Selling Jewelry to Fund Other projects. Your thoughts.

[Gypsy]

So I want a couple of pieces I''''m been thinking about, and designing (doodling). And I was looking at metal prices and then looked at all my very high carat (22K) gold pieces, that I never wear (that are heirlooms), that are also hefty and would bring in a pretty penny.

Problem is the one set I am most willing to sell is the only piece I have from my paternal grandfather. It is definitely heirloom. But it would bring me enough to get a diamond tennis bracelet. It is a necklace, bracelet and earring set, very heavy all gold. That still leaves me with another set of high carat gold (22K), that I will not sell.

I don''''t have kids or plan to have them. And no one from my fathers side will ever be inheriting anything from me. So... it''''s mine. And what history these is... is not a good memory.

Should I do it? And if I do... who do I sell it to? Anyone that specializes in vintage highend yellow gold jewelry?

And I also have a necklace and earring set I got for my wedding I just don''''t wear. And I would love to use that to partially fund my RHR project.

Pure metal pieces, no stone. Really lovely 18K.

 

[m00sie]

Tough call

For me personally, even if I never ever wore the jewellery, I would still keep it for its sentimental value. Once you sell it, you can''t get it back....

Thats just me though

Can you wait until you have the $$? I know waiting is a pain in the bum, but at least you wouldn''t have to sacrifice heirloom pieces.

 

[ma re]

I know it''s not an easy decision, but if there''s something that you never wear and that you never will wear, I really don''t see a point in keeping it. Jewellery is supposed to be worn and enjoyed, and not a reminder of bad memories that you "have to hold on to" cause people (whom you barely know) say so. And even if you do sell it, it doesen''t mean that you''ve sold the connection to your ancestors, cause the money you get for it will go into funding a new piece, which can represent a new chapter in your life. That new piece can also remind you of your family just as much as that previous one, but this one you''d actually enjoy wearing.

There''s my point of view, but in the end it all comes down to your call.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

If the jewelry holds bad memories, I don''t really see the sentimental value in keeping them. Not knowing the history between you, your family and your grandfather, I would say to hold onto them if there''s good memories behind the piece, and if there isn''t, sell them.

 

[Phoenix]

I too think that it''s a tough call.

So the set from yr paternal grandmother, you said it''s not associated with good history? I''m not trying to pry or anything but if it doesn''t make you happy, I *may* consider selling it, but I''m still not too sure abt it.

The wedding set, though, is a different thing, IMHO. I wouldn''t sell it.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

If having the jewelry didn''t make me happy in any way then I wouldn''t keep it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[lknvrb4]

Last year I sold a bunch of rings I never wore that were all from ex''s. The jewelry store that bought them was paying top dollar and even offered to double what they offered me in cash towards a store credit. It was before Christmas so I took the cash, now I wish I would have taken the store credit.

 

[chrono]

I have inherited many 22kt gold pieces from both sides of the family with no intention of ever wearing them because it is impractical to be sporting a 50g bracelet on my wrist and other huge pieces of jewellery. Aside from the no one to pass it down situation that you have, I would not sell them. Part of the value of these pieces isn’t just the pure metal itself but its workmanship and vintage. Once sold, you can never replicate it. Even if they have bad memories associated with them, the next person you pass it down to will not be aware of its history. I have no qualms about getting rid of 14kt gold jewellery that are of a more common and modern design but not something obviously vintage and impossible to purchase today. I would prefer to save up my own money for the RHR project.

 

[Allison D.]

As described in your situation, I''d sell them.

I am plenty sentimental about some things, but for me, sentimentality comes from a warm, affectionate place and not a place of obligation.

There''s no one you''ll pass them to. You''ll never wear them. They don''t even evoke warm memories. As described, they are simply a set of old things with no emotional meaning to you. For me, that would be a ''sell'' decision.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:43:46 AM
Author: Allison D.
There''s no one you''ll pass them to. You''ll never wear them. They don''t even evoke warm memories. As described, they are simply a set of old things with no emotional meaning to you. For me, that would be a ''sell'' decision.

