What is Estate Jewelry?
Estate jewelry is any piece of jewelry that has a previous owner. There are many ways to classify items under this umbrella, depending on how old a given item is. The term “antique jewelry” refers to pieces that are over 100 years old, while vintage jewelry is between 50 and 100 years old. Estate jewelry can include vintage and antique jewelry as well as more modern pieces. A Yankee Peddler & Loan has one of the largest collections of estate jewelry you will find in the Norwalk, CT area. Since we buy most items from the public at liquidation value, when we go to sell jewelry we are marking up from a base below wholesale.
What to Know About Selling Estate Jewelry
People ask if they should sell their estate jewelry at their local pawn shop. Well, if it’s to A Yankee Peddler & Loan, our reply is probably yes! Our jewelry buyers offer excellent deals for clients throughout the greater Norwalk, CT area. If you check our reviews, you will find feedback from people who got quotes elsewhere and then wound up selling their estate jewelry to us for more. People often ask about their precious and semi-precious stones. The sad reality is that most of the non-diamond stones we see lack a secondary market, so their value is next to nil. We do not encourage people to remove the stones because that turns the remaining piece into scrap gold, which fetches less than sellable estate jewelry. Traditionally, there has been a market for small diamonds in pieces (melee), but the growth of the lab-grown diamond trade has lowered the value of these goods.
What About Pieces That Have Held Value?
There are some items, such as platinum art deco bracelets, that may be sellable for a substantial premium relative to their liquidation value. We will identify such items and pay a premium; we may also suggest that you consign the item. Just remember that consignment shops may go out of business down the line, at which point your item would fetch you nothing. Consigned jewelry may also not generate any cash for years, while A Yankee Peddler & Loan puts money in your hand right away.
If you would like to learn more about estate jewelry, or if you have an item you would like us to inspect, reach out to our professional jewelry buyers today. We will be happy to provide more information and help you get started!