If you want to sell a single item of vintage jewelry, or a private collection, we recommend Gemesti.com. It’s the simplest and most convenient way to get a high market price for any good quality vintage piece, particularly if it is vintage diamond jewelry. You can sell your jewelry without leaving your home and receive a cash payment in as little as 48 hours.
Dealing with a Gemesti client services manager is a lot easier – and more pleasant – than visiting a succession of jewelry stores, or trying to auction your vintage jewelry online. There’s a steady market for good vintage jewelry, but tapping into it can be a hit-and-miss process if you’re not already in the business. It saves time and stress to go straight to a professional online buyer and get a serious cash offer.
Why do people sell vintage jewelry?
There are three main reasons why people decide to sell vintage jewelry. The first is the perfectly straightforward reason that they no longer want it. People’s tastes change over time – the vintage diamond ring that you bought with your first real paycheck might look garish and embarrassing 20 years later. You might have inherited a vintage diamond necklace that you have no interest in wearing, or you’ve embraced a modern minimalist approach to jewelry, with a focus on an elegant and understated personal style.
The second reason why people sell vintage jewelry is that they need money urgently, or want to buy something special. If you’ve got vintage jewelry, it’s an excellent disposable asset. You can turn it into cash almost immediately. For some women, this is a wrench. Vintage jewelry can be a precious personal possession, especially if it has sentimental value. Vintage jewelry often has some history attached to it and can be hard to part with.
The third reason why people sell vintage jewelry is that they want to buy another item. Vintage jewelry attracts collectors and is a rewarding hobby for anyone who can afford it. People buy, sell, and upgrade all the time. If you can make a profit along the way, that’s a bonus, but the real thrill is in acquiring a new piece of jewelry with it’s own unique beauty and history. If you’re going for an upgrade, or have your eye on a new piece, a quick online sale will put it in reach.
It’s easy to sell vintage jewelry online
If you are upset at the thought of selling your vintage jewelry, it’s always easier to sell online. You don’t have the unpleasant experience of bargaining with sharks, feeling like you’re being judged, or having to settle for a low price. Gemesti treats every seller as a client and provides them with a service. You’ll get an initial offer based on an estimate of your item’s market price, and then a formal offer based on an independent gemologist’s professional appraisal.
The old-fashioned scam of a pawnbroker or jeweler screwing a loupe into his eye and pretending to value your vintage ring or earrings has no place in the modern second-hand jewelry market. Gemesti works with the prestigious EGL US Laboratory to determine the exact value of any diamond, and the quality of any precious metal setting. You’ll only receive a formal offer when your client services manager has reviewed the gemologist’s report. The best news is that all the administration and reporting is done online. The entire sales process can be completed within just 2 days from start to finish.
What type of vintage jewelry can I sell?
The rule of thumb is that you can sell anything with diamonds straight away. If the diamonds are bigger than 0.5-carat and have a GIA VS clarity grading or above, and a D – M color grading, you will find a buyer. If the buyer doesn’t want the precious metal setting, the diamond will be gently pried loose and used to create another item of jewelry. The gold or platinum setting will be smelted for bullion.
Many pieces of used vintage jewelry have a strong resale value precisely because they are vintage. The style, design and setting are part of their attraction. Professional appraisers who have a detailed knowledge of the market will take this into account. Your personal vintage jewelry could easily be worth more than just the combined value of the diamonds and the precious metal setting. Each vintage ring, necklace, pendant, earrings and bracelet has to be individually appraised and valued according to the current market.
There’s currently a steady demand for the following types of vintage jewelry in the US:
- Diamond engagement rings and wedding bands
- Diamond necklaces and pendants
- Diamond bracelets and tennis bracelets
- Diamond earrings
- Good quality vintage items set with emeralds, sapphires or rubies.
Professional online buyers will buy good-quality vintage jewelry all year round. If you’re trying to sell vintage or antique jewelry on eBay or through other websites, you may notice changes in prices at certain times of the year like the pre-Christmas season and the build-up to Valentine’s Day. Don’t assume that prices will go up just because demand has risen. If sellers have flooded the market, and corporate sellers are running seasonal sales, prices may go down.
Should I sell vintage jewelry on eBay?
Generally, it’s a bad idea to try and sell vintage jewelry or antique jewelry on eBay. If you type the search term “vintage jewelry” into the eBay search function, you’re likely to get about 500,000 returns. That figure depends on the time of year and can go up and down. What it means is that if you try to sell your vintage jewelry on eBay, you’ve immediately got half a million competitors. You can rely on search filters to bring your target audience closer to your listing, but it may not result in a sale.
Even within your product niche and price range, you’ll face tough competition. How do you match up against other sellers in the following areas?
- Marketing value of your listing
- Number and quality of photographs
- Quality of your jewelry
- Price of your vintage jewelry
- Shipping costs
- Sale or return options
- Your own eBay seller rating and reviews
Professional jewelers and experienced eBay sellers know what they’re doing. They often hire experts to create their eBay listings. Professionally designed store pages and listings do persuade people to buy products.
You’ll also need to manage the sale and arrange secure shipping with insurance and possibly customs declarations. It can take months to sell an item on eBay and you can meet a lot of time wasters and idiots when you try and sell any high value item.
Sell vintage jewelry online at Gemesti
Gemesti is a family-run business with three generations of experience in the diamond and jewelry trade. Very few buyers have either their specialist market knowledge or love of vintage jewelry. When you visit Gemesti.com and complete the short registration form, you’ll get a call back from a client services manager. From your first point of contact with the company, you’ll be dealing with a trained gemologist. Your client services manager will get straight down to business. You’ll get a competitive provisional offer based on the info you provided in the form.
If you’re satisfied with the provisional offer, you’ll get an email with a printable label and a scannable QR code. You can use either option to schedule free overnight FedEx shipping and send your item of vintage jewelry for a free professional appraisal at the EGL US Laboratory. Don’t worry if you have an especially high value item, or a whole collection of vintage jewelry, Gemesti insures your shipment for up to $100,000.
When your package arrives at the EGL Laboratory the following morning, it’s opened on camera. As soon as the gemologist has completed the appraisal, she emails a report to Gemesti. Your client services manager will call you and make a final offer. If you’re one of the 90% of clients who proceeds with the sale, you’ll get an email with a sales agreement. As soon as you upload the signed paperwork, your money will be wired to your bank account. It really is as simple as that!
If you choose not to sell, there won’t be a problem. Your client services manager will confirm your return shipping address and you’ll get your jewelry back via secure shipping. This is a free service that is guaranteed as a right when you first send your jewelry for appraisal. Around one in ten clients change their mind at the last minute and Gemesti absorbs the shipping and admin costs. It’s part of doing business.
Gemesti makes it easy and fast to sell vintage jewelry from home and keeps the whole process simple. You’ll also get a fair market price and a friendly service from a professional gemologist. Gemesti operates nationwide and FedEx will collect from any location in the continental United States. Even if you’re in a remote rural area, you’re still connected to the national used vintage jewelry market.
