You’ve decided to start shopping for gemstones at estate sales. You’re not alone: estate sales are a popular way to buy gems, but they can be difficult to navigate. They aren’t always organized, and there’s no guarantee that any particular item is genuine or high quality. In this article, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about buying gemstones at estate sales so you can get the best deal possible!
Finding gemstones at estate sales
- Look for estate sales in your area.
- Look for gemstones that you like.
- Look for gemstones that you can afford.
- Look for estate sales with gemstones in good condition.
- Look for estate sales with gemstones in your favorite color, or another color that appeals to you and has meaning or value (perhaps a favorite color from childhood).
- Consider looking at vintage or antique gemstone rings to find something unique, even if it isn’t necessarily “rare” or “antique,” since these are commonly sold at estate sales and could still be an amazing find!
The history of gemstones
The history of gemstones is a long and rich one. They have been around for thousands of years, used in jewelry, art, religious ceremonies, medicine and more.
Gemstones come from the earth or they are manmade. Some gems come from specific areas or countries and some gems are very rare.
Gemstone appearance and condition
- Look for gemstones with a good color.
- Look for gemstones with no cracks or chips.
- Look for gemstones that are still shiny and bright in appearance, without any scratches or other damage to the surface of the stone itself. If you are looking at a piece of jewelry made from valuable gemstones, check to see if it has been damaged during cleaning or repair work; it’s very easy to accidentally chip or scratch a valuable diamond when doing basic maintenance on it (such as polishing).
- Check that there are no chips in the corners of your estate sale gems because these are often more vulnerable than other parts of their structure and therefore more likely to break off under pressure from everyday wear and tear (like getting knocked against walls and desks)
Gemstone tips
As you’re looking for gemstones at estate sales, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Real gemstones should be as sparkly and shiny as possible. Look for ones with a strong image when you hold it up to the light, and make sure that the reflection looks clear and distinct. If it’s too blurry or has an unclear image, then it may not be real.
- Be wary of gems that are very dark in color—these could be dyed-color imitations or irradiated (chemically treated) stones that have had their color altered by heat exposure. You can also check on this by holding them up against light; if they glow brightly without any yellow tingeing at all, then they’re probably untreated authentic gems worth your time!
- Familiarize yourself with what different kinds of gemstones look like so you know what kind of stone belongs in each category before buying anything for yourself or someone else! It’s important to know what kind of jewels come from where so you don’t accidentally spend money on something fake when trying out new things from different places around town 🙂
How to authenticate gemstones
- The 4Cs: When looking at a gemstone, you want to make sure it’s a real diamond and not a fake. The 4Cs are cut, clarity, color and carat weight.
- GIA Certificate: Most gemstones will have some sort of certificate from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). You should look for this to make sure it’s authentic.
- GIA Grading Report: GIA grading reports are like “certificates of authenticity” for diamonds. They can tell you about the color grade and clarity grade for your diamond or gemstone so that you know what kind of quality stone you’re getting with each purchase. It also has information on where each piece comes from — whether it was mined in Australia or Canada — as well as its carat weight and size! In addition, if something goes wrong with your purchase later on down the road then having this report handy will help greatly when filing claims against both eBay sellers who sold these items originally but also yourselves because most people tend not read all disclaimers fully before purchasing something online instead just trusting their gut instinct which often leads them astray especially when dealing with sites like [link].
There are many different things that make gemstones special.
First of all, each and every one is unique in its own way. Each stone is has its own color and shape which makes it stand out from other stones. Secondly, they’re valuable because they are not easily found or made by people nowadays (like diamonds). Lastly, they’re beautiful because their colors can be brought out by polishing them with special machines called lapidary machines (which makes them shiny).
This means that if you get some good quality gemstones then they can last forever without ever needing replacement parts like cars do!
The age of gemstones
If you are looking for gemstones at an estate sale, keep in mind that the age of a gemstone can be determined by its clarity and color. The older a gemstone is, the more cloudy and less transparent it will become. This is due to chemical changes taking place within the stone over time. The same thing happens when you leave a drop of milk out on your countertop too long; it becomes unappealing because the proteins change their form.
Jewelry made from ancient stones should always be authenticated by an expert before purchase. It’s important to know how much history goes into our jewelry collection so we can ensure that we’re purchasing authentic pieces!
Factors that help determine the value of an gemstone
In determining the value of a gemstone, there are many factors to consider. These include size, type, rarity, age and condition of the gemstone; quality of cut; clarity and color; authenticity. Diamonds are graded similarly to gemstones, we also have a guide offering diamond specific advice.
- Size
- Type
- Rarity
- Age & Condition
- Quality Of Cut (Bezel Set Vs. Cabochon)
A price guide for gemstones
- Gemstones can be found at estate sales, auctions, etc. They’re usually made of glass or plastic and can be worth quite a bit of money if they’re real.
- Valuing estate sale gemstones is difficult because you have to know how much people are willing to pay for them. The best way to find out what someone would pay is to look at online auctions for similar items in good condition — that way you’ll have an idea of how much the item should sell for. You should also make sure the gemstone is authentic before selling it: this can be done by examining its weight, color and structure (if any).
How to value a gemstone
The first step in buying a gemstone at an estate sale is to know what you’re looking for. You can’t make an offer if you don’t know how much it’s worth, so take the time to do your homework.
You’ll want to consider:
- Whether or not the gemstone is real (there are many fakes out there) and how easy it will be for someone else to tell that it isn’t. If a stone has been treated or altered, this can decrease its value as well as increase its difficulty in being sold later on.
- If any treatment has been done on the gemstone and whether it’s stable or not; many treatments can cause damage over time which will decrease the value of your stone. For example, if a diamond is filled with carbon black dust, this could cause discoloration in time which would greatly reduce its appeal at resale time (if ever).
- How [it] was cut; ideally we would like our stones cut “ideally” so that they have maximum brilliance when viewed under natural light conditions but also since most people don’t have access to such equipment all we really need from our cutters is consistency across all facets which means all facets must match each other both in terms of depth/angle etc…
Where to look for gemstones
Estate Sales, of course! If you’re looking for gemstones, a great way to find them is with an estate sale. These are usually held by families who want to get rid of their loved one’s belongings once he or she has died. There are many different types of estate sales, including auctions, etc
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to gemstones. We believe that everyone should own one or two of these beautiful stones, and with so many options available it’s easy to find something perfect for yourself or someone special. Remember that even if you can’t afford a diamond ring right now, there are plenty of other ways to show your love with an affordable gemstone ring! If you need help finding the perfect gemstoine or selling gemstones through an estate sale, contact us.