3 Pieces Of Advice For Purchasing Antique Jewelry
Purchasing antique or estate jewelry can be a fun hobby and you can find some real gems – no pun intended. However, there are certain things that you should be on the lookout for in order to find the best pieces of jewelry you possibly can while avoiding duds and costume jewelry. Throughout the course of this brief article, you'll learn a few salient pieces of advice for purchasing antique and estate jewelry.
Investigate the Seller
Make sure to take the time to investigate the seller. If you notice that the seller is offering you the option to buy in bulk, or is offering multiple copies of the same piece, then chances are he or she is a fraud. Most pieces of antique jewelry are one-of-a-kind pieces, although replicas can pop up here and there. If you are looking online, take the time to see what sort of pieces he or she has sold in the past. If they're offering multiples of the same item, it is within your best interest to move along.
Pricing
Antique and estate jewelry being what they are – which is to say, unique – means that often times, you're going to be paying top dollar for them. Be wary of sellers that are offering pieces that seem far too good to be true. Make sure that you carefully examine the quality of the piece, including the metal and the stone, before purchasing it.
The History of the Piece
If your seller cannot give you some semblance of information on the piece that she is offering for sale, then this might also be a sign to take your business elsewhere. A good seller should be able to tell you, at the very least, where he or she purchased or came across the piece. Make sure that you're asking the right follow up questions, too. If the seller claims to have purchased the piece at an estate sale, ask them when, where, and whose property from which the piece was purchased. Although forgetfulness can sometimes cloud the memory, they should be able to give you a small piece of information at least.
Purchasing estate and antique jewelry can be a tricky proposition. It is always best to be on the lookout for sellers who wish to scam you or mass produced junk or costume jewelry that is masquerading as the genuine article. Hopefully, this brief guide has given you some insight on how to lookout for sellers of ill repute and begin looking for the real thing.
For estate jewelry, contact a seller such as Rhonda's Jewelry.