pawn shop finds - photos of your pawn shop treasures

onegirlcreative

onegirlcreative

Daddy's Little Girl
Feb 11, 2008
8,391
5
#1
i did a search on this and didn't find a thread devoted to "pawn shop finds," so i thought it would be a really good idea to start one where people can add photos of their pawn shop treasures. i truly don't think it's something to be embarrassed about as it really isn't that different from buying from an estate—as long as you know it's authentic, you most likely got an excellent deal.

i recently started collecting stackable anniversary/eternity bands, but when you go to a regular jewelry store, they're really expensive considering what you're getting.

i have tried ebay a few times, but it seems they're either too big and too expensive, or they're lab created stones/diamonds—which is what i don't want.

i headed to my local pawn shop a few months ago thinking why not check it out. you always hear about people finding really good deals on other items there, and knowing it's second-hand, it's a green alternative and it's a lot cheaper. no expensive overhead like you would experience from a regular brick & mortar jewelry store.

i found this delicate anniversary band that i thought was just stunning. it was really dirty while at the pawn shop, but i could see that it would be a stunner once polished.

it only cost me $175 and since most pawn shops offer a 30 day return policy, i immediately took it to my trusted jeweler and had him appraise it and polish it up for me.

to my pleasant surprise, he appraised it at a little over $1,000. talk about an excellent deal!!! after seeing how exquisite it looked polished up and how beautiful the stones are, i now wear it with my 3 carat pear diamond engagement ring. who would have thought.

after hearing that wonderful news, i will continue my trek to different pawn shops to see what else i could find.

here are the photos of this ring in particular.

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#4
I've always wondered if there were good little finds to be had at pawn shops, but I worry about how sketchy they are. I guess if you can find one with a decent return policy, it's more reassuring. Do you only to go to shops in better areas?

Congratulations on the ring... it's gorgeous!
 
#5
Lovely ring and it looks so nice with your engagement ring! I love "OP" shopping but I haven't been Pawn shopping. And I am now wondering why?! I do agree about the "green" aspect!

My sister has two pieces from a pawn shop and they are lovely. My mother managed to find them for her as there was a Pawn Shop near her work. One is a sapphire and diamond ring in 18ct gold and the other is a .50 diamond set in platinum around the diamond with a 18ct gold band. Both were valued heaps more than what she paid.

I know of two in town here. Next time I am going to have a sticky beak!
 
#7
Pawn Shops can have fantastic finds-and since they buy CHEAP, you can really negotiate a great price. Some of my closest friends own them and are always buying fine silverware and just amazing things among the junk they often take in too. On one of my dad's recent Estate Buys of the most amazing 1900's jewelry, we ended up selling some gorgeous pieces to a pawn dealer friend that wanted them for his shop.

I would highly recommend paying attention to gold prices on the day you go--- check out what the price per gram is so that you know where to negotiate at.
 
#8
Call me crap, but I think it's a bit sad that people seem to be benefiting from other peoples misfortunes. The people who have put their property up in a pawn shop are well aware of their value yet are desperate. I know this is how the world is, but I certainly wouldn't feel happy wearing it. There's something rather unpleasant about the whole thing imo:sad:.
 
#9
schadenfreude said:
I've always wondered if there were good little finds to be had at pawn shops, but I worry about how sketchy they are. I guess if you can find one with a decent return policy, it's more reassuring. Do you only to go to shops in better areas?

Congratulations on the ring... it's gorgeous!
Click to expand...

i have heard that there's this notorious pawn shop on the las vegas strip where addicted gamblers go to pawn their rolex watches of expensive jewelry because they're so caught up in the moment of gambling, so they'll pawn anything for cash. we're going to vegas in a few weeks, and i might inquire about its locaton. lol

i wouldn't purchase jewelry from a pawn shop unless you knew a trustworthy jeweler who would be honest with you and determine that what you purchased is in fact, real diamonds. since these pawn shops are claiming the rings are real diamonds (they supposedly check before they buy them from the seller), and if they turn out to be fake, then yes, they should give you a full refund providing you can prove they're not genuine.

i would imagine any pawn shop is not necessarily in a "good" location, but i think as long as the location is a safe one, why not? if you don't see anything, walk out. no harm, no foul.
 
