Whether you want to buy or to sell jewelry or watches, the first step in figuring out value is to identify what it is, when and where it was made, and by whom. A maker's mark can help but if jewelry has hallmarks, this process is almost foolproof.

August is a big month in NYC for tourists on summer vacation. If you find yourself in downtown Manhattan on a jewelry shopping spree, here are some spots you won't want to miss in SoHo and the West Village.

SoHo is a fashion lover’s heaven and the place to find everything from big-name brands to small designer boutiques. From local fashionistas in basic black to leather-clad Europeans, the neighborhood’s cobbled streets and old-world architecture provide the perfect atmosphere for all types of trendsetters.

Organic forms and nature in general were the big winners at the JA Show in NYC last week, with both established and emerging designers. It looks like boldly reinvented flora and fauna will continue to rule with jewelry buyers this fall.

Serpents and wildlife motifs dominated the high-end period jewels on display at the Antique Jewelry and Watch Show in July, as more than 100 watch and jewelry dealers gathered in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Pavilion. Now in its seventh year and growing in prestige, the four-day event was open to the public and attracted around 3,000 private collectors and industry insiders.

The show opened two days before the massive trade-only JA New York summer show, which focuses on high-end contemporary jewelry.

With demand for colored gems on the rise, it's becoming clear that diamonds aren't the only gem with blood on them. Colored-gem mining and cutting involve many of the same problems diamonds have become famous for.

But new initiatives are being launched to keep that in check, and the gem and jewelry industry are starting to get on board.

While the colored stone family is large—around 100 types are available today—some tend to steal the spotlight. Prices for rubies and sapphires have reportedly increased faster than that of diamonds over the past several years. In December, Christie’s set a world record at auction with the $6.4 million sale of an 87-carat Burmese ruby and diamond necklace.