What do you do with inherited jewelry??
- Thread starter Kathy K
- Start date
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Please be very careful and do your research, thoroughly, before you remove stones, alter, or scrap the rings.
Unlike most modern jewellery, which is often mass-produced; many items of vintage and antique fine jewellery were either unique, or produced in small numbers. Also, sadly, many jewels have been broken up or lost and this, obviously, increases rarity further.
The integrity of period and antique jewels can be ruined by unnecessary, clumsy and crude alterations and repair work. Most reputable jewellers believe in maintaining the ‘prime condition’, or integrity, of a piece by keeping the number of alterations and repairs carried out on it to an absolute minimum.
Similarly, because the vintage and contemporary jewels of today are the period and antique pieces of tomorrow, we also believe in keeping the repair work carried out on newer pieces to a minimum, as well.
Most pieces of jewellery are worth more if they look as though the last time they were inside a jeweller's shop was the day they were first sold!
I also totally agree with Kellybag, that fashion is cyclical and what you hate today, you, or a member of your family, may love tomorrow!
Kathy K said:Ladies, I need some ideas. When my mom passed away, I inherited her jewelry. I, of course, kept everything that had any emotional value to her, and I wear something of hers every day to help me remember her.
In amongst her things, I have inherited two or three cocktail rings. They're pretty, I guess, but they're certainly not me. I can't imagine it's worthwhile to get the stones taken out and melt down the gold, but I can't figure out what else to do with them.
Should I get them appraised and then throw them out to ebay to see what happens or is there a smarter approach?
Thanks!
I adore cocktail rings - but my mom doesn't so when her grandmother had given some to her, she sold them. I would LOVE jewelry pieces that were in my family...so my suggestion is to hold on to them and give them to someone dear to you - it truly is priceless!
I agree that getting a safe deposit box is the way to store your jewelry. It will also make your insurance rates go down 
If you are set on selling anything, get them appraised and approach auction houses (christy's and sothebys regularly auction off jewelry, and much of it is not name brand or necessarily selling for mega bucks). You will get more money selling through an auction house than by selling on ebay. If you don't need the money though, I would keep it all or have some reset (like you did with your mother's engagement ring). That is wonderful and keeps the stone in your family, while not seeing it lay in a box b/c you don't like the setting. Follow your instinct.
If you are set on selling anything, get them appraised and approach auction houses (christy's and sothebys regularly auction off jewelry, and much of it is not name brand or necessarily selling for mega bucks). You will get more money selling through an auction house than by selling on ebay. If you don't need the money though, I would keep it all or have some reset (like you did with your mother's engagement ring). That is wonderful and keeps the stone in your family, while not seeing it lay in a box b/c you don't like the setting. Follow your instinct. 
Or someone in the generations to come might want them. You don't want to spend 2056 watching granddaughters or great-nieces gasping in horror, "You HAD a (whatever it is) and you did WHAT with it?"
(If the jewelry contains elements that might involve values or questions of conscience, do some looking and poking around in your community, and some very exciting and secret smile-icious solutions will find you!)
i think you should keep it even if you don't wear it and pass it down to your children etc.
the pieces that have no sentimental value (eg won at sweepstakes) you can either reset it for yourself or give it to someone outside the family who loved her alot as a keepsake.
last option is to sell it to a jeweler perhaps they might give you a better price or let you trade it in for something or maybe an antique shop if it's old enough.
the pieces that have no sentimental value (eg won at sweepstakes) you can either reset it for yourself or give it to someone outside the family who loved her alot as a keepsake.
last option is to sell it to a jeweler perhaps they might give you a better price or let you trade it in for something or maybe an antique shop if it's old enough.
Well, I have inherited gems and I've done the following: sold the gold for scrap and had the diamonds put on my pearl clasp in bezels to make it more formal and pretty. My inherited jewelry just wasn't my style, it wasn't going to be my style and that was that. But styles do come and go and if its not you now, it may be in the future so it might be worthwhile to see if your inherited jewelry is in a period style. If the stones are tiny. (like clusters of really really tiny stones) it isn't worth it to have them lifted for other things. The labor gets too expensive and usually the stones are not of high quality in those kinds of settings.