#10
Cornflower Blue said:
Call me crap, but I think it's a bit sad that people seem to be benefiting from other peoples misfortunes. The people who have put their property up in a pawn shop are well aware of their value yet are desperate. I know this is how the world is, but I certainly wouldn't feel happy wearing it. There's something rather unpleasant about the whole thing imo:sad:.
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you definitely have a right to your opinion, and that's ok. however, i disagree. not everybody who sells their wares at a pawn shop are "desperate" for cash or money. they just want to unload their stuff without the worries of garage sales, craigslist or ebay. they just want to get rid of it. not only that, there are people who sell their wedding rings/engagement rings at pawn shops because they're no longer married and maybe don't have the resources to sell elsewhere.

i'm sorry, but i don't think it's preying on people's hard times. if anything, in this economy, buying brand new at an overpriced jewelry store is ridiculous, imo. but that's just me.

i once sold all of my old promise rings at a pawn shop that i have received from boyfriends over the years, because once i got married, i didn't want them, nor would i ever wear them again. they weren't worth much to even bother selling on consignment, so i just wanted the quick cash for them. not everybody that goes in there are down and out on their luck.

what do you think estate sales are? not always people who are deceased, it's the family members wanting to unload all of their ancestors' crap for cash.
 
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#11
I"m all for reduce, reuse and recycle....but the Chinese have a superstition that it's bad luck to use somebody's used items....like the bad luck is transferred to another person..so if you can get pass that, then go for it.
 
#12
slip said:
I"m all for reduce, reuse and recycle....but the Chinese have a superstition that it's bad luck to use somebody's used items....like the bad luck is transferred to another person..so if you can get pass that, then go for it.
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not even estate jewelry? so the chinese never buy pre-owned items/jewelry? i have never heard that until now. so obviously it won't bother me. :shrugs:
 
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#13
onegirlcreative said:
not even estate jewelry? so the chinese never buy pre-owned items/jewelry? i have never heard that until now. so obviously it won't bother me. :shrugs:
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Depends on how superstitious they are.. I mean, there are some that never buy pre-loved bags, but there are others that are keeping the really big resellers like Milan and Paris station going. :yes:
 
#14
onegirlcreative said:
i did a search on this and didn't find a thread devoted to "pawn shop finds," so i thought it would be a really good idea to start one where people can add photos of their pawn shop treasures. i truly don't think it's something to be embarrassed about as it really isn't that different from buying from an estate—as long as you know it's authentic, you most likely got an excellent deal.

i recently started collecting stackable anniversary/eternity bands, but when you go to a regular jewelry store, they're really expensive considering what you're getting.

i have tried ebay a few times, but it seems they're either too big and too expensive, or they're lab created stones/diamonds—which is what i don't want.

i headed to my local pawn shop a few months ago thinking why not check it out. you always hear about people finding really good deals on other items there, and knowing it's second-hand, it's a green alternative and it's a lot cheaper. no expensive overhead like you would experience from a regular brick & mortar jewelry store.

i found this delicate anniversary band that i thought was just stunning. it was really dirty while at the pawn shop, but i could see that it would be a stunner once polished.

it only cost me $175 and since most pawn shops offer a 30 day return policy, i immediately took it to my trusted jeweler and had him appraise it and polish it up for me.

to my pleasant surprise, he appraised it at a little over $1,000. talk about an excellent deal!!! after seeing how exquisite it looked polished up and how beautiful the stones are, i now wear it with my 3 carat pear diamond engagement ring. who would have thought.

after hearing that wonderful news, i will continue my trek to different pawn shops to see what else i could find.

here are the photos of this ring in particular.

DSCF0148.jpg


DSCF0150.jpg


DSCF0151.jpg
Click to expand...

georgeous! great deal!
 
#15
Your ring is GORGEOUS, and I am going to find a pawn shop this week to check out the hidden treasures. Great idea about checking the return policy and having the ring appraised!
 
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