Tips for Shopping Antique Jewelry at Estate Sales

Estate sales are an excellent opportunity for the jewelry lover: What’s better than combing through all kinds of baubles in search of beautiful pieces that deserve a new life? 

If you’re not sure where to begin when it comes to the world of secondhand jewelry, we’re here to help you get started as you embark on your treasure hunt. Melissa Freeman, the founder of New York City based Luxe Curations, offers her go to tips on what to keep top of mind when shopping for vintage and antique jewelry. 

Begin with Preliminary Research:

Shopping for jewelry in any setting can be overwhelming, so doing a bit of initial research before heading out to an estate sale will serve you well. “Knowledge is power and Google image is your friend,” Freeman says, and recommends developing a baseline as to which jewelry styles appeal to you. You will also want to establish a budget, and the research phase can be useful for helping you to develop an understanding of what particular pieces might cost. 

“Knowledge is power and Google image is your friend” said Melissa Freeman, the founder of New York City based Luxe Curations 

Don’t be afraid to call others in for help, either. Freeman suggests working with a styling consultant if you come across a piece you love but aren’t sure how you would wear it. “If you can’t afford a stylist, save photographs of looks that you love,” she adds. “Compare them to find a common thread. Many times it will become very clear what you’re drawn to and how to put the look together,” she explains. 

 Freeman suggests working with a styling consultant if you come across a piece you love but aren’t sure how you would wear it. 

Decide Whether to Take a Conservative or Adventurous Approach:

This is entirely up to you—and Freeman has advice for shoppers who fall into either camp. “For the conservative buyer, build a relationship with a trusted, reputable dealer who you connect with,” she offers. “Find someone who will guide and teach you as you build a collection.” More open to shopping on a whim? “Taking chances and trusting your instinct overtime, you will learn a great deal,” Freeman adds. “Odds are you will make a few mistakes along the way but if you like a piece, you will likely find a way to make it work and you may even discover a valuable treasure!” 

More open to shopping on a whim? “Taking chances and trusting your instinct overtime, you will learn a great deal. If you like a piece, you will likely find a way to make it work and you may even discover a valuable treasure!

Build a Beginner’s Vintage Jewelry Kit 

You may need to do a bit of reconstructing and refurbishing along the way as you find pieces that could use a bit of love or alteration. As a result, Freeman recommends constructing a kit of sorts that contains the following: A jeweler’s loupe (way more powerful than a magnifying glass) Wenol or SimiChrome (for when you want to polish those pieces!), and a dish soap, toothbrush and soft cloth, like an old T-shirt (your go to cleaning essentials).

Beginner’s vintage jewelry kit recommended by Freeman

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

March 12, 2024     Updated 01:04 PM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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