A Complete Guide to Pre-Owned Jewelry

The pre-owned jewelry collection you’ll find at Alexander’s Jewelers not only spans many eras but is also an ever-changing highlight of our store. In fact, we have one of the largest collections in the state of Ohio! From Antique to Art Deco and contemporary jewelry, including luxury brand watches, such as Rolex and Cartier, plus sought after, designer-signed pieces, you’re sure to discover unique jewelry finds. The pieces are previously loved, and now they are an affordable luxury for you!

Why consider Pre-Owned Jewelry?

In the jewelry industry, we generally categorize pre-owned pieces as Estate, but we know most people coming into our store think of estate jewelry as stodgy and old. And although we do carry plenty of the coolest vintage designs that are 20 to 25 years old, you’ll be surprised and delighted by the more current pre-owned, signed designer pieces you can find in our store by Cartier, Hermes, and Tiffany, to name a few.

The History (and Romance) Behind Pre-Owned Jewelry

Fine jewelry is valuable and decorative art, worn and enjoyed since ancient times. At Alexander’s Jewelers, we love the history behind each piece in our vast pre-owned jewelry collection. This varies from 100-year-old, truly antique Victorian styles, to the incredibly popular Art Deco era, to more recent, contemporary pieces.

What’s unique about every ring, bracelet, necklace and watch are the stories behind them. For example, did you know the term “cocktail ring” dates back to Prohibition and the decade of excess? Now you know! But just imagine the swanky parties to which our Art Deco cocktail rings may have been worn. The conversations they were a part of and the stories they could tell if they could use words.

As with any style, It’s a fact that fashion trends tend to repeat themselves. That is true with jewelry as well. Spend a few minutes surfing the web, and you will see proof that vintage jewelry has made a major comeback and continues to be popular! For example, bold chains have seen a major resurgence after years of dainty styles being the thing to wear.

Do You Have a Pre-Owned Jewelry Style? Here’s Where You Find Out.

Visualize your home decor. Just like your taste may lend itself to a certain aesthetic or time period, so does jewelry for most people. Following is a brief tutorial on the different jewelry eras. Which do you find yourself identifying with?

Georgian Era Jewelry

In the pre-owned jewelry world, Georgian Era jewelry is considered to be a rare find. The Georgian era of jewelry was named for the four kings of Great Britain (all Georges, of course) who reigned from 1714-to 1830. Georgian jewelry was made by hand and is quite difficult to replicate today, which is why it is so rare. Old diamond cuts such as rose, table, and old mine were popular and they don’t have the brilliance today’s cuts offer. These jewelry pieces also often included natural materials such as jet, ivory, and coral that are now restricted to use environmentally. Georgian styles have seen a big resurgence in popularity, especially in engagement rings where rose and old mine cuts can take center stage.

Victorian Era Jewelry

Americans have a huge fascination with the royals, and in the Victorian Era, they strike again. Named after Queen Victoria, who held the British throne from 1837-1901, this style features cameos, long and elaborate earrings, and necklaces that drape. Victorian jewelry also tends to have a symbolic nature. Gemstones were sometimes used to spell out words like a lover’s name or a special hidden message. Although it’s morbid sounding, mourning jewelry was also often created, where lockets incorporated the hair of the deceased, as a way to keep a loved one close. Vicorian jewelry styles tend to be quite intricate. However, when worn in a modern way, such as pairing a Victorian necklace with a crisp white shirt, it looks anything but dowdy.

Art Nouveau Era Jewelry

If you like elements of nature in jewelry, you’ll likely love Art Nouveau Era jewelry. French for New Art, this style often showcases curves of the female body, natural objects, like insects and stylized plants and flowers, and mythical creatures. Gems featured were often opals, moonstones, and other ethereal stones, mixed with natural materials like amber, horn, and pearl. Art Nouveau jewelry also highlights colors in pastel tones. As you can imagine, this style became very popular in the early 1900s, as a reaction against the industrialization occurring at the turn of the century. In addition, many women were starting to reject stifling Victorian styles. Natural elements in jewelry will always be in style, and purchasing a vintage Art Nouveau piece will definitely be a one-of-a-kind find!

Edwardian Era Jewelry

Arriving at the same time as Art Nouveau, Edwardian style was very different in its aesthetic. It featured multi-strand chokers and tassels, the likes of which you may have seen on Downton Abbey. This style featured white metals and white stones such as diamonds and pearls. Ribbons, bows, and wreaths were popular motifs. Its name comes from England’s King Edward VII and reflected a time of prosperity. Similar to Victorian jewelry, Edwardian jewelry often featured symbolic themes in colored gemstones, when they were used to spell out secret or special messages.

Art Deco Era Jewelry

The roaring 20s through the late 30s was the time this highly popular jewelry style hit the scene. This was the era of the flapper and the beginning of women really wanting to express themselves individually. Clean lines, geometric shapes, and contrasting colors comprise the highlights of this style. Popular designers at that time are still very popular today, such as Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, among others.

Mid-Century Modern Era Jewelry

Influenced by Hollywood, women wanted to look like celebrities during this time. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” became the mantra of the day. Large cocktail rings were very popular at this time, as were multilayered pearl necklaces. Much of the jewelry from this era is very sculptural and artistic, reminiscent of the lines of mid-century modern furniture, which has made a major style comeback.

Retro Vintage Era Jewelry

With WWII now over, most of the jewelry of this time period (1940 - 1950) appeared in gold due to a shortage in platinum supply from the war effort. Engagement rings were typically smaller, as excessive styles became a thing of the past. Colored gemstones featured were less expensive, such as garnet, amethyst, and citrine. Cultured pearls and charm bracelets were also popular. Another defining feature of this era was pierced ears went out of style, resulting in more screw backs or clip-on styles.

The Value of Pre-Owned Jewelry

Now that we’ve gone through the major eras of jewelry, you may find that you are drawn to more than one style. We wouldn’t blame you! The good news is that no matter which style speaks to you, think of pre-owned designer jewelry as today’s affordable luxury. It’s how we look at it at Alexander’s Jewelers. The value will become evident as you investigate our transparent pricing.

The Savings Benefit of Buying Pre-Owned Designer Jewelry

When you purchase pre-owned designer jewelry, the savings can be significant but with similar benefits, much like purchasing a pre-owned luxury automobile. For each piece, we include the cost if purchased new as a comparison to our pre-owned (and previously loved!) price. Thinking about proposing?

Priced complete with the center diamond, purchasing one of our vintage engagement rings ensures a truly unique look! And the pre-owned Tiffany piece we sell is infinitely more affordable than its brand new counterpart.

Pre-Owned Fine Watches

Have you always dreamed of purchasing a fine timepiece, such as Rolex or Cartier? We offer an extensive and ever-changing collection of pre-owned watches in all styles and price points, at significant savings to you.

At Alexander’s Jewelers, we offer a 2 year warranty on select, pre-owned watches that are newer models valued at $4000+, including Cartier, Rolex, Panerai, and Bretling, for example. The status watch of your dreams is now attainable, but you will have to move quickly on it. Our pre-owned luxury watches are very popular!

In addition, we have been able to obtain very limited edition watches (such as only 20 available in the entire world!) for our clients at a very significant discount from the original selling price. If you have a dream watch in mind, ask us if we can help you find your dream timepiece.

No Repeat Performances

We love that shopping for pre-owned jewelry and watches at Alexander’s Jewelers is never the same experience twice, and each piece is always one of a kind. We feature many of them on our website but invite you to explore so much more in our Columbus, Ohio Short North location. You’ll discover the many reasons to fall in love with pre-owned contemporary and vintage jewelry and watches with your own eyes!

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