This.

If you feel you will regret selling them down the road, though, sit on the idea for awhile and see how you feel about it.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 3/8/2010 4:41:22 AM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
If the jewelry holds bad memories, I don''t really see the sentimental value in keeping them. Not knowing the history between you, your family and your grandfather, I would say to hold onto them if there''s good memories behind the piece, and if there isn''t, sell them.

Ditto. No reason to keep it if it doesn''t hold good memories for you, but I would absolutely keep any heirloom jewelry that was from someone I had good memories of.

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:57:17 AM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 3/8/2010 4:41:22 AM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
If the jewelry holds bad memories, I don''t really see the sentimental value in keeping them. Not knowing the history between you, your family and your grandfather, I would say to hold onto them if there''s good memories behind the piece, and if there isn''t, sell them.

Ditto. No reason to keep it if it doesn''t hold good memories for you, but I would absolutely keep any heirloom jewelry that was from someone I had good memories of.

Agreed

 

[kayla.tastikk]

+1

 

[Sizzle]

I think if the stuff does not mean anything to you, and there will be no guilt, sell it! Why keep it, get stuff you enjoy and start to live. It can live the life of a legacy for someone else''s family.. and whoever gets your diamond bracelet in the future can be told the tale of how you go after what you want!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:43:46 AM
Author: Allison D.
As described in your situation, I''d sell them.

I am plenty sentimental about some things, but for me, sentimentality comes from a warm, affectionate place and not a place of obligation.

There''s no one you''ll pass them to. You''ll never wear them. They don''t even evoke warm memories. As described, they are simply a set of old things with no emotional meaning to you. For me, that would be a ''sell'' decision.

Big ditto.

 

[decodelighted]

I''d be inclined to sell. But w/all the introspection & life analysis & stuff you''ve got going on right now -- maybe it would be prudent to wait until you''re feeling more settled before selling something you *might* regret. Is there a less expensive project that wouldn''t require a sizable "funding" to work on maybe? I don''t mean to mingle thread topics. Sometimes its just difficult to comment on one knowing what''s going on in others.

 

[somethingshiny]

I sold my original wedding ring wrap to fund another. I didn''t wear it, had no intentions of wearing it, and even though I have kids, I didn''t intend on keeping it for 20 years for someone who may or may not want it anyway. So, I used it towards new ring that I wear all the time and love. I''m not as sentimentally attached to items if I don''t actually get joy out of them.

If you can do it with no regrets, go for it!

 

[lulu]

Absolutely I would sell. There''s no point in hanging on to jewelry you don''t wear or like just because it''s heirloom.

 

[gemgirl]

I sold 85 grams of gold two years ago at pennyweight prices (at a local jeweler''s) to fund my seven stone band from Fortunoff. All I had to pay for my new ring was the tax and that made me very happy because I sold a half sandwich bag of gold that I knew I''d never wear and was just taking up space in my drawers.

Pennyweight is really not the way to go. Even with today''s inflated gold prices, what jewelers give people for "used" gold is really pitiful (and they make it sound like you''re getting such a deal). To me, selling gold for scrap is kind of insulting (because of many jewelers schtick during the process) and it''s unlikely that I''ll ever do that again.

I did recently however, sell about six pieces of jewelry on eBay to fund my BGD pendant project. I was happy about that and never looked back. I''m going to do it again too to fund my fishtail band project. I call it "recycling".

If you think you won''t miss a piece or two, then sell it on eBay. It''s a little hard to do and you have to have patience since everyone who shops eBay wants to pay garage sale prices for even the best new merchandise, but it''s better than scrap.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

If you don''t have any fond memories or emotional attachment, why not sell and fund new projects? I''m kind of in the same boat as you. The pieces that do have emotional attachment - like my mother''s eng. diamond, I had reset to fit my current style. The rest is mostly gold sitting in a small pile while I weigh the pros/cons.

