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Ebay for vintage jewelry/diamonds?

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Upgradable

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
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How many of you vintage lovers see ebay as a reasonable venue for nice pieces? Do you have other favorite places to shop? Please share your experiences.

I have never been shy to share my love for vintage diamonds and some of my really great finds with fellow Pricescopers. Because I live in what many consider rural America, I don''t see many other options for a real selection of antique pieces, although I do have a local jeweler who always pulls out his vintage cuts for me to see. Luckily, I''ve never had an overtly bad experience. I make sure the seller has an acceptable return policy or don''t bid more than I''m willing to loose. I''d love to hear what others think.
 
I have bought pieces with gemstones and never for diamonds. I think I am to picky for that...however, I would not pass up a good deal if I found one on there, if there was a good return policy.
 
I have bought off ebay even relatively important pieces (a few $1000) without problems. However I think I never got any real bargains because I am very selective about the dealers - which unfortunately means they know what they''ve got much better than me. Still paid 20-40% less than retail, and well below half of "new" price (where you could still get the piece made).
 
I expect the pickings on Ebay to get exponentially better this year since there is so much need to reliquify family balance sheets and get out of debt. People still seem unrealistic on pricing but I expect that to get better too.
 
Yes - but not diamonds.

I picked up two gorgeous strings of Mikimoto pearls for next to nothing. The Mikimoto store in New Bond Street restrung them for me, dated them to the 1940s and valued them at well over 20 times what I paid for them. I spotted the hallmarks - the vendor didn''t recognise them.

Also picked up lots of victorian and edwardian pieces for good prices.

I put a LOT of hours in every week - bargains are few and far between.
 
I have bought items from melonypino--- can''t remember her store name.... she posts lots on Ebay. I bought a vintage 1 carat OEC for a great price.
 
I love Melony''s pieces, but they always seem extraordinarily overpriced!
 
I was on a vintage watch kick, and I bought a couple off ebay. It can be a great source for hard to find and/or interesting pieces.


I found the parts for this watch separately, had them refurbished, and pieced them together. It cost much less than buying from an antique dealer. Plus, it was a fun project. I spent a fair amount of time hunting on ebay-- I like the hunt.
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bwatch311.jpg
 
Coati, that watch is beautiful!! I agree.... the search is soo much fun!
 
I love to watch ebay, too, although I look more for designer items, not necessarily antique. I am happy to get a new (or like new) designer piece at 25-50% off. I''ve only done this a couple of times, but I watch for particular items that I want. I''ve gotten some $600 Roberto Coin hoops for $300 and a $650. David Yurman Tahitian pearl pendant for $475. That may not be the deal of a century, but it is so much better than paying full retail!
 
I adore ebay. I''ve gotten some wonderful antique jewelry there, mostly Victorian pieces. Prices are best when the seller is an individual reducing her collection, for example, or selling something she inherited and doesn''t like. And there are some pawn-shop-type sellers that go for high turnover with low prices, too. But the sellers who specialize in the type of jewelry you''re looking for often have higher prices (Melonypina is an example of that; also, I believe she has a lousy return policy).

If you try to get bargains by buying from individuals who may not know much about what they''re selling, you have to really know what to look for or you''re likely to end up making some bad buys.

I''ve noticed prices starting to come down, but I bet they''ll come down a lot further...
 
You would not believe the things I've gotten off of ebay. About six years ago I went on a pearl splurge. At that time I purchased a full strand of very high luster Tahitian pearls with rare multi-colors for probably one sixth of what I would pay retail. I also have a very copper bronze, pastachio colored Tahitian pearl 18K and diamond lariat of fine quality, for again, probably one fifth of what I would pay in retail. I've worn them to jewelry stores where they sell pearls, like the Tiffany owned Irridesce, and they gawked at them. I also purchased a gorgeous single blue grey Tahitian pearl and it's very large (12 mm) and I had it set in a ring, again gawked at. I also purchased a drop dead gorgeous high quality freshwater multicolor pearl neckace from the same dealer. I love pearls, so I found a great dealer on the site, "pearlsource", but his prices went up since. Check out his webstore www.thepearlsource.com. Still good prices!!

