Tips for collectors
research & organizing
EU regulation on cultural goods: what collectors need to know
From June 2025, EU Regulation 2019/880 sets licence requirements for importing cultural goods, including ancient jewellery and jewellery from the Middle East and North Africa – what every collector should understand.
Verdigris in Middle Eastern jewellery
Learn how to identify verdigris on traditional Middle Eastern jewellery, why it damages metalwork, and what collectors should watch for.
Patina in Middle Eastern jewellery
A word used for two very different things…!
How to care for coral in ethnic jewellery
Coral is a diva! Learn how to care for this tricky material here.
CITES: what does it mean for collectors and museums?
CITES and jewellery: understand rules for coral, ivory, and antiques. A guide for collectors, curators, and anyone handling cultural adornment.
How to photograph ethnic jewellery
4 photography tips, 2 proven social media formats, and the one single thing you really need to create stunning jewellery photos!
15 reasons why provenance matters for ethnic jewellery
…reasons 3 and 10 are probably not what comes to mind first, but they are super important!
How to spot alterations
Has a piece of jewellery been altered? Here are 5 tips how to tell.
Restringing ethnic jewellery
5 hands-on tips to spot if a necklace has been restrung – and when that actually matters.
Ethnic jewels: silver content
What is the silver content of ethnic jewellery? Learn how to navigate descriptions, ask specific information and understand the answer!
5 rookie mistakes
You will really want to avoid these 5 mistakes in jewellery collecting! I made them, so I should know.
UNESCO 1970
UNESCO 1970 explained for collectors of jewellery from North Africa and the Middle East: what to be aware of when buying or selling ethnic silver jewellery?