By Amanda L. Colborn
When it comes to jewelry, more and more people are looking to the past for their present jewelry inspiration. It’s not just about style and fashion, estate jewelry has benefits to both your wallet AND the environment!
But first, what is “estate” jewelry?
Estate jewelry is, in the simplest of terms, jewelry that has been previously owned by someone else.
Is it the same as “antique” jewelry?
Yes and no, estate jewelry is not considered an antique until it is at least 100 years old, according to 4cs.gia.edu.
So, why would estate jewelry be something for me?
There are several benefits to acquiring previously owned jewelry. A big reason being that they are back in fashion right now. Vintage has never been more popular, making it easier than ever to find interesting pieces of estate jewelry. People love pieces that hold a story, and the best thing about estate jewelry is that they all have some sort of story, which makes shopping for them that much more fun!
Another reason to look into owning an estate piece, most of them are now one-of-a-kind. Perhaps you have looked into getting a custom piece of jewelry made and were overwhelmed by how much that can cost. Well, look into estate pieces! They are usually much more cost-effective and the likelihood of anyone else having the same matching piece is slim to none.
The best and most important reasons for choosing a piece of estate jewelry is that they are environmentally-friendly and ethical. Like all new products in our world today, it takes resources to produce and manufacture pieces of fine jewelry. When you buy a piece of estate jewelry, you can rest assured knowing that your purchase has both a beautiful, rich history and you have recycled a piece of jewelry at no cost to our environment.
When you shop with an AGS-credentialed jeweler, you’re already taking the first step towards a jewelry purchase backed with the highest standard of ethics in the industry. When you purchase a piece of estate jewelry from an AGS-credentialed jeweler, you know you are getting a top-quality piece of jewelry from a jeweler who cares about you, your wallet, and ensuring the overall high standards of ethical behavior within the jewelry industry.
As you can see, there are so many benefits to going retro when it comes to your next jewelry purchase. Take into consideration the history, time period, cost-effectiveness, and environmental & ethical impacts when you consider purchasing your first or next piece of fine jewelry. Talk to your jeweler and see what your options are. Or, find the right jeweler for you here. And then go tell your friends to look into estate jewelry as well, so you can share the stories of your beautiful new/old vintage creations!
