CASHING IN ON YOUR
UNWANTED, OLD OR BROKEN JEWELRY
It’s that time of year again: the time for decluttering, donating and, discovering pieces of jewelry that have gotten buried or simply forgotten. Take stock of your jewelry collection and determine what you want, what you wear and what you simply don’t like anymore. It's also a good time to take stock of what may need repair or updating. Most people haven’t done anything like this for years, or ever!
Place All Your Jewelry Where You Can See It
Being able to see everything you have at the same time will help you make decisions. Lay it all onto a flat surface and divide by categories; earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces etc.
Separate Gold, Silver and Platinum from Costume Jewelry
Gold, silver and platinum jewelry is often purchased for its long-lasting value. However, the value of Costume Jewelry is subject to changing fashion trends. In fact, your “Costume Jewelry” may indeed have elements of precious metals. Gold, silver and platinum all bring strong dollars and if you decide to sell an unwanted piece you could reap a substantial return on your original purchase.
Look for Missing, Broken or Unwanted Earrings
Although your earrings started out as a pair, somehow, they don’t always remain that way (like socks). It’s easy to misplace, break or lose one. Take a good look at the pairs that remain. Styles change and there may be some that you no longer want to wear. Still these unwanted items take up space in your jewelry box. Once you’ve identified the missing or broken ones as well as those you never seem to wear, separate them. Some may be able to be re-purposed or used for new designs. Others may have value as trade or scrapped for metal content.
Droopy Earrings and Earring Backs
Often a pair of earrings simply does not look as good as it could if they aren’t positioned correctly on your ears. Occasionally, the position of the post or wires can be repositioned. Often the earring backs are not tight enough or are simply too small to handle the weight of the earring. There are many new products we sell for earrings that seem to fall forward on your ear while also addressing the issues of piercings that are stretched or too large.
Look for Broken or Unwanted Bracelets
Although it’s hard to replace a lost earring, it might be cost-effective to fix a broken bracelet. If you like a bracelet that’s worn out or shoddy looking, you should get an estimate for repair or restoration. A new one is a lot more than an effective fix. Come in for a free, no obligation estimate.
Check Necklaces
Repairing a broken chain or favorite necklace is often easy. We can usually replace a clasp or solder broken links without much difficulty or expense. If you have gold chains or other necklaces you’re not likely to wear, place them in the sell or donate piles that you’re accumulating. Unwanted gold chains are among the items we can get a decent price for its scrap value, depending upon weight.
Take a Close Look at Your Rings
First, separate out the rings you no longer like or don’t seem to wear. Place these in your sell or donation group. Usually it’s the setting style that doesn’t stand the test of time. Remounting diamonds, even smaller baguette stones or colored gemstones into more a contemporary setting is worth pursuing. We can take an old stone and make it new and fashionable once again.
Also, take a close look at the prongs on all your rings. You may want a magnifying glass for this or simply stop by and we can do it for you. Prongs can be bent, broken or missing, putting your precious gem in jeopardy of falling out. Missing stones can often be replaced with ones of similar size, shape and color. And along with a good polish and cleaning, we can make that ring look new again.
Sizing is another factor in safeguarding your rings. A loose ring can be easily resized. A tight ring can be torture to get on and off, which may be one reason why it’s no longer being worn. Resizing is always a cost-effective option and you may rediscover an old favorite.
Take Inventory of Your Brooches and Pins
At one time pins were very popular. Of course, Madelyn Albright and Barbara Walters would argue that they still are. Some pins can be converted into a pendant or necklace achieving an attractive and stylish new look. If you no longer wear your brooches it may be time to sell, donate or repurpose these cherished or heirloom pieces.
Antique Jewelry
These pieces may or may not have strong memories for you. Passing them to the next generation is a time-honored practice but, don’t be surprised if there is little interest in wearing something that is decades old and now out of style. Antique jewelry is often prized for unique gems and unusual settings. These pieces need to be identified correctly and possibly appraised. With the right information you’ll be able to gift them as you like or again consider redesigning or selling them.
Watches
High quality and brand name watches are often passed to family members. But if your watches need to be repaired or are simply out of style, consider selling them. Frequently the cases are made of gold, particularly older and smaller lady’s models. You may be able to find the gold mark or have us look for it in the store. If you have a quartz-style, battery-operated watch that has stopped working, it’s important to have the old batteries replaced whether you are wearing them or not. An old battery can leak and forever damage the mechanism.
Next, It's Time to Visit Glen Moscoe Jewelers
We offer repair services, custom design and written appraisals for insurance, estate and cash liquidation value. Free verbal identifications are always available, and we will gladly help sort through your things in our new, private conference room. We have a wonderful selection of high-quality jewelry and a wide selection of loose diamonds, colored stones and settings. We can buy your unwanted items or offer a generous credit toward a new purchase.