15 Reasons Why You Should Buy Estate Jewelry Over New Jewelry

Jewelry has been around for more than 75,000 years, and people have been using jewelry to accessorize, to make a statement and to establish themselves for a very long time. Back in the day, when humans used to live in caves, animal bones, teeth, feathers and seashells used to be the norm when it came to jewelry, it has since completely evolved and today you’ll find a wide range of precious stones and metals to accessorize with. Jewelry used to be worn as a symbol of wealth and power by important characters like kings, emperors and pharaohs, but times have changed and today everyone can afford to purchase and enjoy jewelry. 

There are so many different types of jewelry that you can choose from – earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc. There are also other options other than buying everything brand new – you can own antique, vintage or estate pieces as part of your collection. These terms are used to date pieces of fine jewelry – all jewelry that is not brand new is considered to be estate jewelry, but not all estate jewelry is considered to be vintage or antique. Antique and vintage items are defined by when they were created and how old they are. 

Estate jewelry is any piece that has been used or is second-hand, regardless of how old it is. This item can be a few weeks old, and it is still considered to be estate jewelry. For example, let’s say you are engaged to be married with a brand-new diamond ring, but call of the wedding within the first year of engagement. Now you sell your diamond ring to a jeweler who can classify it as a piece of estate jewelry. Pretty much any piece of jewelry that is less than 30 years old can be classified as an estate piece. In order for jewelry to be labeled as vintage, it needs to be anywhere from 20 to 30 years old – this could be anything that was created during the 90s or earlier. Antique jewelry on the other hand is anything that is more than 100 years old, which at this point in time means that anything made in the 1920s and earlier is considered antique. If you are ever in doubt about how old your jewelry is, make sure to contact an expert to help you figure it out. Sometimes it can take a lot of experience and understanding of precious metals and gems to date an item correctly and to get it properly appraised. 

Now that you know a little bit about what estate jewelry is, you might be wondering why you should buy estate jewelry over new jewelry? New items are exciting, shiny and trendy, but what if they’re not your style? It can be difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for and paying for customized pieces can get very expensive depending on the materials and stones that you want. Fortunately, estate jewelry offers a large variety that can fit any personality and budget, and there are many other reasons why you should purchase estate jewelry. There are other benefits to take into consideration when you buy estate jewelry, including the fact that it is more affordable than a newly created piece, and that it is a lasting investment because jewelry is durable and can last a long time with good care. 

Here are 15 additional reasons why you should buy estate jewelry over new jewelry.

It is Sustainable

There are many environmental reasons to buy estate jewelry, but simply put it is really good for our planet. There will be less demand to create and produce new pieces if buyers are more interested in estate jewelry investments. When you purchase estate jewelry it means that there will be less mining and air pollution, and it will help to preserve some very valuable resources like water, fuel and our forests. This will help to save wildlife habitats and to also keep waste out of our water. There will also be less hazardous material in the environment that comes as a result of manufacturing new jewelry. 

It is Recycled

When you choose estate jewelry, you are recycling by buying estate jewelry, as the stones or a settings recreate a piece that is customized to your taste. Recycling jewelry is a great way to create an ethical, conflict free and eco-friendly piece of jewelry that you love. You can melt down a gold ring to create something else, or you can take the precious gems out of a setting and recycle them into a necklace – the options are endless. 

It is Reused

Reusing old necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, pins, watches or other types of estate jewelry takes effort and creativity, but it is worth it in the end. Diamonds are a stone that can be reused for years and reset in many different types of jewelry. For example, you can reuse an old brooch and reattach it to a purse or take earrings and string them on a necklace for a new look.

It is Repurposed

While there are some instances where you can reuse estate jewelry, there are also some great things you can do to repurpose these pieces. For example, you can take an old diamond tennis bracelet and split it up into a necklace, a ring and earrings. Or, on the other hand you can take multiple pieces of unworn estate jewelry and transform them into a unique new piece. Take a couple of different rings that feature different colored diamonds or precious stones and work with a jeweler to turn them into a beautiful pair of earrings. Here are some more ideas of how you can repurpose estate jewelry to create new pieces:

• Cut apart old necklaces and restring them to create a new combination
• Take the dangly parts of old earrings and attach them to a necklace
• Use a necklace and wrap it around your wrist for an instant bracelet
• Take the stones out of an old ring and turn it into a pair of earrings
• Turn a Brooch/Pin into a Ring
• Turn a single earring(because the other was lost) into a necklace pendant
• Use heirloom diamonds & gemstones to make a modern design