These are not vintage pieces, but they do represent some of the astounding values ebay has to offer. I purchased many natural colored diamonds off of ebay years ago, and they were really inexpensive back then, before colored diamond prices went up. I still think ebay has some great values on vintage diamonds. I also purchased a 24 karat gold bracelet that weighs about three ounces for about one fifth of what I would pay retail. I also have a platinum ring that weighs almost an ounce that again, I got a great deal on. I like large pieces of jewelry. The bracelet is so heavy, it leaves indentations in my wrist, but I love it. It's buttery yellow.

Here's my lariat, and the pearl colors are much more vibrant in real life.

lariatpist2.jpg
 
Date: 12/30/2008 12:44:02 PM
Author: Upgradable
I love Melony''s pieces, but they always seem extraordinarily overpriced!
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HI:

Agreed. I know folks rave about Dover, but I also think they are "costly"......

cheers--Sharon
 
I spend a lot of time looking at vintage pieces on eBay, but haven''t bought. The best places I''ve found for buying vintage jewelry (I stick to rings) is pawn shops. I have a couple in this area that I favor and I''ve gotten some sweet deals. I usually have something in mind that I''m looking for but I keep an open mind. If I find something that I like, but I''m not sure about the price, I ask the store to hold it for me and then I try to compare prices online.

Of course, buying jewelry this way does create some issues. None of the diamonds are certified; most of the time, that doesn''t bother me because the diamonds I buy are small. Sizing is an issue, so if a ring doesn''t fit perfectly, I have to add in a possible resizing cost and figure out if I''m still getting a good deal. I usually have to look at a lot of junk before I find something I love. I''m ok with all of this because it''s like a treasure hunt for me and I have a tiny collection of pretty cool rings.

For kicks, I''ve attached a collage of pics of several of my finds. From the top left, there''s the 5 stone 14K white gold ring (approx. 1/2 ct.), an 18K filigree ring with a 10 pt. diamond, my little baby engagement ring with a diamond that''s about 10 pt., and then the 5 stone ring with my engagement ring and an anniversary band. We''ve been engaged for over 3 years, so I have no wedding band, but I keep stacking other rings with my ering.

ringcollage2.gif
 
Date: 12/30/2008 2:45:13 PM
Author: Upgradable
Coati, that watch is beautiful!! I agree.... the search is soo much fun!
Click to expand...

Thanks! It''s very easy to go a little ocd over there--in the searching. There''s just so much stuff. I also like foraging, because it''s recycling--less waste is always a good thing, eh? ...or just a good excuse to buy more jewelry.
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Date: 12/31/2008 10:55:44 AM
Author: coatimundi

Date: 12/30/2008 2:45:13 PM
Author: Upgradable
Coati, that watch is beautiful!! I agree.... the search is soo much fun!
Click to expand...

Thanks! It''s very easy to go a little ocd over there--in the searching. There''s just so much stuff. I also like foraging, because it''s recycling--less waste is always a good thing, eh? ...or just a good excuse to buy more jewelry.
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Click to expand...
There is SOOOOO much of me in your last statement!!!! I also have an inside joke with my daughter. We say "Go green, wear vintage diamonds!" And ocd..... I''ve been in a loop the last two days combining different search criteria in different categories just to see what I can find. I think I currently have 26 items on my watch list! And there is a oec that ends in about six hours that is lovely. I so want a PSer to buy it. I have a link to it in Rocky Talk. I''m sick...... SICK, I say!!!
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Only 26? I currently have 81 items on my watch list!
 
I bought my 3.55 ct OEC off eBay. They described it as a 3.40 ct M / SI1. It is actually a 3.55 ct M / VS2 (with a teeny chip as the grader- w/out chip it would be IF). Though it was a stressful few days waiting for it to arrive, I did get a crazy good deal on it. Seller was JewelsWeBuy, a RL jeweler located in Florida.

