It was always my understanding that many jewelry stores pay about a 1/4 of the retail price and sell the piece for 40-50% off the retail price.
Bad experience...so upset !
- Thread starter zibeline91
- Start date
agreed. i think your best bet for a decent return on your "investment" is through eBay. i hate to say it, but everybody thus far is correct about designer jewelry. it truly means nothing in the jeweler world.
Yes, Ebay and sometimes people do okay on Craigslist (but there you have to take precautions for your safety if you are going to meet up with a stranger).
It can't be repeated enough that you should only buy things that you like and can afford--and 'afford' means that you have savings in MONEY for emergencies and for the future and no credit card debt that you couldn't pay off if you lost your job, in these iffy times.
designer names mean nothing unless the item is currently desirable (and even then you will get less, especially if going through a third party); gold is only worth the scrap value (and often there's not much gold in pricey designer items); colored gemstones generally do not re-sell unless you are the Duchess of Windsor's estate and there is a provenance and most diamonds also are worth nothing on the secondary market. Literally NOTHING. It's an education to go to the pawn shop and see all the diamond rings lined up for cheap, including some very nice ones. with an appraisal they go for a little bit more than nothing. With an AGS or GIA cert, if its a desirable quality (G, H and above, VS and above) you MIGHT get 50% what the current going price is. You MIGHT, if you have time to look around and find the right venue. Most often, the jeweller you bought it from only wants to take it back if you are doing 'trade-up'--and believe me, they make $$$ on the trade-up.
Most often, jewelry I don't want anymore, I give it to someone else, either a friend or in the family, then somebody is still enjoying it and I'm not aggravated by the peanut amount I would get offered trying to sell it. I have some solid gold (22k and 24K) that I bought for not much more than scrap value, by weight and maybe in an emergency, if the gold price was high, I would get something for it . IF the gold price was high. I can remember when gold was $200/oz, not so long ago. It's getting so high now that I think it might be a bubble, due for a crash, when it will be worth nothing again.
Jewelry can be worth a little bit, unlike old clothes (even designer) and handbags, but it still is nothing to depend on, even for re-sale to get something else. I buy it because I enjoy it (and have other savings). I enjoy the sentiment a lot (my DH gave me this, my grandmother left me that) and hope to pass it on one day to people who love me and will enjoy the sentiment. Jewelry becomes VERY valuable, when you can say, like Prince william just did to Kate, "I'm giving you my mom's engagement ring because I love you so much and I loved her and its a way of making her part of our love for each other, even though she's dead)--even if Mom had a 1/3 carat K color I1 diamond that would sell for $250 including the ring, in the pawnshop, instead of a giant sapphire surrounded by diamonds. (More valuable, if Dad, unlike Prince charles, bought it with love).
It can't be repeated enough that you should only buy things that you like and can afford--and 'afford' means that you have savings in MONEY for emergencies and for the future and no credit card debt that you couldn't pay off if you lost your job, in these iffy times.
designer names mean nothing unless the item is currently desirable (and even then you will get less, especially if going through a third party); gold is only worth the scrap value (and often there's not much gold in pricey designer items); colored gemstones generally do not re-sell unless you are the Duchess of Windsor's estate and there is a provenance and most diamonds also are worth nothing on the secondary market. Literally NOTHING. It's an education to go to the pawn shop and see all the diamond rings lined up for cheap, including some very nice ones. with an appraisal they go for a little bit more than nothing. With an AGS or GIA cert, if its a desirable quality (G, H and above, VS and above) you MIGHT get 50% what the current going price is. You MIGHT, if you have time to look around and find the right venue. Most often, the jeweller you bought it from only wants to take it back if you are doing 'trade-up'--and believe me, they make $$$ on the trade-up.
Most often, jewelry I don't want anymore, I give it to someone else, either a friend or in the family, then somebody is still enjoying it and I'm not aggravated by the peanut amount I would get offered trying to sell it. I have some solid gold (22k and 24K) that I bought for not much more than scrap value, by weight and maybe in an emergency, if the gold price was high, I would get something for it . IF the gold price was high. I can remember when gold was $200/oz, not so long ago. It's getting so high now that I think it might be a bubble, due for a crash, when it will be worth nothing again.
Jewelry can be worth a little bit, unlike old clothes (even designer) and handbags, but it still is nothing to depend on, even for re-sale to get something else. I buy it because I enjoy it (and have other savings). I enjoy the sentiment a lot (my DH gave me this, my grandmother left me that) and hope to pass it on one day to people who love me and will enjoy the sentiment. Jewelry becomes VERY valuable, when you can say, like Prince william just did to Kate, "I'm giving you my mom's engagement ring because I love you so much and I loved her and its a way of making her part of our love for each other, even though she's dead)--even if Mom had a 1/3 carat K color I1 diamond that would sell for $250 including the ring, in the pawnshop, instead of a giant sapphire surrounded by diamonds. (More valuable, if Dad, unlike Prince charles, bought it with love).
