I have been blessed in that all the important women in my life love jewelry! While shoes are a close second, the passion for jewelry is definitely number one. And this passion for jewelry is not just among the ladies. My maternal grandfather also loved cufflinks and watches, and my love for those comes from him. Anyhow, my point in all this is that the family haunts the antique jewelry cases in nearly every shop and co-op that we visit. There are always bargains to be found if you are smart and take your time. But one thing that has struck me about the jewelry market of late is the near constant adjustment of prices on jewelry because of the volatility of the gold and silver markets. While I understand that gold and silver have reached prices never seen previously, there seems to be a wee bit of price gouging going on out there. All of us have seen the melters who are purchasing sterling souvenir spoons, sugar tongs, charms and the like and then sending those off to be melted. I get it completely as those are no longer in demand for entertaining and so the value is in the melted silver price. But, I have to raise my hand and question the dealers who are using the cost of bullion as an excuse for tripling prices on jewelry. I heard one jewelry dealer saying they doubled everything because they dont want the melters making a profit. So I ask, are the melters really buying amethyst or opal pendants in 10-carat settings just to melt the gold? Jewelry is of course the most personal of objects. In our family, it is a house rule that if you see and admire and would wear a piece of antique jewelry, then it should be considered for purchase. Sometimes this means we spend more money on an item than it may be worth. Why? Because a bargain is in the eye of the beholder. If it looks good 100 percent of the time and you wear it constantly, then it is a true bargain. Conversely, there are pieces of jewelry that may be absolutely wonderful but no one in their right mind could ever wear them. I recall a Navajo bolo tie that was a full 6 by 6 inches in size. It was a major piece and a tour de force of design, but no one in their right mind would ever try to wear it. The value was in the look and owning the piece rather than as something to wear. So the ladies in my life shall continue their hunt for jewelry. With credit card in hand, I will continue to shop. And hopefully, the dealers will not get too greedy and keep things priced to sell. Born to collect should be the motto of Peter Seiberts family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seiberts writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years worth of antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.