https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 25 Apr 2026 22:45:50 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1369785 Sun, 05 Oct 2014 16:12:02 +0000 Isabel 1369785@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I completely agree with Mary. &nbsp;I have a lot of jewelry. &nbsp;Some of it is real gold ( mostly from Portugal in 19ct &nbsp;- yes, they do 19ct...don't ask me why, lol ).</p> <p>I also have reactions to a lot of costume jewelry. &nbsp;But I have discovered stainless steel and bronze and copper. &nbsp;There is so much today. &nbsp;There is a lot of stuff that is bronze and layered with gold. &nbsp;Kendra Scott is one example, but there are many. &nbsp;I don't really look at it as an "investment". &nbsp;I look it at as something that I want some durability.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1367270 Thu, 02 Oct 2014 00:20:50 +0000 Thistle 1367270@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>As others have said, jewelry is not an investment. It would basically be worth the price of metal on the market.</p> <p>Of the metals available , gold is probably the most reliable. It's been used for trade for a very long time. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1367029 Wed, 01 Oct 2014 15:52:57 +0000 ironkurtin 1367029@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Indian jewelry is so beautiful I'd buy it just to have it. If my kids ever got anything out of it afterwards that'd be enough for me.</p> <p>Is there a good source for Indian jewelry? I don't have a big budget but I would love to someday own a piece. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366872 Wed, 01 Oct 2014 10:30:48 +0000 ramya 1366872@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Indian women see Gold jewellery as investment pieces. Lesser the stone more preferable. The gold is 22K. Intricate work with minimum or no stones is what we look for. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366825 Wed, 01 Oct 2014 04:26:44 +0000 Lucy 1366825@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>About ten years ago my DH bought me some diamond studs - a total surprise. I don't know what they cost, or what they are worth. But they are very beautiful and I wear them each and&nbsp;every day. I think that is a good enough investment for me!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366807 Wed, 01 Oct 2014 03:52:28 +0000 MsMaven 1366807@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Forget jewelry as an investment--unless . . .</p> <p>It used to be that retail jewelry vendors did what was called keystone: the retail jewelry was to be priced at 4 times wholesale. I don't know what it is now. Long ago and far away, DH got involved in the jewelry business. He became a certified gemologist. I read all his materials on colored stones and learned quite a bit. Fascinating stuff.</p> <p>Investors buy investment quality diamonds--the average buyer doesn't have access to them. The stones&nbsp;are locked up in a safe place and not used for jewelry. Most stones you buy at retail are not investment quality.</p> <p>Colored stones are similar, except that much of the value of colored stones is subjective. Not the best investment.&nbsp;</p> <p>When we were young marrieds DH had a diamond wholesaler friend and was able to get a high quality stone for me. It is now worth 10x the wholesale price of what he bought it for--and that is because of inflation. &nbsp;</p> <p>Mary is right--buy jewelry because you love it and not because you think it will appreciate. There are better investments. You'd have to spend the time to educate yourself to become a sophisticated investor.&nbsp;</p> <p>Gold has been up but it is going down. Silver has been up and down. Diamonds have value thanks to DeBeers--who in the past has been able to keep diamonds relatively scarce--but that has changed lately.&nbsp;</p> <p>I don't know about investing in platinum--but I suspect it is the same. I know it is very expensive right now. &nbsp;</p> <p>Look at estate jewelry and ebay.&nbsp;Again, educate yourself.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366562 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 22:15:35 +0000 Echo 1366562@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>With few exceptions, jewelry is NOT an investment. We do not buy bags, shoes or clothing with an eye on resale price (usually); we buy what we love. Una is correct that almost without exception, gold is about the only thing of value. But it is rare to find 22K or 24K gold in the US; it is possible, but far more common to find 18K (or 14K or even 10K with the price of gold).</p> <p>Provenance can sometimes affect value, and certain brands will often attract higher prices. But since a person generally overpaid for those at the start, they are generally not a great investment, either.</p> <p>If you are interested in precious metals as investments, then buy them AS investments, not as jewelry.&nbsp;</p> <p>I love diamonds, precious gemstones and precious metals. I think that some pieces of jewelry are classics in my wardrobe. I am glad I have them because they were investments in style, because I enjoy them and because they will last forever. I didn't buy them with the intent to sell them. I invest separately for the future, and my jewelry budget and my investment budgets don't merge. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366543 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 21:47:36 +0000 JAileen 1366543@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Also, I don't think silver is at an all time low. It's now $17 an ounce, and was only $6 an ounce in the last five years or so. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366514 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 21:14:41 +0000 Laurinda 1366514@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>DeBeers is a cartel :-/<br /><i>...say it with <b>Real Estate</b>.</i> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366513 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 21:12:44 +0000 catgirl 1366513@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Gold.