How to Sell Estate Jewelry

These days, estate, or vintage jewelry, has become increasingly popular due to its collectability, unique aesthetics, and retro designs. Vintage jewelry dating all the way back to the Georgian era is exceedingly rare, hard to find, and, as such, is extremely sought after. The price of a given piece of vintage jewelry depends on a number of factors including the materials used in making the jewelry, as well as its history and its nostalgic value. For example, jewelry set with precious metals and precious gemstones, intricately designed and well-made would be have a higher value than jewelry made with semi-precious metals, mounted with semi-precious gemstones, glass beads or inexpensive birthstones, poorly crafted or simply designed. In addition, the jewelry's past owners or history can directly impact the item's value. For instance, if the jewelry was previously owned by a famous Hollywood actress, a socialite or a member of the royal family, it would be considered a highly collectible and valuable piece of jewelry.
Here are a few useful tips on how to successfully sell estate jewelry:

The first step in selling estate jewelry is having the various pieces appraised by a licensed jeweler, experienced in working with pieces vintage of vintage jewelry. The appraisal will give you a rough estimate of the jewelry's worth, which will help you to determine the pieces' asking prices.
After you've had your estate jewelry appraised, I recommend taking the pieces in to a local jeweler for a little care and maintenance. Ask your jeweler to inspect your vintage pieces for loose settings, loose gemstones, or possible damages which may be apparent on the jewelry's metal surfaces. An experienced jeweler should be able to easily detect any imperfections. Have him/her repair and tighten loose settings, buff out scratches and dents and thoroughly clean the jewelry. The jeweler will verify that your estate jewelry is fit to be sold.
Now that you're all set to sell your vintage jewelry, you have a number of mediums available to you. The first being a local auction house. If your vintage jewelry is of sufficient quality and value then an auction house will agree to sell your jewelry off for you. However, auction houses may charge a percentage of your sales as a handling and brokering fee. If you are unwilling to pay the auction houses' handling fees then perhaps you should consider selling your estate jewelry at online auction houses such as eBay.com, Bidz.com, etc. Online auction sites will allow you to electronically monitor the bidding and the sale of all of your items in a direct and simple way. Another option is to try and sell your vintage jewelry to local pawn shops or antique shops. This is where your jewelry appraisal comes in handy. By having your vintage pieces pre-appraised, you'll know the precise value of your jewelry, which will stop local proprietors from low-balling you with their offers.
When selling estate jewelry, it is important that the pieces come equipped with a carbon copy of the jewelry appraisal and a GIA or AGS approved a certificate, or a letter of authentication.