Finding Estate Jewelry

Before the invention of the internet, collectors would visit garage sales and estate sales in order to find quality vintage jewelry. Today, buyers can shop on-line to find all sorts of different types of estate jewelry that they are searching for.

Estate jewelry is sometimes not seen as very valuable. It can be hard for people to determine if Great Aunt Sally's necklace is actually collectable or just a memento. Jewelry can be divided up into categories to try and help decide if something is valuable or just a family keepsake.

What Is Vintage Jewelry?

Vintage jewelry is classified as jewelry that is over 30 years old. Antique jewelry is jewelry that is over 100 years old. Vintage jewelry can also be made from real or less desirable stones, and often the designs are so unique that people can't tell if the jewelry is real or fake.

The term costume jewelry can also be used in conjunction with a type of vintage jewelry. As during the early 1900's costume jewelry was all the rage in Europe. The trend caught on in the United States after the First World War. Costume jewelry is very collectable, and that's why so many buyers flock to estate sales.

Trends and styles change in jewelry just as in clothes. Many collectors have a specific time period or designer that they are interested in. For buyers visiting estate sales and looking for estate jewelry, it can be exciting to find that one piece that exemplifies a time from the past.

On-line Selling

Many are beginning to see the power of selling estate jewelry on-line. Not only does this medium allows for more shoppers to view pieces it can ignite bidding wars that will build the price. Estate jewelry can run the gambit from broaches worn during the 1950's to more modern pieces. Estate jewelry is considered that category if it is a piece of jewelry that has been worn, that can include a 10 year-old necklace to an engagement ring.

Estate jewelry can also be purchased by companies on-line that then intend to re-sell it. There are many companies that are interested in this type of business and they can be found by searching the web. Make sure that it is a legitimate company and finding companies in your area can help ensure that it is a real business. Often these companies will buy the estate jewelry to pull out the stones and then re-set them in other pieces.