What You Should Know About Buying Estate Jewelry Online

Buying previously owned jewelry is a fun process that can lead you to a unique and cherished treasure. It’s the thrill of the hunt combined with victory of finding a needle in a haystack, at an incredible value too!

The challenge with shopping for previously owned or estate jewelry in person is that it can be very time consuming. In fact, you might visit many stores without finding that perfect piece that speaks to you.

Shopping for estate jewelry online allows you to look at thousands of options from the comfort of your home. The challenge of buying online is knowing who to trust, getting a great value and knowing how a photograph will translate into a beautiful piece that also looks great on you.

Here’s our advice to get it right when buying estate jewelry online:

Take a look at all of the details

Make sure the online store fully describes the piece including length, materials and the size, weight and quality of any gemstones. Great photography from multiple angles helps give you a better sense of the size, dimensions and craftsmanship. For example, you’ll want to see a close-up of a piece’s profile, prong work or undercarriage to understand how well it is finished.

The photos should show more than just the best side of the piece. It should all angles so you know exactly what you are getting.

Here are a few examples from Long's estate collection to demonstrate:

See what condition the piece is in

Just because a piece is pre-owned doesn’t mean it has to be in poor or worn condition. Estate sellers can polish most pieces and bring them back to original condition. Make sure you thoroughly understand the condition of the piece and make sure that it meets your expectations before you buy.

Ask questions and get quick, thorough answers

Any great online jewelry store should return a phone call or email inquiry either immediately or within 1 business day at most, so make sure you ask all of your questions before you buy. Estate jewelry stores take pride in explaining the details of a piece, its unique history, its maker and why it might be right for you. If you want to understand the value or origin of the piece, ask how much a new piece retails for today so you can be assured that you are getting a great price on a quality piece of product.

Look into the estate jewelry seller

A fine piece of jewelry, new or pre-owned, should have a jeweler who stands behind it in case you have issues after wearing. Make sure the seller has a history of great service and is rated well by third parties such as the Better Business Bureau.

Figure out if you can get your money back

A generous, cash back return policy is a must when buying online. You can do all the research in the world but you won’t know if the piece if right until you see it in person and try it on. Make sure you understand the policy of the seller. For example, many stores have a 30 day return policy as long as it is returned in the same unworn, originally sold condition.