Where to Find Antique Jewelry at Wholesale Prices

Collectors of antique jewelry are well aware of the sizable amounts of money that have to be spent to build their collections. For the savvy buyer who knows where to look, there are places where one can purchase antique jewelry at wholesale prices.

eBay and other internet auction sites are the first place most collectors turn to for acquiring antique jewelry at what they think will be low prices. While the occasional bargain can be found online, the fact is that most sellers are well aware of the value of the pieces they are selling, and set the price accordingly. Antique jewelry on sale at wholesale or lower prices can be found elsewhere.

Estate sales, yard sales and garage sales are great opportunities to find antique jewelry sold at very low prices. A lot of the time the people conducting these sales are not aware of the true value of the items they're selling, leading to excellent chances of purchasing expensive and rare antique jewelry for next to nothing. Garage sales are typically held on a Saturday morning; keep an eye on your local newspaper for advertisements of yard sales, garage sales and estate sales.

When you hit the jackpot at a garage or an estate sale and find a valuable antique piece being sold for a pittance, it is important to play it cool and not show your jubilation to the sellers. If they sense that you are excited and over eager to buy their dusty old jewelry, then they will start to suspect the true value of what they are selling - you don't want that. Don't feel bad for the sellers; it is their responsibility to get all their antique jewelry appraised before putting it up for sale. Let their negligence be your gain.

Always have the items you buy from garage sales, yard sales or estate sales professionally appraised by a trusted jeweler. It is always possible that the 2 Dollar piece you bought is really only worth 2 Dollars, but sometimes you will find items that are worth considerably more than what you paid for. Even relatively worthless pieces can be of use to those who make their own jewelry, as they can be taken apart and used as a source of spare parts.

Searching for valuable antique jewelry amid the rick-rack usually sold at garage sales and estate sales can be a rewarding and addicting experience. Estate sales where the impatient grandchildren or relatives just want quick cash for grandma's old junk are a great place to find antique jewelry at bargain basement prices. The value of most items on offer at an estate sale is typically not accurately set as none of the surviving relatives want to spend money on appraisals. You should use this to your advantage.

Online auction sites such as eBay are not totally bereft of good deals on antique jewelry. If you look hard enough, not only at the jewelry categories but also the antique and vintage categories you may find something worth bidding on. Only deal with sellers with a high rating and a good reputation. Communicate with him or her to clear any doubts or questions you may have about the item on offer before parting with your money. For expensive items, use a reputable escrow service supported by the auction site.

Here are some useful links that will provide more information on appraisals of antique jewelry and things to watch out for when buying antique jewelry:
http://www.palagems.com/choosing_an_appraiser.htm
http://pages.ebay.com/buy/guides/vintage-jewelry-buying-guide/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2258006_buy-estate-jewelry.html