Antique Jewelry — To tips to get easy and quick cash
If you are an antique enthusiast who likes to think of your home as a treasure trove, know that before you start digging through your grandmother’s old chest for unusual treasures, take a step back and start from being realistic. You would not find a price tag on antique jewelry and most likely you won’t be able to figure it out without help from antique jewelry appraisers.
Here’s why?
You will most likely end up getting a much bigger price than what it’s actually worth, or worse you’ll toss the genuine valuable pieces away as you don’t have experience or knowledge to identify them. So, to help you avoid the common pitfalls of this trade, we have a few guidelines so, you don’t get ripped off.
Decide what you want to do with the jewelry
Antique jewelry could be a part of your own collection or you might want to sell. If it has the sentimental value you might just want to know if it’s worth something to insure it. So, make it clear before antique jewelry appraisal how you would want to use the jewelry. If it is for selling, the appraiser would look for the fair market value, giving you a price less than what retailers would sell it for. When you insure a piece, the appraiser establishes the replacement value which uses similar items as a guide.
Don’t fix the jewelry
If you have come across broken jewelry or scratched pieces, no matter how tempted you get to do an initial round of fixing yourself, don’t do it before an appraisal. Though the condition is important to determine the price, you might end up reducing the value of a piece next to nothing with constant rubbing, washing, or welding. It is always better to take it to antique jewelry buyers and then you’ll probably have information regarding craftsmen doing high-quality repairs.
Get the best price for your estate jewelry
Estate as a general term is used to describe previously owned and this is one of the determining factors as preowned is not as valuable as new. Some people never buy a previously owned engagement set for their own superstitious reasons.
You definitely don’t have to be a gemologist to sell your estate jewelry but some notes taking means a much higher price for your time and efforts. As some styles are classic and go on for decades while some last a few months, out of style estate jewelry can’t command a premium price or its intrinsic worth is the only value. However, if the jewelry is antique and collectible then, it may require a speciality option to sell. So, if you know your jewelry to be antique it can make a significant difference in raising the value.
Selling your estate jewelry is an art of compromise as you seek a balance between dollar paid and ease with the quickness of transaction. You are definitely dreaming if you want a higher price, fast and easy. For gaining a higher price from the sale of estate jewelry, you will have to wait longer for a more difficult transaction. It is profitable yet, a difficult and problematic task to find another customer for your jewelry.
Walking up to estate jewelry buyers is the fastest and easiest way but, you are selling at wholesale or less. That does not mean you should overlook the ease of transaction as not all people decide to pay cash and buy on the spot and they will just take a few visits to make up their minds.
All in all, selling your estate jewelry is not an experience you can have every other day so, enjoy the adventure as you have some new skills. One very positive side of selling jewelry is you learn how to evaluate jewelry.
