Antique Jewelry Appraisals: How (And Why) to Learn More About Your Oldest Pieces

Do you love thrifting for jewelry treasures? Have you inherited some pieces of jewelry that have been in your family for generations? No matter how you came to find an antique piece of jewelry, there are lots of great reasons to learn more about the piece. Every piece of jewelry has a story to uncover, and you never know what you’ll discover once you start digging. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about antique jewelry appraisals.

What are Antique Jewelry Appraisals?

An antique jewelry appraisal is a professional service meant to provide more information about your jewelry pieces. Jewelers and gemologists that are trained and licensed to conduct appraisals will have the specialized equipment and knowledge necessary to correctly handle and identify the qualities of your jewelry. 

During antique jewelry appraisals, the gemologist or jeweler will assess the quality of the materials in your piece, including gemstones and metals. They can determine the cut, color, carat, and clarity of a diamond, and can also test metals to assess how pure they are. An appraisal can also provide more details about where the jewelry came from, how old it is, and its current condition, all factors that contribute to the piece’s estimated value. 

Why You Should Research Your Antique Jewelry

Antique jewelry is so much more than just an accessory. An antique piece of jewelry, by definition, is over one hundred years old — it has lived a long life! Whether you plan to wear or sell the piece, you might want to learn more about it. Here are some of the reasons why you should research your antique jewelry:

Uncover history

When you dig into a piece of jewelry’s history, you can find out a lot about the life it lived before it made its way to you. Figuring out where and when it was produced can tell you a lot — you might discover it was made in a country you've always wanted to visit, or maybe you'll find out that the local artist who created the piece was world renowned. Whatever the details, it can be eye-opening to see where the piece came from and to uncover its history. It might even make the jewelry more special to you. 

Confirm it’s the real thing

Another good reason to learn more about your antique jewelry is to confirm its authenticity. There are many beautiful pieces on the market that are incredibly valuable, and there are some that are very clever lookalikes. Cubic zirconia, for example, looks a lot like a diamond to the naked eye, but it’s actually just an imitation. You want to know that the diamond ring you cherish is actually a diamond and not the cheap alternative. If you’re selling the piece, getting an expert to confirm authenticity will help potential buyers know that they’re paying for the real thing.   

Find out if it needs repair

When you closely inspect your antique jewelry, you might notice that there are some issues to take care of before you wear or sell it. Antique jewelry is much more susceptible to wear and tear than brand new pieces — it’s had years of exposure and the materials are likely more brittle than they used to be. Checking for cracked gemstones, loose prongs, or broken clasps is a helpful preventative step. Otherwise, you could easily lose a valuable gemstone or entire piece of jewelry while you wear it, or selling it might not be as fruitful as you hoped. Repairing these tiny issues can pay off in the long run. 

Jewelry value

Lastly, and very importantly, you want to find out how much your jewelry is worth. An appraisal takes into account all the details about your antique jewelry to tell you how much your jewelry is worth. Whether you decide to sell, restore, or insure your piece, the appraisal documents will come in handy — any prospective buyer will want to know the details and value of the jewelry, and if you’re insuring the piece, the details of your policy will be dependent on the jewelry’s value.

Are you excited to learn more about your antique jewelry? Work with our professionals at Quick Jewelry Repairs. Our team has years of experience with antique jewelry appraisals so you can rest assured that your pieces are in good hands and that you’ll get expert insights into the provenance and value of your precious jewelry.