Experts offer advice on how to create or expand your own antique and vintage jewelry department.
Most retailers buying antique and vintage jewelry for their estate departments rely on a mix of know-how, trusted relationships, and a good sense of the market’s nature. While recent changes have made that market more complicated — including the shift toward online and direct-to-consumer sales, a more casual lifestyle in the wake of the pandemic, and skyrocketing prices for rare, authentic pieces — some retailers are selling as well as or better than before.
“The nature of antique and vintage jewelry is that you fall in love with it and buy it with your heart,” says Jim Rosenheim, director of Tiny Jewel Box in Washington, DC. “This is true for the seller and the end consumer.”
Rosenheim took over the store from his parents about 40 years ago and has since turned their antique-jewelry business into a mix of contemporary designers, high-end watches and estate pieces. “There is no formula for selling and buying estate,” he asserts. “It’s all about going with your gut.”
Learn more about this topic by Beth Bernstein, as seen in Rapaport Jewelry Connoisseur at JewelryConnoisseur.net.
Read the complete article here.
Want to learn more about this topic? Register for ASA’s GJ209 Jewels 1900-1950: Evolution of Design September 29, 2023 virtual class.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions or examples included in linked article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect an official policy or position of ASA or its members.