It’s no surprise that jewelry is the universal form of adornment. With its longstanding popularity, Canadians purchase large amounts of jewelry every year. The Canadian jewelry, luggage, and leather goods industry, combined, had sales of $229 million during December 2016. A large percentage of those sales were jewelry.
For some Canadians, it isn’t always financially feasible to shower ourselves or loved ones with jewelry. A great alternative to buying brand-new, is purchasing second hand/used items. For some odd reason, second-hand jewelry has not been given the credit it deserves. There are perks associated with second-hand jewelry, which are not available when buying brand-new. It’s a great option for individuals looking for unique finds, as well as those who are financially savvy.
The next time you’re looking for jewelry for yourself or a loved one, consider these reasons for why you should consider buying second hand.
Cost
Buying jewelry second hand can save you around 20% to 50% of what you would pay buying it new from a retailer. It’s important to shop around, as well as making sure that you are purchasing from a legitimate Cash For Gold or Pawn Shop. When purchasing from a reputable shop, you are guaranteed to be receiving high quality jewelry for a fraction of its original cost.
Unique Finds
With everything being mass-produced nowadays, it’s become quite difficult to find brand new one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces at big retailers. Purchasing second-hand jewelry opens up an entire world of unique finds for buyers.
Environmentally Friendly
There are several negative environmental impacts associated with mining for gold, as well as other metals and precious gems. Buying second hand jewelry means less mining of non-renewable resources. This can significantly reduce pollutants that get released into the air and water.
Contributing to Local Businesses
Most, if not all new brand name jewelry is bought from corporations. Entrepreneurs and their families are usually the ones who run reputable second hand jewelry shops. When purchasing from them, you’re stimulating the local economy.
A lot of the negative associations with second hand jewelry come from misconceptions as well as silly superstitions. With the rising price of most luxuries, it’s hard to argue against a great second hand find. With hundreds or even thousands of dollars discounted off of the original price, these unique finds are a great addition to any collection.