We are currently in secondhand September, a worthy campaign designed to encourage us all to try shopping secondhand instead of buying brand new. The campaign is designed to inspire and encourage you to address the way we shop and find ways to be kinder to the planet in the process.
We are here to show you just how fun it can be to shop and thrift for your jewels and opt for pieces that have been adored before. Read on to see if we can encourage you to swap and opt for a treasured secondhand jewel instead of buying new.
Why Shop Secondhand For Your Jewels?
There is nothing quite as fun as a treasure hunt, and the excitement of what you could find. When you shop brand new from a high street shop or online with a larger jewellery retailer, you will notice that the range can be quite main stream and you are going to see the same piece or variation of, across multiple websites, multiple stores and also, worn by multiple people.
We are here to show you that jewellery should be special, it can be interesting and unusual. We love to find coveted pieces and add jewels into our own collections that speak for themselves with their rarity, items you are unlikely to see elsewhere anytime soon.
The quality can also not be underestimated ; Jewellery that has been designed to last and has endured for long enough to be qualified as vintage, or even lasted well over a century and into the antique category. Mass manufactured pieces will be unable to make these same claims, and the artistic element is also lost. Jewellery is art and a reflection of your personal style, shopping secondhand allows you to have fun with this and really begin a collection unique to you.
The sustainability aspect should also not be down played, much the same as the clothing industry has an impact on the planet so does the jewellery industry.
Mining gemstones and jewellery manufacturing can produce waste, and gemstones are not a finite resource. Here are our top 5 swaps that you can make to your jewellery box .
Antique, Vintage & Estate Rings
From gold to silver, and from diamonds to emeralds, shopping secondhand has never been easier for rings.
You can opt for a ring with your birthstone of choice for a truly symbolic jewellery match, or the ever classic diamond. The diamond industry has had it's fair share of negative press with ethical concerns raised around mining practices and even lab-grown diamonds can carry their own question marks over how sustainable they truly are.
To skip all of that and be sure that you are wearing you values proudly on your hand, a secondhand ring is the way to go. We try to pick up a range of eras, tastes and gemstones to ensure you are never short on rings to peruse. You can shop our twinkling rings here.
Antique & Vintage Solid Gold Chains
This is always where I suggest people start if they are new to the world of antique & vintage jewellery. A solid gold chain is the perfect introduction to secondhand jewels, and are also a worthy investment.
Chains are timeless pieces that work hard in a jewellery collection, paired down for a minimal look or layered to create an eye catching arrangement across the chest. You can dress them down or dress them up, and they are the perfect backdrop for adding a pendant. We stock an excellent selection of beautiful secondhand chains and the quality of them is always spectacular, even with the finer trace styles that can appear more delicate, are always extremely well crafted and stand the test of time.
If you want to invest, a heavier watch chain style piece is the way to go, or if you are looking for something more budget friendly and wearable with daintier pendants, a slimmer style on link is going to be your choice. You can shop our chains on our website here.
Vintage & Antique Gold Charms
We absolutely adore charms at Charlie Luxe ! We have been collecting and hunting out gorgeous vintage charms since our business first began nearly 10 years ago .
They remain to be a great piece of jewellery, and they are also some of the rarest gems to curate. The mass produced charms of todays offerings are woefully underwhelming for a jewel addict, when there are delights to be found in the novelty articulated gems of the 60s, sweet love token coins from the Victorian era, and exquisite enamel jewels from the Art Nouveau period.
Conversational pieces and miniature works of art, there is meaning and significance in a charm collection. Our charm shop is forever changing, we are always adding new finds here and if you are ready to add a vintage charm or two to your bracelet or wear as a pendant, we have got you covered.
Find our charms here.
Solid Gold Vintage & Antique Bracelets
Just like secondhand chains, you will see such beautiful variation and range if you choose to look into the past for your arm candy.
We find stunning pieces with delicately engraved links, dreamy heart padlocks clasps and impressive weights when looking for bracelets to stock in our curation. You can use your bracelet as a stand alone piece, stack it with other bracelets, or use it as as the foundation to a great charm bracelet.
You can find our luxury solid gold bracelets here.
Antique & Vintage Gemstones
To create a brand new piece of jewellery using gem quality stones, there are significant costs involved. The costs are higher and so the end retail price for the customer is also going to be higher, in comparison to the same piece that you can pick up secondhand.
Not only are you able to dip into the magic of secondhand, but you can also access gemstones that may be priced out of your budget when purchasing brand new.
Diamond rings are a great examples of this, as is jade, opals and emeralds. These beautiful gemstones today are going to be pricy to purchase as an exceptional gemstone, but you may be in luck and spot a treasure with a gorgeous stone for half the price of what you are expecting by shopping secondhand.
There are also gemstones which are illegal to farm today, such as coral. Coral is under protection laws and with good reason, and so unless it is being sold unscrupulously brand new, to own a piece of coral jewellery will require some second hand shopping.
Victorian era jewellery sees' some absolutely stunning carved coral pieces, and there are also some very exceptional retro jewels to peruse too.
Will you be considering trying a beautiful piece of our vintage and antique jewellery this September ? If you do, make sure to tag us in photos and comment below !