Collecting Jewelry: Your Guide to Investing in Valuable Pieces

Collecting Jewelry: Your Guide to Investing in Valuable Pieces

While you're collecting jewelry, each piece forms part of an investment in a larger collection that can hold its value if chosen well.

Keyword(s): collecting jewelry

Collecting jewelry that's worth a decent value is a little more complicated than most people realize. While it may seem simple to pick out a ring or bracelet because it's ''pretty'', how do you know whether you're truly buying an investment piece? 

The truth is -- you can't really tell just by looking at a piece of jewelry. Unless, of course, you have a highly trained eye for it. Before you splash your hard-earned cash on valuable jewelry, you'll need a little verification, first. 

If you're looking to invest in high-quality jewelry, whether it's for you, or someone else, check out this guide for must-know tips on how to collect investment pieces. 

A Guide To Collecting Jewelry That's Worth the Investment 

Perhaps you're at the age where it's time to pass on your costume jewelry and replace it with a few more investment pieces. If you want to build a beautiful and timeless jewelry collection that's worth your money, it's important to find pieces that aren't trend-led. 

While it's not always easy to find those true, unique gems, you want to invest some real time and effort in finding jewelry pieces that suit your style and personality -- not someone else's. 

When it comes to investing in high-end jewelry, make sure to look for assistance with regards to quality, as well as authenticity papers, condition reports, and warranty. Keep on reading to learn more:

1. What Does Your Budget Look Like?

First thing's first, your budget should be a major consideration. As a savvy jewelry buyer, you need to know what your budget is, including the absolute maximum you're willing to spend on a piece. 

This will help to narrow down your overall selection. 

If you've seen a particular piece and know that this is where you want to invest your money, there's no harm in setting aside some money each week/month to save for it. Take your time when investing in high-quality jewelry. Save up the money so that you know you can afford it, and it will feel like the best reward. 

Some of the best pieces to invest in when building a high-quality jewelry collection include a simple gold piece, with a gemstone. A chain necklace, a simple signet ring, and freshwater pearls are also great investment items. 

2. Don't Just Eyeball Quality 

The reality is that most people with an untrained eye cannot tell the difference between high-quality and mass-produced jewelry. Heck, even jewelry experts need specific tools to determine the quality of certain pieces. 

Over time, you might gain some experience in purchasing high-quality jewelry and you'll soon learn a few of the hallmark qualities to look out for. But as a beginner, don't eyeball the quality of your investment pieces or take someone's word for it. 

The best way to determine the quality of what you're buying is to simply ask your jeweler/seller directly. Ask them about where the jewel originated, and how it's been treated. Ask for certification papers, or bring along a seasoned jewelry shopper for advice and a second opinion. 

3. Beware of Outdated Certificates of Authenticity

Along with certification papers, you should also ask about a certificate of authenticity. In some cases, you'll be offered either, or. But before you invest in an expensive piece of jewelry, you need to know if it's legit. 

If you are buying a gem, always ask for a lab certification from a trusted source -- such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). This certification includes the gem's origin, quality of the stone, as well as its gemological identity and any alterations. 

The origin of a gem is especially important. This is because certain regions and countries are well-known for their quality of gems -- also known as conflict-free gems. 

It's also crucial that papers of authenticity and certification are up-to-date. If they are two-years-old, this will pass. Anything older, and you should be wary. The reason for this is the fact that lab technology has improved drastically over the years, so an outdated certificate could be quite inaccurate. 

4. Ensure Your Jewelry Is Sold With a Warranty

Once you have your mind made up about a certain piece, you need to make sure that you're offered a warranty plan by your seller. This warranty should also include a jewelry service plan. 

This plan should cover the annual cleaning of your jewelry, as well as an in-depth inspection by your jeweler with a gemscope or loupe. This step is important to ensure your piece is still in top condition and doesn't require any repairs. 

A service plan must also cover the cost of these repairs, and tasks such as ring re-sizing, rhodium plating, and re-tipping. You can also take things one step further to protect your investment piece and take out jewelry insurance. There are actually renters and homeowner's insurance policies that cover a certain amount of jewelry protection! 

5. Shop With a Trusted Brand 

Finally, if you're going to invest in high-quality jewelry pieces, you want to buy them from a brand or jeweler you can trust. This is especially important if you're a beginner jewelry buyer. 

Before you settle with a particular jeweler, don't be afraid to ask questions about what they offer and how they source their jewelry. You want to shop from a source that feels right. 

Another important tip to keep in mind is that it's always wise to shop with someone who has experience in buying expensive jewelry. If you don't know to look for or even what you like, they could offer some helpful advice and insight to ensure you're investing a piece that's worthy of your money.

Looking To Invest in Fine Jewelry? 

In closing, you want to ensure the jeweler offers a good return policy in case you take the piece home and feel like it doesn't suit you later on down-the-line. A good rule of thumb to never forget? If a deal seems too good to be true, it generally is! 

If collecting jewelry is on your radar, you don't want to miss out on costumeiscounters's demi-fine collection. We offer a large variety of gorgeous styles to suit jewelry collectors looking for demure, elegant, and high-quality pieces.