Smart online jewelery purchasing?
June 11, 2012 9:42 AM Subscribe
I am buying a very specific ring, by a name-brand jeweler, for someone's birthday. I know nothing about jewelery, so my first instinct is to just pay full retail at the jeweler's website. Are there smart, safe places to look for used or discounted name-brand jewelery? Do sane people use Ebay any more?
My wife bought her wedding ring from an eBay seller, and was extremely pleased with it - a worn-once piece from Kay Jewelers.
posted by Telpethoron at 9:51 AM on June 11, 2012
posted by Telpethoron at 9:51 AM on June 11, 2012
If you're looking for Tiffany or Cartier, I think either a vintage place (but high end, like 1st dibs) is a lot safer than Ebay, where fakes abound. And most mass-market, mall jewelers don't make their own pieces, but rather buy the findings and settings from wholesalers.
posted by Ideefixe at 9:54 AM on June 11, 2012
posted by Ideefixe at 9:54 AM on June 11, 2012
People do use eBay, but there are lots of scams there, so I'd be very wary. There are a number of high-end resale places like Ann's Fabulous Finds and Decades that might have what you're looking for. I'd go that route if you're looking for a specific item at a discount, especially Tiffany or the like.
posted by bedhead at 10:01 AM on June 11, 2012
posted by bedhead at 10:01 AM on June 11, 2012
Tiffany and Co spent a hell of a lot of effort to sue the bejesus out of Ebay for basically turning a blind eye to fact that there were a huge number of sellers of counterfeit T&C jewelery on eBay
Sadly they lost ... but they estimated that 4 in 5 T&C items for sale on eBay were fake.
posted by jannw at 10:41 AM on June 11, 2012
Sadly they lost ... but they estimated that 4 in 5 T&C items for sale on eBay were fake.
posted by jannw at 10:41 AM on June 11, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:49 AM on June 11, 2012