How can I sell estate jewelry?

Nowadays, estate jewelry is increasingly popular. It is very collectible and the jewelry's unique designs and vintage styles are incredibly rare and, as such, are highly sought after. How much you get for estate jewelry depends on the piece in question. The materials and the craftsmanship making up the piece have a direct impact on how much it's worth. For example, if the piece is set with diamonds or other precious gemstones and is well made it could be worth quite a lot. Also, the piece's time period would be one of the factors determining its worth. Certain periodical jewelry may be more popular than others, or rarer, in which case it will most likely sell for more. For instance, nowadays, retro and art deco jewelry has become very hip and trendy. Consequently, these periodical pieces are sold for more than say, late Victorian jewelry pieces.


As such, your first step in selling your estate jewelry should be to have your jewelry appraised. An appraiser will give you a rough estimate on the value of your pieces, which will give you a good indication on what your asking price should be. After you've had your jewelry appraised, I recommend you take your estate jewelry to a licensed jeweler for a little care and maintenance. A jeweler will inspect your jewelry and make sure that it is fit to be sold. Ask him to look for loose settings and to make sure that the mounted gemstones are set securely in their settings. A jeweler will be able to spot any imperfections in your jewelry pieces, repair and tighten settings and thoroughly clean the pieces. Now you're all set to sell your estate jewelry. You have a few mediums available to you. You could take your estate jewelry to a local auction house and ask them to put your pieces up for auctions. If your jewelry is of sufficient quality and value an auction house will agree to handle your pieces for you. However, auction houses may ask for a percentage of your sale, since they handled the proceedings. Instead, you could put your estate jewelry up for auction on a website specializing in online auctions (for example eBay.com, Bidz.com, etc.). Online auction sites will help you track the bidding and the sale of all of your items in a direct and simple way. Another idea would be to sell your estate jewelry to local pawn shops or antique stores who may be interested in estate jewelry. This is where your jewelry appraisal comes in. By having your jewelry pre-appraised, you'll know exactly how much your jewelry is worth which will prevent local businesses from low-balling you with their offers. In this case, you have some haggling room, you can bargain with local vendors and you may be able to get even more for your pieces.

Whether you decide to sell you estate jewelry on online auction sites, at local auction houses or jewelry shops, it is important that your jewelry comes equipped with a copy of the appraisal and, in case the pieces are mounted with precious gemstones, a GIA or AGS approved authentication certificate. If the jewelry does not already have a certificate then you may have to pay for one to be drawn up. Check with your local jeweler for more information on how to get your precious gemstone jewelry certified.

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