The Advantages of Purchasing A Pre-Owned Handbag

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When shopping for a luxury handbag in Tustin, the most obvious choice is often to go to a designer’s boutique. If you want a new Chanel handbag, then the logical place to start would be at a Chanel store. But did you know that Watch and Wares has a full selection of designer handbags from prestigious luxury brands like Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Saint Laurent, Hermès, and more? We buy and sell pre-loved handbags that are in excellent condition, allowing you to enjoy the luxury handbag experience without the drawbacks that can come with it.

The first and most obvious reason to purchase a pre-loved luxury handbag is as a cost-saving move. Depending on the brand, as well as the handbag’s age and condition, a customer can save anywhere from ten to seventy percent when compared to purchasing a brand-new handbag. Similar to cars, most types of handbags depreciate in value over time after their purchase. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a bag that you purchase from us is low-quality or poorly looked after. At Watch and Wares, we inspect all luxury handbags that are brought to us to ensure their authenticity and that they are worth putting on our shelves. It also helps us make sure that we offer a fair price when we sell them. 

Another good reason to consider purchasing a pre-loved handbag is if you are looking for discontinued or hard-to-find styles. Luxury designer brands often produce limited edition runs that have certain features or stylings which can never be purchased first-hand again after the production run finishes. This means you’ll have to search through the pre-loved market if you want to have a chance of finding one for yourself. You may also discover a vintage handbag that you desire that could never be found on a retail store’s shelves today. 

Another good reason to consider purchasing pre-loved luxury handbags is for the opportunity to compare multiple brands at the same time. While some shoppers set foot in a store knowing immediately what they’re seeking, many others enjoy the browsing process and the chance to be surprised by something they had never considered before. Because Watch and Wares offers luxury handbags from multiple designer brands, you can compare different looks and styles side-by-side in person, rather than having to browse the Internet or visit multiple stores. 

Environmental conservation has become a hot-button topic for the fashion industry in recent years, especially for luxury brands. Every new bag produced requires that more metal, leather, stitching, and fabric is extracted from the environment, and this requirement will only grow greater as more consumers enter the market for luxury handbags. If you purchase a pre-owned luxury handbag, however, you will be using resources that have already been extracted from the environment, allowing you to be eco-friendly and sustainable while still enjoying a beautiful handbag. 

At Watch and Wares, you can buy and sell pre-loved handbags from some of the top fashion brands in the industry like Chanel, Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Fendi, and more. Our knowledgeable and friendly sales staff can help you pick out the perfect luxury handbag for your style or offer you a free estimate on any that you might wish to sell. We also offer handbag spas to repair and restore your favorite accessories. With over twenty-five years serving Tustin and the surrounding Orange County area, we are the trusted source for jewelry, handbags, and more. If you’d like to learn more about our offers and services, give us a call at (714) 731-9600.

How To Get Valuable Estate Jewelry Appraised

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People can inherit jewelry for a variety of reasons. It may be a favored keepsake, a way to preserve family heirlooms, or even a gift intended to help in times ahead. However, if you’re hoping to sell recently inherited jewelry, it is critical to know exactly how much it is worth. Multiple aspects of a piece of jewelry, such as its manufacturer and the metals used in its creation, can affect its value. Getting jewelry appraised by a trustworthy source in Orange, however, can be difficult if you don’t know where to go.

It takes more than just going to a jewelry store, as almost anyone can claim to be an appraiser. There are no federal or state licensing requirements to appraise jewelry, and simply working in a jewelry store isn’t necessarily an adequate qualification. Most retailers don’t even have the equipment to properly inspect a gemstone and determine its quality. There are industry groups that require members to meet certain qualifications and adhere to a code of ethics, however. Organizations such as the Accredited Gemologists Association, the American Gem Society, Appraisers Association of America Inc, and others adhere to a shared set of standards for appraisal services. Additionally, the appraiser should be a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America, which ensures that they are qualified to identify and grade gem materials. Appraisers also need to be knowledgeable about the current jewelry market to be able to competently appraise estate jewelry. Fortunately, Watch and Wares employs qualified gemologists certified by the GIA, enabling us to fulfill your appraisal needs. 

When properly done, an appraisal should clearly state its purpose, such as estate distribution. It should clearly define and specify the type of value being provided, such as replacement cost, market value, et cetera. It should also specify the date of the appraisal, state any circumstances limiting the performance of the appraisal, describe and depict the jewelry appraised, explain the procedures used to arrive at a value, be signed by the appraiser, and include their contact information. 

Above all, it is important to remember that jewelry value is not a set number. It changes depending on the marketplace, global precious metal and gemstone prices, and the current styles and trends. A necklace worth $1,000 in Los Angeles in 2015 might be only $800 in New York City a year later. 

There are four major standards when it comes to jewelry appraisal:

  • Replacement value: How much it would cost to outright replace the appraised jewelry item with a new one. It is not the value of the jewelry itself, but how much a new item like the piece would cost.
  • Estate retail value: How much an item would sell to someone purchasing used jewelry, with “estate” in this context meaning pre-owned or used. A used piece of jewelry will usually be worth less to the general public than something brand new, barring rare or highly sought-after pieces.
  • Estate wholesale value: This is the price that a business that sells used jewelry is willing to pay for the item. This will be lower than the retail value because the buyer has to add the cost of business to sell an item and still turn a profit on the sale.
  • Intrinsic value: The worth of the raw materials in the jewelry item, such as the metals and gemstones. This is dependent on current market values for said metals and gems, and no value is added for style, condition, brand, market demand, or other factors.

At Watch and Wares, we work to give you a value rate that is not only fair and competitive but also recognizes your emotional attachment to the jewelry in question. We realize that the items people bring to us are often of deeply sentimental value, and in some cases, they are the only mementos they have of their loved ones. We always strive to respect that emotional attachment, both in how we treat our clients and in the rates we offer for the jewelry they bring to us. Additionally, all of our appraisals are obligation-free, meaning you don’t have to sell to us if you ultimately choose not to.

If you live in Orange and would like to get your estate jewelry appraised, consider paying Watch & Wares a visit. Our qualified gemologist can offer an honest and fair estimate for free, and with over twenty-five years of experience serving the Orange County area, we are the best place to sell your fine jewelry. If you’d like to learn more about appraisals or schedule an appointment, call us today at (714) 633-2030.