How do you know if an antique piece of jewelry is valuable?
You may have some antique jewelry at home. A ring that was left to you by your grandmother, or a necklace that was given to you by an aunt. You may be passionate about flea markets, but you don't know how to determine the price of antique jewelry that is offered on the stalls. Today, we offer you some tips to get an idea of the value of an antique piece of jewelry .
Simple tips for estimating the value of an antique piece of jewelry
Here are some simple tips to help you estimate the value of antique jewelry yourself.
- Hallmarking : Hallmarking, a mark left on the jewel by the jeweler, provides valuable information about the jewel, including its creator and its precious metal content (for example, 18K means 18 carat gold). It can be found on the inside of a vintage ring or an antique bracelet, on the clasp of a sautoir necklace, etc. Major brands such as Cartier or Tiffany & Co always use hallmarking. A Boivin bracelet may have a hallmark from a renowned workshop, for example Dumont & Compagnie
- The magnet test : Take a magnet and place it near your antique jewelry. If it is a knockoff, the magnet will attract the jewelry. If it is valuable, it will not.
- The acid test : by rubbing the jewel on an abrasive material such as a stone and applying acid, you can determine the gold, silver or platinum content of an old jewel. There are kits for sale on the Internet to do this yourself at home, but be careful when handling!
- Determining if they are real diamonds : There are several simple tricks to know if the stones in antique earrings or a vintage brooch are diamonds or not. The magnifying glass test, which should reveal imperfections, is one of them. See our article how to recognize a real diamond.
The simplest solution: antique jewelry expertise
While there are a few simple methods to get an idea of the value of an antique jewel, this is a very vast field that only insiders master perfectly. In addition to the intrinsic value of the jewel, which is determined by the metals and stones used, many other factors come into play. How old is the jewel, how rare is it, which house or craftsman made it, what is the demand on the market... all these parameters play an important role in the evaluation of an antique jewel.
You can of course do your own research to try to determine the period of a piece of jewelry, its origin and try to evaluate the price based on similar pieces. But if you want to sell an old piece of jewelry easily and without worry, you can simply ask for an appraisal at Maison Miller. We offer you 2 possibilities:
- Online pre-expertise : no need to travel, you send us photos to receive an initial price assessment by email within 24 hours
- In-store appraisal : you come see us in our jewelry store at 233 rue Saint-Honoré in Paris (first arrondissement) to receive an immediate estimate, which serves as a purchase proposal .
Do you want to sell a piece of jewelry? You have the choice between:
- Leave immediately with the amount that was offered to you ( immediate purchase )
- Receive your payment when the jewelry is sold ( consignment sale , for a higher price)
Use the form on our online appraisal request or purchase proposal for antique or second-hand jewelry page to quickly receive an estimate of your antique jewelry in Paris!
