Antique Estate Jewelry
I would like to know how to best sell Estate Antique Jewelry. I have some
pieces from the late 1800's. Other pieces from the early 1900's. And some
from the mid-1900's. They are made from 9, 12, and 14K gold, and some
crudely-cut diamonds. I locked into Ebay, but I found nothing comparable
being sold on Ebay. I checked with the neighborhood jeweler, but I felt he
is not sincere. Auction houses came to mind. A friend told me that it
would be best if I take this stuff and sell it in New York. Please let me
know what you think.
Take it to a jeweler in your area that sells estate jewelry and see if
they are interested in selling the pieces on a consignment basis,
perhaps? If your going to sell it yourself have a paid appraisal done
and try to get 1/3 of that. Estate jewelry is a niche market, with the
biggest demand being for 18 & 22k pieces, 14k sells as well, but most 9
& 12k sit unsold for years even at low prices. Jewelry is one of
those things that appraises far beyond the market value of the sum of
it's parts. For example: Last I bought an 18k setting I bought it by
weight 6.5 grams @ $12 gram. To that I added a 15ct. round amethyst,
pulled from an estate 12kt ring, the 12kt am. ring was $110. I sold
the setting for scrap got about $15 for it. So I have a $95 stone in a
$78 18kt setting, plus my jewelers labor of $80. My cost $253,
appraised value $1250.
Chances that it's worth the trip to New York, unless you are nearby or
going there anyway isn't great. Jeweler's I know go to NY to buy
estate jewelry, come back and turn a profit on it, typically they pay
about 1/3 of retail there buying at auction or in the diamond district.
Guesstimate you'd land about 1/6th of retail value taking it to New
York.