Do you have antique jewelry and are interested in selling it to an antique jewelry buyer? Here are three things to know to help you understand the value of your antique jewelry.
How do you define antique jewelry? This can vary quite a bit, but generally any jewelry created several generations ago, beginning about 50 years ago and older is considered antique. Jewelry created from the mid 20th century forward may be called “vintage” and is not really considered “antique”. If a piece of jewelry is old enough for your mom or dad to have inherited it, there is a good chance it is considered an antique and Jewels on Hampton is interested in buying it.
Condition of your Antique Jewelry has a Profound Effect on its Value
Condition, condition, condition. The closer a piece of antique jewelry is to its original condition, the more an antique jewelry buyer will be willing to pay for it. Do not try to clean a piece of antique jewelry before showing it to a buyer – a reputable buyer like Jewels on Hampton will be able to see past any tarnish your item might have. If you try to clean it, you may remove precious metal from the surface, or damage details without realizing it. If you find or inherit jewelry that you may wish to sell, make sure you store it safely and protect it from drops, dings and scratches. Often, a professional repair or professional cleaning can increase the value of a piece of antique jewelry far more than the cost of the repair, makign it easier to get top dollar from an antique jewelry buyer.
Costume Antique Jewelry vs. Fine Antique Jewelry
Broadly speaking, antique jewelry items will fall into two major types – costume jewelry and fine jewelry. Costume jewelry can be very beautiful, but it is not typically made with precious metals or stones. With fine jewelry, components such as bands, rings, wires and settings are made of precious metals throughout. Stones in fine antique jewelry are precious like diamonds or rubies, or semiprecious like jade, tsavorite or opals. Metals used in costume jewelry are usually plated with chrome, or with a thin layer of precious metal like gold, silver, palladium and platinum. The stones may be made of plastic or cut glass.
Fine jewelry has an intrinsic value that an antique jewelry buyer will see – it will be the value of the weight of the metal and the value of the stones. This means an antique jewelry buyer may still be interested in a damaged piece of antique jewelry. If costume jewelry is damaged, it is often not worth much at all. Even so, make sure an expert antique jewelry buyer like Jewels On Hampton takes a good look at your piece to make sure you know if it is costume jewelry or fine jewelry.
Antique Jewelry Design Eras Affect Value
Most antique jewelry will reflect the design trends in the era in which it was created. Eras include Victorian styles from the late 19th century, Art Nouveau and Art Deco from the early 29th century to Retro styles from the mid 20th century. Antique jewelry buyers keep tabs on fashions in jewelry. In turn, the value of a piece may increase if a particular genre or design era is in vogue. If you acquire a collection of jewelry, a reputable antique jewelry buyer like Jewels On Hampton may advise you to sell the pieces that are most sought after at the moment and hold onto others and wait for them to become more popular and therefore of greater value.
Jewels on Hampton has connections to a large network of antique jewelry buyers who are always looking for good examples of both costume and fine antique jewelry. We offer top dollar and will work to educate you so you can become a savvy seller. Visit our store to talk with our experts, or come in with your costume or fine jewelry for an evaluation. We look forward to meeting you.
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