Two of the most often asked questions we get are

"What exactly is estate jewelry?", and "Where does it come from?"

Very simply stated, estate jewelry is previously owned (or used, if you prefer) jewelry. No "buts", "sometimes", or "maybes", estate jewelry is defined in just one way: jewelry which has been previously owned.

But the question of where estate jewelry comes from has more than one answer. At Jones & Co. Jewelers we work with banks, attorneys, accountants, and individual estate trustees to obtain estate jewelry. Also we buy directly from individuals, many of whom are retired, are ready to downsize and have jewelry they haven't worn in years and no longer need or want.

So estate jewelry can be from yeateryear or yesterday.

Very often when we purchase an estate, the jewelry box might contain an antique platinum and diamond ring from a store such as Tiffany's as well as a ring or watch purchased just a few months ago from Wal-Mart as well as a little bit of everything in between. That's why you will find items priced from ten dollars to tens of thousands of dollars when you look through our 24 feet of showcase space devoted to estate jewelry. Antique as well as modern previously owned jewelry fills the cases.

Why do people want estate jewelry? That's a good question. Some people who come to our store head straight for the Estate Jewelry Cases bypassing the new jewelry. A part of the appeal is simply nostalgia. Sentiment plays a large part in jewelry selection. In today's chaotic society people are searching more and more for reminders of past more stable times. Just as the whole mood of nostalgia continues strong, older jewelry reminds them of those times. Some people may want something specific that reminds them of a piece remembered from childhood; others just love the look of the past with its charm and distinct personality. And because jewelry is a reflection of its owner, people today want to be known for their appreciation of quality, craftmanship, and lasting worth. Value. Jewelry has always been the most portable wealth. Jewelry is the international currency. Recently we purchased a vintage watch from one of our customers paying him twelve times the amount he had paid for it years before (causing him to comment "that performed better than my stocks"). And even at that purchase price we were able to pass the watch along to another customer at substantial savings from what a new watch of that caliber would sell for.

One of a kind. When it comes to older estate jewelry, it is rare to find two pieces exactly alike. Pieces of jewelry were often hand made, and even if they were machine made, they were painstakingly finished and made to last. But more important, in the first half of the 20th century (remember the 20th century?) most people had fewer pieces of jewelry than we have today. So a ring, a cameo brooch, or a pocket watch was so treasured that it was well cared for. In the Estate Department at Jones & Co. Jewelers are dozens of pocket watches a hundred years old and older that are still running today!

Remember, the store from which you buy estate jewelry lends its reputation to the authenticity and value of the items you select. Not only should you wear the jewelry proudly, but you should wear it with complete confidence.

So if you appreciate old jewelry, we invite you to bring a friend, come in, and browse around.

You'll like what you see and you'll LOVE what you save!