Inheriting jewelry can be exciting. However, the process of sorting and selling your inherited valuables can particularly be burdensome. If you’re dealing with a seemingly large collection of jewelry that you need to sort through and determine its worth, you may have to consider getting professional help.
Essentially, jewelry is like most other used items, so it will not sell anywhere near its original cost. However, it can still fetch good cash if it’s in good condition and properly priced by a jewelry appraisal professional.
Whether you wish to retain or sell your inherited jewelry, you should get a professional to help evaluate your collection and establish what exactly you have. Here are a few estate jewelry sorting tips to help you get through the process quickly and efficiently.
Presort Your Jewelry
The first step is to presort your inherited pieces for efficiency. You can start by separating your jewelry by types, such as necklaces, pendants, rings, earrings, or cuff links. Identify pieces you want to give extra attention to, like rings that need to be repaired or appraised. While pre-soring the jewelry, you should base your decisions on your circumstances and style. You can set group your items in categories, such as:
- To sell– For items you don’t intend to keep or wear, you can decide to sell them. You might want to have a jewelry appraisal expert to appraise these pieces and sell them rather than keep them.
- To wear – If the estate jewelry collection includes beautiful pieces, you can decide to add them to your current collection to be worn on special occasions. Remember to keep the items safe to avoid damage.
- To pass down to heirs – If your inherited jewelry includes sentimental items that can be passed on for generations, you may want to keep them for this purpose. Make plans to safeguard the items and have them legally transferred to your heirs via a trust or other legal documents.
Find Jewelry Stamps
A jewelry stamp or hallmark demonstrates authenticity and denotes the item’s materials and jewelry shop. This mark sheds more light on the piece’s value and should be the first thing to find in your inherited jewelry. In most cases, the jewelry stamp provides details about a piece’s materials, and what you find will depend on the quality and type of metal used to craft the estate jewelry.
Test the Metal
Sometimes, you may not locate the jewelry stamp. In this case, you can test the metal to identify its value. Fine jewelry incorporates different types of metals. While hallmark may show if a piece features precious metals, you can use other recommended methods to test the piece’s metal and verify that the stamp is accurate.
Seek an Estate Jewelry Appraisal
Not all jewelry may have stamps, which makes it difficult to determine the value or sell the collection. Thus, you should get a jewelry appraisal for the jewelry to help you discover its value, selling, and insurance purposes.
Contact Us Today
With high-quality vintage or modern-day pieces in your jewelry collection, seek a jewelry appraisal expert and get a chance to sell your valuables with Revolution Jewelry Works. Contact us to learn more about our appraisal services.
