References
https://dsfantiquejewelry.com/blogs/journal/krementz-jewelry-over-150-years-of-brilliant-history
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