My first encounter with a Jabel ring was a lucky find. I had never heard of Jabel. I purchased a gorgeous period ring that took my eye with its stunning art deco design. I found it online and the photo wasn’t the best. The details given by the seller were minimal and there was no mention of the fact that this ring was a designer-signed ring.

Before buying, I asked the seller about the diamonds. Since I’m a seller of vintage jewelry, I won’t touch anything with poor diamonds ie. those that are cloudy, milky or full of inclusions. She couldn’t tell me much other that they looked eye-clean to her. So I took a risk and made the purchase because of that gorgeous design.

The ring arrived. To my great relief, it had superb diamonds, VS quality and G – H clarity. I knew I’d found an excellent diamond ring but I didn’t know it was a Jabel. It was my daughter who spotted the name, wearing a little thin in the 18k gold band. She made me jump when she said “My God mom … it’s a Jabel!” I was like, “so?” Being the connosieur of diamonds and gemstone rings that she is, she quickly informed me that I had acquired one of the very best rings made in America and that she wanted to steal it from me.  “Not a chance!” said I as I rushed to research “Jabel”.

I won’t go into all the details about Jabel, but I will direct you to the JABEL WEBSITE. There you will learn that Jabel, an American company, makes no compromises on quality or workmanship. Each piece of jewelry … and they make rings, bracelets, necklaces … is hand- assembled, set, finished and polished with as many as 50 separate steps to complete a piece of jewelry. Little wonder that Jabel jewelry costs more and retains its value, even when it’s second and third hand. It’s not easy to locate and buy an inexpensive piece of Jabel jewelry. So expect to pay more for it when you do.

That first lucky encounter for me has got me always on the lookout for vintage Jabel pieces and I’ve been lucky to find a few. And I must say that when I list them in my Ruby Lane Shop, they’re not there for long. If buyers find any Jabel jewelry at an affordable price, they snatch them up. You should too. Be on the lookout for Jabel wherever you shop for jewelry, whether online or at estate sales or antique shows.  Jabel jewelry is always a good investment.

It’s unlikely you’ll find a Jabel at a flea market or yard sale, but then you never know. That lady who sold me my first Jabel ring obviously had no idea of the value of what she sold me. Just get into the habit of always looking for a signature on any jewelry you’re considering buying.