Even though we buy jewellery regularly, we do not buy everything we are offered. We buy based on what we think will do well with our customers. We pay well for what we do buy. Before offering your jewels, be sure to have the following ready.

1.  Information  

I am sure you would like the best possible price, so take care to clearly state what it is you have for sale: name, size, colour (since computer monitors can differ), and condition at the very least. We also need to see at least one picture of the jewels to get a feel for what it is you are trying to sell.

2. Price

Most dealers are not keen on guessing games and "what will you offer" is only a thinly veiled request for a free appraisal. Have an idea how much you would like for what you are selling. I might add here that if someone asks too little for a piece, we will offer and pay more. I always want a seller to leave the transaction happy and feeling fairly treated. Our goal is to be the ones they come to the next time they find something wonderful, too. How else do you think we get such wonderful things.

3. Perspective

 For most businesses, expenses eat up quite a bit of the retail price. That means if we sell a piece for $100, 25-30% of that will cover card fees, rent, office supplies, website costs, insurance, etc. . There is no set formula of how much a dealer will pay for items, but in general do not expect to get more than 1/3 to 1/2 of a reasonable retail price. There will always be exceptions, and rare or special things can bring more. But a dealer isn't going to pay $20.00 for a pair of earrings they can sell at $25.00. there is just too little profit to be worth the work and expense.

There is LOTS of jewellery around now and many pieces that we used to think were rare have become more plentiful as the older generations put their collections on the market. There is more "just average" jewellery looking for a buyer than ever before. Because buyers have a large quantity to choose from, they are very selective, so we must be too.

4. Understanding

Unless they know you, not many dealers are willing to send money before seeing the goods in person. Unlike individual sellers, dealers have a presence either online or in a bricks-and-mortar shop to show their credentials. As experts, dealers may find repairs or damage that would not be obvious to a seller. That means you must feel very safe with the person to whom you are sending your jewellery. You should also have a clear advance agreement of what the payment policy will be. In the event that I am buying on approval, I guarantee a seller that they will hear from me via email the day their package arrives and that I will either send my payment the next day or politely decline the jewellery if there is a problem, state what that problem is, and mail it back the next day. Asking for that kind of agreement from a buyer is perfectly reasonable.

Valuing your jewels

Like any antique or collectible, the value of costume jewellery is determined by several factors: condition, rarity, artistic merit, selling venue, geographic area, and current trends. Costume jewellery has little inherent value because it is not usually made of precious metals or gems. Its value is not measured in a standardized way by stone size or metal karat, but rather by comparison to other sales in the market.

It is possible to comparison shops at antique malls, shows and on the internet. Using the search engines to find jewellery websites and browse the online auctions for what has SOLD can add to your understanding of what is selling well and at what price. It is amazing how much great information is online now! It is not definitive because there can be a wide variance between asking and selling prices, but it can give you general ideas about value. In the world of costume jewellery, remember that condition counts heavily. Damaged finish, missing or dull stones and broken parts drastically affect value.

There are many jewellery books, and they are fun to read and learn from. Please note the year in which the book was published, as desirability can change rapidly with the fluctuations of supply and demand, and with what's hot and what's not at any given time. They can help you with identification and jewellery history.

Beware of looking at the ASKING price on websites and auctions as a value guide. Anyone can price things too high, and the tale is told by CLOSED auctions, not be asking prices. This has been especially true lately when, for reasons obscure to me, asking unrealistically high prices seems to be a fad.

In the end, however, regardless of what "The Book" or “The Internet” says, what an insurance appraisal says, or what was on "The Antiques Road Show" your jewellery is worth only what someone is willing to pay you for it.

Contact us at info@jewellady.co.nz