I have to completely agree with the ladies. You are definitely paying for the name. I have learned to only buy what I love. If you end up selling it later on, which I have, you have to realize you are not going to get anywhere what you paid. I have taken multiple losses on things. I guess you live and you learn. Trust me it can be heartbreaking though. It sometimes is worth keeping them or selling them on ebay and just saving for the item you want. I agree too with AnutaNY not all designer jewelry is a lost cause.
]Not all of the designer jewelry is a lost cause. Van Cleef sold well at the last NY Christie's though... The final realized prices + buyer's premium on alhambra necklaces were close to retail levels, but I am not sure what is the Christie's cut is.[/QUOTE]
I was trying to buy at that auction. These high prices really happen very infrequently. This was someones collection so the buyers were out. These were the necklaces with many motifs.
Between buyers & seller premiums, Chrisities could of made up to 45%. 25% from buyers, 20% from sellers. (It adjusts buy how much one spends but its a pretty high amount to get lower than 25%) The seller might of nego a lower rate since they had a fine collection.
If you love it, don't worry about resale. We all have stuff others think we might of over paid for.
I was trying to buy at that auction. These high prices really happen very infrequently. This was someones collection so the buyers were out. These were the necklaces with many motifs.
Between buyers & seller premiums, Chrisities could of made up to 45%. 25% from buyers, 20% from sellers. (It adjusts buy how much one spends but its a pretty high amount to get lower than 25%) The seller might of nego a lower rate since they had a fine collection.
If you love it, don't worry about resale. We all have stuff others think we might of over paid for.
But in general, everyone here is correct, you are never going to get your money back and your jewelry is not an investment. It something that you enjoy and that has some intrinsic value (gold weight and stones) which is usually minimal and not at all reflective of the original price you paid for it.
Was it vintage Van Cleef?
Maybe some of the museum quality pieces made for special clients in the 20's with 'important' jewels?
Places like Van Cleef Arpels and Tiffany and Mauboussin deliberately blur the lines so that they make sales but all of their stuff is not the same and your mass-produced e-ring or charm is not the same as what the Duchess of Windsor or the Shah of Iran had custom made and Christies will not take yours to sell at auction. I'm sure there are one or two exceptions on this board for whom this is not true, who have bought what are actually 'important' pieces, but you know who you are (and you are not most of us).
Maybe some of the museum quality pieces made for special clients in the 20's with 'important' jewels?
Places like Van Cleef Arpels and Tiffany and Mauboussin deliberately blur the lines so that they make sales but all of their stuff is not the same and your mass-produced e-ring or charm is not the same as what the Duchess of Windsor or the Shah of Iran had custom made and Christies will not take yours to sell at auction. I'm sure there are one or two exceptions on this board for whom this is not true, who have bought what are actually 'important' pieces, but you know who you are (and you are not most of us).
Well, i didn't expect make profit on my jewels...i just want to sell them because i don't use it anymore.
I bought them, just because i loved them in the past. I never thought to re-sell them before.
The point is that woman was very snobbish with me.
I expected her to tell me "Sorry i'm not interested...i don't buy those kind of jewels."That's all.
I'm an adult, i can understand this point of view.
I saw many jewelleries store in Paris selling brand jewels ! I knocked at the wrong door !
So yesterday, i tried another jeweller. He was very nice, polite and honest.
He bought my Kelly watch and my Mauboussin ring. it was a good price for me. (40% of the price i've paid them)
He wasn't interested in my Dior ring, and he gaves me the reason.
I tried ebay before, with no success.
Tomorrow, i'll try another store...nevertheless i'm happy now !
I bought them, just because i loved them in the past. I never thought to re-sell them before.
The point is that woman was very snobbish with me.
I expected her to tell me "Sorry i'm not interested...i don't buy those kind of jewels."That's all.
I'm an adult, i can understand this point of view.
I saw many jewelleries store in Paris selling brand jewels ! I knocked at the wrong door !
So yesterday, i tried another jeweller. He was very nice, polite and honest.
He bought my Kelly watch and my Mauboussin ring. it was a good price for me. (40% of the price i've paid them)
He wasn't interested in my Dior ring, and he gaves me the reason.
I tried ebay before, with no success.
Tomorrow, i'll try another store...nevertheless i'm happy now !