&nbsp; My Indian jewelry is worth more than anything else - it's 22K and up. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366487 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:43:39 +0000 Anonymous 1366487@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Also, there are places online that will sell your unwanted jewelry for a good resale price, but they have to be quality pieces. </p> <p>I would never buy jewelry as an investment. I would just buy it because I like it. Personally I love watches more than bracelets or necklaces and have at least 10 watches. Nothing expensive, but just stuff that I like. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366486 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:42:33 +0000 bj1111 1366486@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>22k gold...the really yellow looking stuff. Skip the stones. Easier to calculate the value by weighing the piece and looking at the spot price of gold and adding what you consider a reasonable mark up for the workmanship and overhead. This is how wealth was traditionally transferred in my country along with land. Really useful if currencies are not stable or you have to flee in the midfke of the night --surprisingly frequent where i come from. </p> <p>Platinum is fine, but difficult to find without a bunch of stones in it.</p> <p>South sea pearls used to be very valuable, hard to get, hard to manufacture with a narrow distribution channel. Then the internet opened up the retail market which ramped up oyster/pearl farming. Now the market is glutted with extremely high quality pearls at very very affordable prices. The prime ones like 13mm highly match strand of gold south sea pearls are still pricey but not as expensive as they were. If you like pearls, look for natural pearls not farmed--these will probably hold their value, but are hard to source reliably.</p> <p>Estate jewelry and branded jewelry eg arpels, cartier, tiffany probably hold their value esp if you source on the resale market.</p> <p>I have stopped buying new pieces unless i have it made. I prefer a good reseller. I also buy only what i like to wear now that i live in a dollar denominated economy. I stll have a bunch of gold jewelry tho, because apparently mexican style devaluation is just around the corner </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366481 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:38:53 +0000 Anonymous 1366481@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Jewelry markup in itself is unbelievable. I worked part time while in grad school for a jeweler and got all my stuff at cost. His markup was sometimes as high as 1000% and when stuff was marked at 50% he sold a lot and made out well. But as with any retail business he had a lot of overhead. That is why you would do better buying online at places like Blue Nile. They can keep their prices lower and their precious metal prices will reflect what is going on in the market.</p> <p>As for diamonds, many jewelers will quote what is called a "Rap Sheet" and will rip people off since they purchase the diamonds at much lower cost. Jewelers don't carry a large inventory of diamonds and if you are looking for something in say a 2ct round with certain specifications, they have their sources to get it. In fact , diamonds that are certified will have a certificate number (AGS, GIA, or EGL) and you can use that cert.# at almost any jewelers and i bet you would get different prices. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366457 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:06:55 +0000 Victoria 1366457@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I certainly agree with you, Mary.&nbsp; Personally, I tend to buy real jewelry if I can because I am allergic to lot of costume jewelry so ...so I tend to look at it more as long time wear/investment since most pieces I have are fairly classic in style </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366449 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 19:46:42 +0000 MsMary 1366449@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think jewelry is a consumable just like clothing.&nbsp; Not only are the stones not worth much on the secondary market, but fashions change in jewelry as in anything else, so most pieces won't be worth much as complete pieces after a few years, either.&nbsp; So the best course of action is to buy what you love and can afford and not worry about getting your money out of it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jewelry-as-investment-what-is-best-to-buy#post-1366422 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 19:12:41 +0000 Victoria 1366422@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I decided to "downsize" my jewelry box and since I had bunch of items that got either broken or never worn, I decided to sell it for scrap(most were silver, with couple of small gold items). I took it to reputable long in business jeweler in my area. </p> <p>Since silver prices are at all time low, I was not expecting large amount of money for it(it came to just over $100). Jeweler told me that if all that stuff was gold, I would get over a $1000.</p> <p>While there, lady next to me wanted to see if her old engagement ring was worth money-she had simple gold band, with .25 carat diamond that appeared to be good quality. You know how much she was offered? $75. I was blown away. </p> <p>She was shocked as well and asked him why is it worth so little since original price was over $1700. He told her that diamonds are never worth what you pay for it(I knew that already). He also advised us if you want to get your money worth and use jewelry as investment, buy either gold or platinum. Even if you pay thousands of dollars for diamond, you will not get even a quarter of that price. </p> <p>I have a friend who is geologist by trade and he pretty much confirmed it. He said that only items are worth money would be gold, platinum and rare stones.(and silver)</p> <p>Knowing that, I don't think I would ever be buying diamond anything again-unless of course, I had the money and knew that it was not going to be worth that much in the end.</p>