Etsy Archives

Did you know that Etsy is a great place to look at vintage and antique jewelery?

Etsy is an online marketplace where people can sell things – handmade things, vintage things, anything, really. You do have to be careful – never forget that anyone can sign up to sell on Etsy, and you’ll never really know what you’re getting it until you hold it in your hand. A lot of the tips I gave for buying jewelry on Ebay also apply for Etsy. (Read more Guides and Tips here!)

There is lots of stuff for sale on Etsy and you have to wade through it to get to the treasures – but the treasures are worth it, and the hurt is part of the fun. Always use keywords to narrow down the search when you’re looking for something specific (“Edwardian filigree onyx ring” is better than “pretty rings”). You can use the category filters on the right-hand side to limit your results – for example, you can choose to see only vintage items, and from those results you could choose to see only rings.

If you’re browsing and you see something you like, add the store or the item to your favorites. It can be hard to find the same store twice if you forget the name, and often a seller who posts one item you like will post other items you’ll like also.

If something is lacking in pictures or information, ask the seller questions. If they won’t answer your questions, don’t do business with them. If a seller doesn’t have positive reviews, don’t do business with them. If you do buy things, pay promptly and leave honest feedback.

I once bought something through Etsy that broke as soon as I took it out of the package. When I wrote this as feedback on the seller’s page, she instantly contacted me to apologize, give my money back, and teach me how to fix the broken item.

Many Etsy sellers accept returns, but not all. Never count on being able to return something unless it specifically says you can. Even then – don’t forget to check and see if you’ll be responsible for return shipping.

Know all of your measurements – ring size, wrist circumference, and what necklace lengths you prefer. The only thing sadder than buying crap is buying something beautiful you can never wear.

Etsy gives prices up front, but they don’t include shipping. Don’t forget to mentally add shipping costs when you’re looking at the pretties.

Now that you’re prepared to buy jewelry on Etsy, let’s get to the goodies. Here is some vintage/antique jewelry that I am currently drooling over on Etsy.

Edwardian green glass lavaliere necklace