Does brand matter for pearl value resale?

[Mayacamus]

Hello,
I am interested in purchasing a strand of pearls, and I have a resale question. I know that Mikimoto pearls are more expensive because of the brand but if I decided in the future to resale the strand would a Mikimoto strand have a higher value?

Thank you
Maya

 

[GliderPoss]

Hmm... I would think any established, reputable brand would hold it's value but beware most jewellery does not increase in value as such unless it's exceptional (ie. natural sea pearls, or has special famous provenance etc)

 

[MissStepcut]

Hmm... I would think any established, reputable brand would hold it's value but beware most jewellery does not increase in value as such unless it's exceptional (ie. natural sea pearls, or has special famous provenance etc)

And I think pearls do even worse on the secondary market than other jewelry for a variety of reasons!

This is sort of a tough question to answer. I think if someone bought Mikimotos vs non branded pearls they would lose a smaller percentage of the value (maybe 20-40% for the Mikis and possibly more than 50% for the non brand) but after paying such a premium for the Mikis they’re probably still out more money on net.

 

[pearlsngems]

Pearls are soft and do not tend to hold their value on resale. I think when it comes to pearls it's best not to buy with resale in mind.
You always lose money.

That being said, if you look at sold listings of pearls on eBay, the Mikimotos always seem to bring a higher price than no-name pearls. People seem to be willing to pay more for the name. This doesn't entirely make sense to me since Mikimoto sells different grades of pearls. Not all their pearls are the best of the best.

 

[ennui]

Unless you're Elizabeth Taylor buying La Peregrina and Cartier, jewelry is a very poor investment. Buy it for your own pleasure. Even precious metals take a hit.

 

[lambskin]

I never make a jewelry purchase and think about resale. I have kept everything I have bought and as each piece was selectively chosen and I would be hard pressed to sell any of my pieces. I do not have many pieces so what I have I plan to keep and pass down to my daughters.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Tiffany's has very nice pearls. Yes, you are paying a premium for the brand name, BUT if you decide to resale down the line, that's one brand that holds its value fairly well. I have some top notch Mikimoto earrings and also some Tiffany's ones and the luster on both of them far exceeds other brands I've seen. I'm not a an expert on pearls, but I do have a fairly keen eye for visual nuances because I'm in a line of work where I use my visual acuity for long stretches of time each day.

 

[AV_]

Iconic items from brands have their own markets; I haven't heard of pearls, but this is not my turf... VCA MOP is sort of related! (attempted humour)


Natural pearls are something else; I have met only one person buying anything of consequence, and few classic pearls; yet there is allot more & I do love them...

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I never make a jewelry purchase and think about resale. I have kept everything I have bought and as each piece was selectively chosen and I would be hard pressed to sell any of my pieces. I do not have many pieces so what I have I plan to keep and pass down to my daughters.

i am available for adoption