Estate jewelry How to buy the right one has only grown in popularity over the last few years. They also aren’t as valuable as new jewelry, but they’re also relatively rare and valuable. Placing the monetary aspect aside, there is no doubt that more people are getting interested in finding singular pieces that reflect a different time with an antique look that you can rarely find in stores.
Before buying estate jewelry, you want to be sure that you know a lot about them. They may be valuable, but you shouldn’t be paying insanely higher prices than you do for regular jewelry. If you are planning on buying estate jewelry, you can go to a specialized jeweler and see what they’re offering.
If the jeweler is quite reputable and focuses on fine jewelry, you should have a simplified process without having to deal with the worries usually associated with buying jewelry. Jewelers who specialize in estate jewelry are often knowledgeable, and they should have something to say about the history of a jewelry piece.
Even if you don’t get a long story, you should always get a breakdown of some of the history behind the particular stone you want to buy. If you’re making a foray into the world of estate jewelry, you need to learn how to buy the right pieces. In this article, we’ll detail what estate jewelry means and how to buy them.
Estate Jewelry: How to buy the right one
Differences Between Estate, Antique, and Vintage Jewelry
Since these terms are almost interchangeable, you may have some initial confusion about what they mean and how they differ. It helps if you aren’t confused when buying something as expensive as jewelry. This section explains what these terms mean and how they differ from each other.
Estate Jewelry
A piece of jewelry is “estate jewelry” if it has a previous owner. Contrary to common belief, the past owner of the jewelry piece doesn’t have to be dead. While most estate jewelry pieces have their previous owners dead, their vitality has nothing to do with the gem’s status as estate jewelry.
Estate jewelry How to buy the right one has only grown in popularity over the last few years Also, the age of a jewelry piece plays no role in its status as estate jewelry. An estate jewelry piece could be 10, 50, or 100 years, and none of that is what qualifies it as estate jewelry.
Whenever you procure a jewelry piece that’s unchanged from how the previous owner held it, you already have an estate piece in your possession.
Antique Jewelry
Unlike estate jewelry, antique jewelry has a lot to do with the gem’s age. A piece of jewelry is only classified as ‘antique’ if it’s 100 years or older.
Generally, antique pieces have a more careful design than most jewelry pieces you see around today. How to buy the right one That, and the fact that jewelry is relatively rare at that time, contributes to the insanely high price of most antique jewelry pieces. Seeing someone wearing or even displaying a piece of antique jewelry will be a pretty rare sight due to its cost and rarity.
Vintage Jewelry
Vintage jewelry pieces are those between 50 and 100 years old. They are too old to be regular jewelry but not old enough to be antique.
Unlike their antique counterparts, people wear vintage jewelry a lot, as they are unlikely to break. How to buy the right one Vintage jewelry work with most of today’s fashion outfits, and they’re the default choice if you’re trying to go back to the old classics.
How to Buy Estate Engagement Rings?
Now you know how to differentiate between estate, antique, and vintage jewelry pieces, you should also get a buying guide. Shopping for estate jewelry is slightly more complicated than buying a brand-new piece of jewelry. Like any jewelry purchase, research and preparation will always get you better deals with estate engagement rings. How to buy the right one
Here are the steps you should follow while shopping for an estate ring.
1. Set Your Budget
You should always know how much you’re willing to shell out before making any purchase decision. The prices for estate jewelry pieces aren’t dramatically higher or lower than those of regular jewelry. An estate engagement ring should set you back many hundred dollars, or even a few thousand dollars, depending on what you want. How to buy the right one
2. Choose a Style You Love
When shopping for an estate ring, you should always go for your heart’s desires, as long as they fit inside of your budget. Before searching for your ring, you should take some time to imagine how your perfect ring will look. How to buy the right one The gem, engravings, embellishments, and settings all matter, and you should consider them too. Once you understand what you want from your ring, you can always shop happily, knowing that you won’t make unreasonable decisions.
3. Choose a Good Jeweler
You have some options when it comes to the buying destination. Many jewelry stores specialize in antique pieces, and you can also dig online.
Shopping in person allows you to see the ring and try it before buying; online shopping doesn’t allow that pre-purchase flexibility.
4. Have the Ring Appraised
Whether you shop online or locally, you should get a professional to appraise the ring. A layperson will have a hard time determining the quality and finish of the ring, so you need an expert to look at your jewelry under magnification and give you an official appraisal of its value. How to buy the right one An appraiser can also determine if the ring is as old as the seller claims and if it’s still in pristine condition. If you decide to insure your ring, you will need official appraisal documents, making this a crucial step.
Conclusion
Estate jewelry doesn’t mean rings picked up in an estate, and it has nothing to do with a ring’s age. If you want antique or vintage jewelry pieces, you can always get them. How to buy the right one If you don’t know the difference, this article explains all of them in extensive detail. If you’re getting an estate ring for your engagement, this article is a must-read.
