Read the hallmark before you look at the stone. A mark of 14K, 18K, 925 or 950 tells you what the metal is worth and puts a floor under any price, while a piece with no mark should be valued at its scrap weight until an independent jeweler says otherwise. Those marks have legal meanings in the US: the FTC's Jewelry Guides reserve "sterling" for silver at least 925/1,000 pure, and unqualified "platinum" for metal at 950 parts per thousand.
Estate jewelry means secondhand jewelry sold from an estate, and the trade uses the term loosely. Antique means over a hundred years old, vintage means roughly twenty to a hundred, and estate simply means previously owned. Only the first of the three carries a premium for age, and only when the piece is intact.
What the hallmarks actually mean
Marks worth knowing, and how to price them
| Mark | What it means | How to price it |
|---|---|---|
| 14K or 585 | 58.3 percent gold by weight | Weight plus making. Scrap value is the floor |
| 18K or 750 | 75 percent gold | Roughly a quarter more per gram than 14K at the same weight |
| 925 or sterling | 92.5 percent silver | A few dollars a gram. On a vintage setting you are buying the stone |
| 1/20 12K GF | Gold-filled: a bonded layer of at least 10K gold making up at least 1/20 of the metal weight | A fraction of solid gold, though often sold as if solid |
| Vermeil | At least 2.5 microns of gold over sterling silver | More than plate, far less than solid. The thickness is what matters |
| 950 or platinum | 95 percent platinum | Valued on weight like gold, and heavier for the same size |
| No mark | Nothing recorded. Marks wear away or were never stamped | Pay scrap value until a jeweler tests the metal |
Gold-filled and vermeil are legitimate materials containing real gold, though neither is solid gold, and both are frequently listed as though they were. A single unmarked ring sold as 18K should be tested or priced as scrap, and a jeweler can settle the question with an acid test or an X-ray meter in minutes. Under the FTC's Jewelry Guides, "gold filled" means a gold-alloy layer of at least 10 karat making up at least 1/20 of the metal's weight, and "vermeil" means sterling silver plated with at least 10-karat gold at least 2.5 microns thick.
Old cuts, and why they cost less
A diamond cut before about 1919 was shaped for candlelight. Old mine cuts have a high crown and a large flat culet, old European cuts are round with an open culet, and transitional cuts sit between those and the modern brilliant. They return light less brightly, which is why they trade below a modern cut of the same weight.
That discount is the opportunity. A one-carat old European cut costs noticeably less per carat than a modern brilliant, and on a vintage setting it is the correct stone. If you want maximum sparkle, buy a modern cut; if you want the period look, the older stone is both right and cheaper.
What to have checked before you commit
- 1
Have the metal tested, not guessed
A jeweler can verify gold or platinum content with an acid test or an X-ray meter in minutes. An unmarked ring sold as 18K should be priced as scrap.
- 2
Ask what the stone is, and who tested it
A thermal tester separates diamond from cubic zirconia but not from moissanite, which passes the thermal test. A multi-tester or a gem lab report settles it, and lab-grown diamonds test as diamonds.
- 3
Inspect the prongs and the shank
Prongs wear until a stone is held by paint-thin metal, and a shank base wears thin over decades. Both are cheap to fix and expensive to ignore.
- 4
Check how far it can be resized
A plain band moves two sizes in either direction. Rings set all the way around, engraved bands and thin shanks are limited, and platinum costs more to work.
- 5
Get an appraisal for insurance, not for price
Insurance replacement value and fair market value are different numbers. An appraisal written for a policy is usually higher than the figure the piece would sell for.
Resizing, restoration and what it costs
- Resizing a plain band — Usually one of the cheaper jobs, more for platinum. Two sizes up or down is straightforward; beyond that the shank is replaced and the profile changes slightly.
- Retipping prongs — Priced per prong, or as a set. Do it before a stone is lost, because replacing a stone costs far more.
- Re-plating white gold — A routine job. White gold is usually rhodium plated to look white, and the plating wears through within a few years, revealing a yellow tone underneath.
- Replacing a worn shank — Priced by profile and metal. Worth it on a ring with stone or sentimental value, not on a plated costume piece.
- Restringing a pearl strand — Ask for a quote including the clasp. Silk stretches and dirt collects between pearls, so a strand worn often should be restrung every few years.
Six places to buy estate jewelry
Ask for a photograph of the hallmark on any piece above a hundred dollars. Prices are shown only where we confirmed them on the brand or retailer page in Oct 2026.
Best for vintageEtsy
Antique and estate pieces by era
The strongest selection of genuinely old pieces, usually listed with a decade or a date range. Ask for a close-up of the hallmark, and read shop reviews for packing and accuracy.
Search jewelry
The RealReal
Authenticated fine jewelry
Designer and fine pieces with an authentication step and a returns window, which matters more in jewelry than in clothing. Condition notes cover metal wear and stone chips.
Browse fine jewelry
CheapesteBay
Estate lots sold by the piece
Where estate lots are broken up and sold individually, often well below dealer prices. Search by the hallmark itself rather than by description, and ask whether the stone has been tested.
Search eBay
1stDibs
Antique signed pieces
The upper end, with maker marks and dates recorded and a dealer accountable behind them. Worth the premium on one important piece, and not worth it on a pair of plain gold bands.
See antiques
Poshmark
Modern gold and sterling, cheap
Good for a wedding band, a pair of cufflinks or a plain chain rather than anything with a stone. Sellers rarely know what they have, so buy on the hallmark visible in the photograph.
Browse bandsMercari
Vintage brooches and hair pieces
Brooches, combs and hair pins for a bride or a guest, in silver plate and paste rather than fine gold. Cheap enough that a single wear still makes sense.
Search broochesThe insurance most people forget
A wedding ring or an inherited brooch is usually covered by contents insurance up to a low single-item limit, and above that it has to be scheduled separately. Scheduling needs a valuation, which takes time, so arrange it well before the wedding.
Keep the receipt, the appraisal and any gem report together. When a claim happens, the paperwork is what converts a metal weight and a stone description into a settlement, and a piece bought secondhand with no papers is the hardest one to insure.
