Estate sales/auctions

[Queenie60]

Does anyone have experience with estate sales/auctions in relation to purchasing jewelry? Would like to know your experience and any advise you could give to me. This is an avenue that I may be interested in exploring. Look forward to some input.

 

[kenny]

I love estate sales, but they only last a couple days and aren't going to hold anything for you.
If you pass something up because you're not sure it's real or worth the price, the next person five minutes later may know more than you and snap it up.
They're not going to let you take it to an appraiser.

Never is it more important to learn all you can before shopping.
You have to know what you're looking at and make a decision, fast!

Obviously, bring a loupe and gobs of cash.
If you are not an expert on stones pay attention to the setting.
The 'finer' the metal the higher the changes are the stone is real.
By finer I mean 18K gold is finer than 10K and platinum is finer than gold.
0.925 means silver and it's exceeding rare a real diamond will be set in silver.

Look for inclusions.
If you see them the rock is more likely to be real.
There just aren't that many IF and VVS diamonds floating around.

Look at the edges of facets.
Diamond will have very sharp edges, whereas facets on glass will be more rounded.
Look at the prongs holding the stone.
Thin cheap-looking prongs are probably not holding a real diamond.

Google up how to spot single and double refraction ... one way a layperson can determine something is not real diamond.

Often prices are much lower on an estate sale's final day, but what you wanted may be gone.
If you're on the fence about a piece you may want to return the last day since it may be worth buying at a big discount.

 

[Queenie60]

I love estate sales, but they only last a couple days and aren't going to hold anything for you.
If you pass something up because you're not sure it's real or worth the price, the next person five minutes later may know more than you and snap it up.
They're not going to let you take it to an appraiser.

Never is it more important to learn all you can before shopping.
You have to know what you're looking at and make a decision, fast!

Obviously, bring a loupe and gobs of cash.
If you are not an expert on stones pay attention to the setting.
The 'finer' the metal the higher the changes are the stone is real.
By finer I mean 18K gold is finer than 10K and platinum is finer than gold.
0.925 means silver and it's exceeding rare a real diamond will be set in silver.

Look for inclusions.
If you see them the rock is more likely to be real.
There just aren't that many IF and VVS diamonds floating around.

Look at the edges of facets.
Diamond will have very sharp edges, whereas glass edges will be more rounded.
Look a the prongs holding the stone.
Thin cheap-looking prongs are probably not holding a real diamond.

Google up how to spot single and double refraction ... one way a layperson can determine something is not real diamond.

Often prices are much lower on an estate sale's final day, but what you wanted may be gone.
If you're on the fence about a piece you may want to return since it may be worth buying at a big discount.

Thank you Kenny, great advise. I met a lady last night and she purchases all of her stones from Estate Auctions, it's something I have been thinking about but don't know enough. What I saw was quite interesting. I'll do my research, attend a few auctions just to see how it works and bring a lot of cash with me. I have signed up for auction notifications in my area. Apparently there are quite a few, quite often. I appreciate your advise.

 

[kenny]

You're welcome.

I want to add, the advice I gave is very low-level.
Before spending the big bucks you need to acquire way more knowledge than I have.

 

[azstonie]

I've gone to several auctions and found that most of the goods were subpar at worst and mediocre at best. I saw a bidding war erupt over amethyst while a platinum and diamond bracelet went for peanuts, after which the auctioneer kept the auctioned items in the lowet quality jewelry category. This was Brighton Auctions. The preview 1 hour before auction was mobbed, there were no certs or stats available.

One comment re platinum---it gets weak as it ages and its somewhat soft to start with. You can lose stones out of really old pieces.