I also got a 1 ct OEC, which was as described.

I''ve also purchased about 8 Art Deco platinum (and a few gold) & diamond watches. All were as described, amazingly enough. Those I took more risks on since I only once paid more than $200 for one.

So actually as far as jewelry purchases on ebay go, I haven''t had any problems. There is a method to my madness of course. Make sure the seller has good feedback, of course. Then make sure there is a return policy- sometimes you can negotiate one if there is not one listed on their auction. Also I try to ask some sort of question, mostly to get a feel of whether they''re responsive and friendly. And if it''s something over $500 or $1K, I usually ask for an extra pic of some angle or other, just as an added check to make sure they really have the item... which is a bit paranoid of me but hey... it''s eBay! And also I pester them about shipping, asking the seller not to write "jewelry" or "diamonds" on the package and to insure it properly.

Nevertheless I still get nervous over high end purchases.

(Don''t ask about all the sterling and French art glass. Really.)
 
Date: 12/31/2008 11:33:53 AM
Author: Upgradable
Date: 12/31/2008 10:55:44 AM

Author: coatimundi


Date: 12/30/2008 2:45:13 PM

Author: Upgradable

Coati, that watch is beautiful!! I agree.... the search is soo much fun!
Click to expand...


Thanks! It''s very easy to go a little ocd over there--in the searching. There''s just so much stuff. I also like foraging, because it''s recycling--less waste is always a good thing, eh? ...or just a good excuse to buy more jewelry.
27.gif
Click to expand...

There is SOOOOO much of me in your last statement!!!! I also have an inside joke with my daughter. We say ''Go green, wear vintage diamonds!'' And ocd..... I''ve been in a loop the last two days combining different search criteria in different categories just to see what I can find. I think I currently have 26 items on my watch list! And there is a oec that ends in about six hours that is lovely. I so want a PSer to buy it. I have a link to it in Rocky Talk. I''m sick...... SICK, I say!!!
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Click to expand...

Wish I could be the PS''er to buy it! All my funds are going elsewhere--sad! sad! It''s a lovely stone. I say the same thing to DH--"It''s ethical to wear old stones!" I''m in a search loop right now too. I actually just cleaned out my watch list--too clogged! haha I wonder if we are watching some of the same things! I''m not buying right now--well, that''s what I tell myself...
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I''m sure we probably are!!

My newest coupe is the GIA certed L VS2 oec I bought for $400!! I felt so bad for the seller!!!!
 
Well done! That ring is going to be so cool--don'tcha love piecing things together?
 
Oh I lurve to ogle the old stones on eBay. Question to all you experts-what search terms do you use? I notice that some people post lovely OECs around here that I never came across, so I was curious. Upgradable I wish I could buy the one you posted! It is TDF.
 
I usually use combination of these search terms in All Categories:
vintage diamond
antique diamond
old diamond
old european diamond
euro diamond
oec diamond
mine cut diamond
miner diamond
old mine diamond
old cut diamond

I actually feel more confident buying diamonds on ebay than colored stones. Less variables or ability to "fake" the stone.
 
thanks! Very helpful!
 
Holy carp!!! Is that gorgeous, or what?!?! How have I missed the seller?

Have you asked them for closer pictures of the piece? The color and clarity are stated, but are the modern RB or vintage cuts? Is there any type of cert or appraisal. Their feedback is impeccible and their return policy sounds great, but I''d want a closer look.

As for Best Offer, depending on the above, I''d maybe go as high as $3500.
 
That''s good to hear. I was considering offering 4-4.5K but I''ll go lower to what you say and move up a little, depending.

I need this ring like I need another head but I really realy love it.
 
No, I haven't contacted them yet. From the pic they look like either transitionals or rb's but if it's a true antique, they probably aren't rbs. This is a sickness. LOL

OMG that mounting. I am going to have to kill you.
 
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