Rapaport Introduces Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast

RAPAPORT... Rapaport is launching a new podcast dedicated to estate jewels as the sector gains popularity among consumers. Hosting the biweekly Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast is Editor in Chief Sonia Esther Soltani, with guests including estate dealers, historians, and best-selling authors. They will cover subjects ranging from eras such as Art Deco and Victorian to specific designers whose creations are considered highly collectible. "Rapaport as a brand is very much identified with diamonds, in particular diamond pricing, but we also produce a lot of jewelry content in print and online," says Rapaport Publisher John Costello. "I wanted to bring this knowledge and expertise to the next level, to the podcast arena."The timing is apt for a new podcast on estate jewelry, continues Costello, as this is a period "when people are looking for originality and provenance." The coronavirus lockdown and the resulting economic crisis will also impact this sector, he notes, since more estate jewels are coming to the market from people looking to liquidate assets. The new podcast aims to satisfy the "great thirst for knowledge about estate jewelry" and educate listeners on "how to evaluate estate jewels, as well as what type of styles and designs are in vogue at the moment," adds Costello. "It's really to show the world that we have a lot to offer in this field, because it's still relatively a new thing in terms of the wider jewelry and diamond area." The engaging line-up of guests for the podcast includes well-known figures from the estate world. The first episode looks at the enduring popularity of Art Deco with Guy Burton, director at vintage jeweler Hancocks London."This sector of the industry is so full of color, above and beyond the specific piece of jewelry," Costello observes. "The people who are involved in the industry are such larger-than-life characters, and they all have this wonderful passion for the jewelry. We really want to bring the listeners into that environment, to spread that infectious enthusiasm for estate jewelry, especially as it becomes a hotter topic by the minute." To listen to the Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast, click below.Image: A ruby and diamond cuff bangle by Udall & Ballou, New York, 1930s. (Hancocks London)