Fine estate jewelry has been defined differently at different and by different sources. What all definitions have in common, however, is that estate jewelry has been previously owned without necessarily coming from ‘an estate’ or belonging to any specific time period., Estate jewelry may in fact originate from as late back as the Georgian era to contemporary design jewelry. It is therefore to be differentiated from antique jewelry since the latter refers to jewelry pieces of at least 100 years old.
Estate jewelry may be distinguished by its its uniqueness. This characteristic refers, amongst others, to the history behind such jewelry items which, in many cases may have survived several generations and passed on from one generation to another as part of family heirloom.
If you are in possession of estate jewelry which you plan to sell, it would be reasonable to seek the advice of a jewelry connoisseur in order to obtain a realistic evaluation of your items . Pieces of jewelry which once belonged to your grand-grand mother may have enjoyed a comeback in contemporary fashion trend, hence gained considerably in value!