Costume jewellery became popular in the 1920s and it started a fashion revolution. Made of cheaper stones and metals, everyone could now afford a bit of sparkle in their life – even the poor could accessorise. Style for the people!
If you’re not that fussed about diamonds or gold, and have a vast collection of old costume jewellery up for grabs, is it simple to sell some of your pieces for cash? Whether your jewellery is just easy on the eyes or if it incorporates semi-precious materials, there are many opportunities to make some money on your old costume pieces.
Appraisals
If you suspect that your costume jewellery is made from gems or metals that have inherent monetary value, head down to your nearest jewellery shop and ask a professional to appraise your pieces. Not only will he or she let you know how much money you should be asking for, but you may be offered valuable information about potential buyers.
Although this option isn’t always available to everyone: find a jewellery appraiser that specialises in evaluating costume pieces – their experience will work in your favour.
Selling Online
With the internet, you have the whole world at your fingertips. There are plenty of people online who are looking for attractive and individual costume jewellery pieces. If your jewellery is retro, so much the better – that style never dies. One woman’s junk is another woman’s treasure, so head to eBay or set up your own second-hand shop via the web.
If you’ve been told that your costume jewellery is worth a set price, include a minimum auctioning price so you don’t lose out.
Also, do your research online. Search for similar products and see what the ‘going price’ seems to be. If you can find pieces of jewellery like yours selling for peanuts, it may not be worth your time to sell that piece of costume jewellery.
Vintage Fairs
Does your piece look like it was inspired by the ‘60s? Is your jewellery decades old? Join up to a vintage fair and create a stall of your costume jewellery. This doesn’t work very well with modern pieces, but old classics and retro-inspired jewellery flies off the shelves at these get-togethers. Make your display attractive with vintage typewriters, flowers, and tea cups. People will be attracted to creative set-ups.
Present your pieces attractively and make sure that your jewellery is well-lit. Whether or not you sell your jewellery will be largely based on how well you make your pieces look. Often when people choose to purchase something, they like to buy into an ideology (for example, the quaint, retro look). You can play on that at the vintage fair to gain more customers.
Mates Rates
If you’re not too concerned about making money, but feel like a new set of accessories, set up a jewellery swap with some of your best friends. This way, you can always keep your jewellery box fresh.
This post has been composed by British fashion blogger Hannah. Looking for the perfect set of sparkles for your next event? Try a Pearl and Butler costume jewellery set to finish off your ensemble in style.
