How to Get the Best Deals on Fine Jewelry
I'm always after value, durability, and timeless beauty. Plus, I'm allergic to all earrings that are not 14-24k gold. These are the reasons why I like fine jewelry. And, in true Lollipuff fashion, I have to find the best deals on fine jewelry as well. Read on to find out what I do...
My parents came from the most humble beginnings. They've literally come from almost nothing, and as I have grown older, I've watched them become less of want due to their hard work and continuous persistence. I remember even as a young child understanding financial control and value by observing them.
In college, I put myself on a $10/week grocery bill, so that I could pay for half of the dates that I went on with my boyfriend (husband now). He didn't know this until a couple years after I graduated. He's still angry about that. And, when my husband proposed, I returned the diamond for another diamond that cost over $1000 less.
Even though, at Lollipuff, we deal with lavish luxury items, we all understand value. A Chanel bag can be 25 years old and still be more stunning than most new bags at department stores. A Herve Leger will make you feel ridiculously beautiful and make memories that much more special. And, if you buy re-sale, sometimes you can even profit when you go to resell your item!
Anyway, off my soapbox about value... I'm here to share with you my personal way of buying fine jewelry.
The best place to get fine jewelry isn't the most ritzy or fashionable place or site. It's... the pawn shop! It's true that some of them are seedy, but quite a few of them are not at all. And, you'll be surprised by what some pawn shops have! Above are my personal purchases from pawn shops. Guess how much I paid for each pair of earrings!
I don't like pawn shops for anything except for fine jewelry. A very small percentage of pawn shops might even have designer handbags. Unfortunately, I have seen a number of counterfeits even though they usually claim that they have an expert evaluate the bags. Thus, I generally don't trust them for artwork or designer items. And, most will not have a gemologist that can verify unusual stones. But, they are great at evaluating precious metals.
By the way, if there is one thing that is even worse than buying designer items off of eBay, it's buying fine jewelry that is unbranded!
These 14k white gold earrings with multi-colored gemstones only cost me $45! They were purchased about 5 years ago, so you cannot get them for this kind of pricing anymore, since the price of gold has gone up.
These 14k yellow gold dangle earrings are also an old find from many years back. They were only $20.
This next one was only purchased last month. They are 18k gold bow earrings. Since they have significant gold on them, they were $360. Earrings this fancy are even hard to find in most jewelry stores!
Finally, another recent purchase are these 14k gold hammered geometric earrings that match almost everything. They were only $50!
Pawn shops vary just like any store. Some have good deals, and others have horrible deals. But, the ones with good deals will have pricing that is unbeatable compared to normal jewelry stores. Oftentimes, you can get jewelry for just slightly higher than gold value! Finally, don't forget to haggle; it's a common practice for pawn stores.
If you're concerned about germs, easily disinfect jewelry by wiping it down with isopropyl alcohol.
Got questions? Leave them below! 🙂