Benefits of Buying Second-Hand Jewellery

1. Second-Hand Jewellery Is Cheaper

The biggest benefit to second-hand jewellery is the price point. As with all newer pieces, the price will reflect this, whereas choosing pre-owned will naturally bring the price down as the initial process of making the piece has already been paid for when the piece was new. This makes second-hand pieces better in terms of value for money, and if you’re buying a few pieces for your collection, you will naturally get more for your money. Plus, you’ll likely find that you can then afford better precious metals or diamonds and other gemstone pieces.

Whether your piece is years old or newer, the piece can drop in 20-40% value just by being preowned, giving those who buy it an advantage. Choosing used also doesn’t necessarily mean that your piece is years old or from an unknown brand. You can still find newer pieces or named brands on the market but for a lot less than buying it new.

2. High In Quality

The more affordable price point isn’t to say that the quality of used pieces isn’t still good; in fact, second-hand pieces are still very beautiful. The materials and metals can last decades if taken care of correctly, so your piece is still in great condition, and some may even still look new. And some of your pieces may even actually be very recent.

But even if your piece is older, such as vintage or antique, it’s usually handcrafted with intricate and beautiful designs. Older pieces are made from better materials and higher quality metals than newer pieces made in factories, meaning they will last a lot longer and still sparkle and shine as if new.

3. Wider Choice Of Styles & Unique Pieces

When buying new, you are limited to what is currently in style or in the market; you are also likely to buy something that has a million other stocks out there. Whereas a benefit to second-hand jewellery, is that you have a wider choice of types from rings, necklaces, you name it. With different styles available, from newer styles to vintage styles, and more unique pieces as older pieces were made in smaller batches, you’re likely to find something no one else has. Vintage and older styles are also very stylish and fashionable as well, with trends and statement pieces which won’t go out of style.

With pre-owned, you can also find discontinued or older named brand and luxury pieces as well as ornate and elaborate designs that you can’t find elsewhere. Even if you are looking for a specific new piece, buying preowned will mean you can buy that piece for less.

4. More Customisation Opportunities

Not only will you gain access to more styles and designs when buying pre-owned jewellery, but a second-hand piece can be a great starting point for customisation or redesigns. From newer pieces or vintage designs, you can work with a professional jeweller to modify according to your preferences, creating a truly unique piece. Modifying older pieces is a lot easier than newer pieces as well with the unique craftsmanship and higher quality materials used. Just know that remaking a preowned piece may also reflect the resell price, especially if it was an older model.

5. Own A Piece Of History

From newer pieces with a history of who it was owned by, from unique and older pieces which may even be older than you are! A benefit of buying second-hand jewellery is that the piece has had a life, maybe several lives, with moments and memories throughout time. Maybe your piece was a family heirloom or was a precious gift from a loved one.

Each piece has a story to tell, especially if it’s a vintage or antique piece. From how old it is, to even the style, maybe your piece embodies a popular style in a specific time in history, such as the Victorian Era. Whether it’s the design or knowing that your piece holds stories from the past, it’s great to know that you’ve got a piece of history in your collection that no one else has.

Read more: The Difference Between Vintage & Antique Jewellery

6. Second-Hand Is More Sustainable

Newer pieces are made in large batches in a factory, and like with all fast fashion and the need to consume, it’s not good for the environment. If you’re concerned about the planet and want to be more eco-conscious and sustainable, this is a big benefit of buying second-hand jewellery. Not only does buying second-hand prolong the life of a piece and keep it in circulation, but it also keeps the energy and resources that made that piece from going to waste. But also, the more people who buy pre-owned, the less of the demand for newer pieces. And your money also isn’t contributing to that demand either.

Remember, even if you want a newer piece, whether it’s from a luxury brand or not, you can still find those pieces second-hand for less online.

7. Shopping Pre-Owned Supports Small Businesses

Not only is it good for the planet, but a benefit to buying second-hand jewellery is it helps to support small and local businesses. From local shops, antique stores, online brands or platforms, you are choosing to support smaller than higher name brands which can have a positive impact on the economy and communities. Especially if you are buying from independent sellers, you are supporting smaller people, which will have more of an impact on their lives rather than shopping at your big well-known brands.

8. It’s A Good Investment

Another benefit to purchasing preowned jewellery is that it’s a good investment, and upon resale, it will retain more of the value. While when you buy a used piece, it’s cheaper than buying new, the value of your piece will retain the value of the precious metals and stones. And if your piece is vintage or antique, it can even become more valuable due to trends or age.

By keeping your piece in circulation, when reselling it to continue its path in life, you lose a smaller percentage of cash than if you were to sell a new piece, or even gain more of a profit depending on the piece and materials.

9. Great For Collectors

If you’re a jewellery collector or a lover of vintage finds, the thrill of searching for unique jewellery and adding a beautiful piece to a collection is what makes second-hand jewellery so great. With lots of ways to find unique styles, such as those from vintage and antique fashion eras and even pieces with a lot of history. You can even use the hallmarks on pieces to find out how old they are. The process of finding pieces is the buyer's personal preferences or those that are rare adds excitement and thrill for collectors.

10. Buying Second-Hand Is Easy

Since more and more people are choosing to buy used jewellery, another benefit is how easy it is. There are more ways to find and buy second-hand pieces online, from marketplaces and pre-loved apps to jewellers and jewellery shops offering to buy and sell second-hand pieces. Whether you are looking for necklaces, rings, earrings, pendants, watches or even engagement rings, you can find a range of options all second-hand.

As with buying anything online, it’s always best to shop smarter and question if deals look to be like they are fake. With scammers on marketplace and apps to be more likely to have this risk, look at reviews of the seller or other pieces they sell. We recommend buying from a reputable seller, like ourselves, to reduce the risk. Online you will see an ASSAY ASSURED Trustmark, reviews, as well as having jewellery experts on hand online and in-store if you need expert help and advice.

Many reputable sellers or platforms will also provide certifications and guarantees of authenticity, which reduce the risk of buying fake or low-quality pieces. All of our preowned pieces are reviewed as authentic and high-quality pieces by our experts before going on sale, so you know your piece is genuine.

Benefits Of Second-Hand Jewellery At Ramsdens

There are a lot of benefits of pre-owned jewellery, from being more affordable and being able to find newer brand names as well as vintage pieces for less, to the range of styles and unique designs, pieces of history, to even being better for the environment. There are a lot of reasons why you should buy second-hand jewellery, just remember to do your research and shop with a reputable jeweller such as ourselves. For more help, read our Guide To Buying Second-Hand Jewellery.

At Ramsdens Jewellery, we have a wide range of second-hand jewellery that contains everything from rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and pendants to used pieces for women, men and children. We have older pieces, newer pieces, and those from high-end luxury name brands as well, and we even have pre-owned watches on display. So, you’ll be sure to find the perfect option for you which not only will last a long time but save you money in the long run too.