THIS IS A GENERAL VINTAGE JEWELRY BIDDING GUIDE.
Red flags in Listings, and Specific Issues Related to Costume Jewelry, ETC...
RHINESTONES
Many people use a flash when taking pictures. This can cause a problem with vintage jewelry in general, because you can no longer tell what the true condition is. BEWARE of photos taken with a flash when there are rhinestones, because this additional light completely distorts the color of most rhinestones. You can't tell if the stones are yellow, dead, darkened, or fine. Opinions seem to vary widely when describing the condition of rhinestones, so it's best to rely mainly on available photos. And hopefully they are close ups! But make sure not to depend on pics if they were taken with a flash.
(SEE MY PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS GUIDE)
BEADED JEWELRY
Much of the time it isn't entirely obvious which beads are plastic and which are glass. Some excellent sellers automatically make the distinction for you. Otherwise, please ask. So many vintage plastic beads look like glass! That is, until you have paid for them and can examine the pieces up close.
JEWELRY LOTS
Usually there are photos, but if there is only one picture for an entire group of jewelry then that's a big red flag! It's pretty much bid at your own risk. The problem with many of these lots is that the condition is based on the viewpoint of the seller. I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong... But you definitely need to find a seller with a similar viewpoint as yours. For example, maybe a piece has no stones missing but it is relatively dirty or color is flaking off a bit. Someone may call that excellent condition with slight vintage wear. Or someone like me might toss it in a junk pile.
If you see jewelry selling with absolutely NO returns, that usually isn't a very good sign at all. In fact, that's a terrible sign. If something is misrepresented or broken, you are stuck with it.
I just noticed that an ebay seller wrote, "BID WITH CONFIDENCE. NO RETURNS OR REFUNDS." So that's telling everyone to bid with the confidence that if you aren't happy you are totally on your own.
CRAFT/REPAIR OR JUNK JEWELRY LOTS
TRASH OR TREASURE???
These particular lots can actually be the most fun for someone who likes digging through STUFF. You never know what you'll find. And often there is only a brief, mysterious sentence or two for a description. These lots are an exception to the return policy rule. It's a known fact that you are bidding at your own risk for this stuff, and it's rare that anyone will take it back. Ok...some of us will. There may be some risk here, but there can be big rewards!
I do have some hints for you that will hopefully increase the chances of choosing treasure. I've noticed that ebay is FULL of these types of lots!
Most importantly, look for the lots where the sellers give you the AMOUNT of jewelry. It doesn't matter if it's pounds or pieces. If a seller just says this is a big box that is heavy or full of stuff then you are really taking a chance by bidding. How heavy? OR how big is the box?
Sometimes you'll find many pounds of stuff, but it includes a heavy jewelry box or boxes. Even a bunch of light, small boxes add up if people are including
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