Senior Specialist

Peggy Gottlieb has loved antique jewelry since she was a child growing up in Kentucky. Earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, she decided to pursue a career elsewhere and keep jewelry as a hobby… That is until she attended her first jewelry auction.

Being exposed to this new world excited Peggy and she was now driven to follow her passion for gems and jewelry. She earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America, which led her to a position as a staff gemologist for the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory.

Peggy went on to start her own business as a dealer and appraiser of antique and estate jewelry. Then in 1998, she became Vice President, Director of Jewelry for Sotheby’s West Coast. In 2001, she left Sotheby’s to resume her career as an independent jewelry dealer and appraiser. After working independently for ten years, in 2011, Peggy decided to get back into the auction business. She established the West Coast Jewelry department for Heritage Auctions in Beverly Hills, CA. She then moved to Christie’s Los Angeles to become Vice President, Director of Jewelry in 2016. At the end of 2019, she transitioned to a Senior Jewelry Consultant for Christie’s Los Angeles where she continued until November of 2021.

While at all the auction houses, Peggy’s main focus was procuring high-quality jewelry for sale at auction, in addition to valuation and appraisals.

Now, John Moran Auctioneers has the privilege of having Peggy as a Senior Specialist, Director of Jewelry where she can continue to share her love and expertise of jewelry. She is also a past member of the American Society of Appraisers and the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers and has lectured extensively on the subject.