Audemars Piguet was founded by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland in 1875 and would later take the name Audemars Piguet & Cie in 1881. Since its founding in 1875, the company has remained family owned. Both founders came from a strong family lineage of watchmakers. Jules and … Continue reading How was Audemars Piguet founded?
Pawnshops are often associated with coins and bullion, in addition to gold and diamond jewelry. But luxury watches are another category that pawnshops like Jewelry-N-Loan in Costa Mesa, CA buy, sell and lend against daily. Fine watchmakers like Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe set impeccably high standards for design and style and continue to … Continue reading Do Pawnshops Buy Watches?
In the world of Hollywood glitz and glamour, film props are the unsung heroes, the underappreciated accessories that set the mood of the movie and help to establish the attitude of the characters. While the actors and actresses depict the drama, tragedy and humor up on the silver screen, the props transport the audience into … Continue reading The Most Expensive Film Props
Poised to transition pawn into the era of technology, Borro Private Finance shuttered its collateral lending business earlier this summer as its online lending model proved unsuccessful. Tabach-Bank explains, “Our clients like the personal touch of a face-to-face loan, particularly when entrusting us to safeguard their most precious and expensive personal possessions. Online lending may … Continue reading Online Pawn Lending Goes Back Offline
It’s a cliché of invention to want to “build a better mousetrap” and attract a world of customers. For American jeweler Seaman Schepps, the mousetrap became the secret to a better bracelet. It is a design so simple as to be almost obvious, but also instantly recognizable and timelessly chic. Introduced in the 1930s, the … Continue reading Signature Style: Seaman Schepps’ Mousetrap Bracelet
Strong secondary markets, or how the art sells at an auction level, is extremely important when it comes to determining if a piece of art is eligible for a loan. Chicago Loan Company, an upscale pawnshop in Chicago, Illinois, is well-known for making collateral based loans on fine art. While the company makes pawn loans … Continue reading Using your Assets Wisely: Fine Art as Collateral
The world of fine timepieces can seem very daunting, full of fancy functions and jargon. One of the most common complications found in high-end watches in the modern era is the chronograph, a word that sounds familiar even to novices. But what exactly is a chronograph? Simply put, a chronograph is a stopwatch. Modern chronographs … Continue reading What Is a Chronograph?
Nothing is more rare and exciting, in the arena of sports memorabilia, than for an avid fan or serious collector to discover and come to own a famous player’s game-worn jersey. The athlete’s clothing worn during that pivotal last play during a World Series baseball game or the winning touchdown during a Super Bowl is … Continue reading Blood, Sweat and Tears: The Most Expensive Sports Jerseys
At their core, watches are complex, incredible machines whose main purpose is to keep track of time. The minute and second hands take their daily revolutions and with one quick glance, the wearer can know if they are early, late or right on time. Van Cleef & Arpels, the famed jewelry brand, have taken this … Continue reading The Beautiful and Intricate Watches of Van Cleef & Arpels
Very few fine jewelry designs can be considered iconic, but Van Cleef & Arpels’ Zip necklace is assuredly one. The brainchild of the Duchess of Windsor, the design was first conceived in the late 1930s, but was not produced until 1950. This incredible masterpiece takes the form of a zipper closure, just as you would … Continue reading Icons of Design: Zip by Van Cleef and Arpels