In your shoes, go for it!

 

[Maisie]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:43:46 AM
Author: Allison D.
As described in your situation, I''d sell them.

I am plenty sentimental about some things, but for me, sentimentality comes from a warm, affectionate place and not a place of obligation.

There''s no one you''ll pass them to. You''ll never wear them. They don''t even evoke warm memories. As described, they are simply a set of old things with no emotional meaning to you. For me, that would be a ''sell'' decision.

I agree with Allison too.

 

[yssie]

Not a good memory? Then by all means, get rid of it and get yourself something you'll love, cherish, and think fondly of.

 

[isaku5]

Date: 3/8/2010 2:45:00 PM
Author: yssie
Not a good memory? Then by all means, get rid of it and get yourself something you''ll love, cherish, and think fondly of.

I absolutely agree. Based on your negative sentiment regarding this piece/these pieces, I''d sell them.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 3/8/2010 12:46:55 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 3/8/2010 11:43:46 AM
Author: Allison D.
As described in your situation, I''d sell them.

I am plenty sentimental about some things, but for me, sentimentality comes from a warm, affectionate place and not a place of obligation.

There''s no one you''ll pass them to. You''ll never wear them. They don''t even evoke warm memories. As described, they are simply a set of old things with no emotional meaning to you. For me, that would be a ''sell'' decision.

Big ditto.

Yuppers!!!

Jewelry is meant to be worn and enjoyed. If it''s just going to sit there... get rid of it!

 

[Lilac]

My first reaction was that I would *never* sell any heirloom piece of jewelry even if I would never wear it.

But then I read the rest of your post and changed my mind. If the jewelry holds no sentimental value to you, and even has *bad* memories associated with it, then I think you should definitely sell it. Buy something you will wear every day and will love!

 

[packrat]

I agree, if there''s no sentimental value there, and it won''t be passed on, sell it and get something you''ll love!

 

[LGK]

Yeah, I vote sell too in the situation you describe. And depending on the memories, it may even feel kinda good to sell it- like getting rid of baggage, you know?

 

[manderz]

I also vote sell. I''ve done the same, though it was not heirloom pieces that I sold.

 

[Gypsy]

Argh. I may ask Langs or another anitque place around here about it. Pennyweight isn''t ideal.

And Deco, that''s a good point. Maybe holding off isn''t a bad idea, but I might do the research and see what I can get for it and where, and make the decision from there. Chrono, you have a point about the workmanship, etc. But at the same time... I look at them and... I''m not tied emotionally to them the way I am my other my 22K set. And well, I just keep thinking I''d like another piece in place of it. One with nice memories.

 

[kama_s]

Date: 3/8/2010 10:07:20 PM
Author: Gypsy
Argh. I may ask Langs or another anitque place around here about it. Pennyweight isn''t ideal.

And Deco, that''s a good point. Maybe holding off isn''t a bad idea, but I might do the research and see what I can get for it and where, and make the decision from there. Chrono, you have a point about the workmanship, etc. But at the same time... I look at them and... I''m not tied emotionally to them the way I am my other my 22K set. And well, I just keep thinking I''d like another piece in place of it. One with nice memories.

I received several 22K heavy yellow gold sets at my wedding. I plan to sell most of it down the road, becasue they''re all associated with awful memories (they were my mother''s). The only few pieces I''m keeping are some from when I was really young and watched my mum put those pieces on before heading to a dinner party. And my grandma''s wedding set. The rest is off to be melted.

What I would suggest, however, would be to find a way to sell your gold somewhere in the Middle East/India. Dubai has a pretty awesome gold exchange rate, and in India it costs THE SAME to buy or sell gold! Last year, my mum sold some of the crappy 24K gold she received at her wedding and bought a diamond tennis chain, bracelet and earrings with it.