• Cash In on Jewelry

• Find Out What's Hot in Jewelry

• Get Top Dollar for Your Jewelry

• Ship Your Jewelry

• Build Your Reputation

Cash In on Jewelry

Cash In on Jewelry

Many Jewelry lovers successfully use eBay not only as a place to find unique Jewelry pieces, but as a way to help fund their growing jewelry collections. Whether you want to adorn yourself with diamonds and pearls, update your look, or save up for a meaningful gift, selling on eBay is the perfect way to earn extra money. Swap out your unused pieces—that costume vintage jewelry you only wore once or your extra set of pearl studs—and buy yourself a new beautiful treasure.

What's It Worth?

Already have an item in mind? Visit Jewelry & Watches Seller Central to find out the average selling price of similar items on eBay. You can also search completed listings to see how others are selling similar items.

Find Out What's Hot in Jewelry

Find Out What's Hot in Jewelry

Millions of buyers come to eBay in search of Jewelry—in all styles, materials, gemstones, and colors. The following provides just a small sampling of the myriad of Jewelry that you could sell on eBay. To get a real-time view of what’s in demand, what buyers are searching for, and what items are selling the most, visit Jewelry & Watches Seller Central.

There’s an endless array of materials used in jewelry making—from diamonds and rubies to platinum and gold to even glass beads and leather. Thousands of pieces of jewelry made of all sorts of materials have been sold on eBay. Popular types of jewelry include:

• Gemstone jewelry: From rubies, emeralds, and sapphires to brilliant garnets, amethysts, aquamarines, peridots, opals, citrines, topaz, and turquoise, precious gemstones and semi-precious gems remain popular on eBay. The Gemstones Buying Guide and Opals Buying Guide can help you learn more about your items.

• Pearl jewelry: Buyers are always on the lookout for classic pearls and pearl jewelry. Visit the Pearls Buying Guide to learn the differences between freshwater pearls, Tahitian pearls, Akoya pearls, and South Sea pearls.

• Diamond jewelry: Buyers are searching for diamonds in all grades and sizes, and in both loose stones and set in jewelry pieces. Visit the Diamonds Buying Guide to learn about the four Cs: cut, carat, clarity, and color.

• Precious metal jewelry: Eternal platinum, classic gold, and sparkling silver make up many jewelry settings and are popular with buyers looking for jewelry that will last a lifetime. Visit the Precious Metals Buying Guide on eBay to discover the primary differences between the metals and learn the basics of precious metal purity.

• Handcrafted, artisan, and ethnic jewelry: Jewelry designers often market their own creations to buyers looking for one-of-a-kind and hard to find pieces. Buyers love finding unique handcrafted work, ethnic and tribal jewelry from different cultures, or even colorful loose beads and other jewelry-making supplies.

• Vintage and antique jewelry: Fine vintage jewelry and costume vintage jewelry from a particular era are very popular with buyers who are looking for a timeless or unique look. Buyers are interested in both original pieces and vintage reproductions that have an antiqued look.

• Men's jewelry: Jewelry isn't just for the ladies. Some popular men's jewelry includes rings, bracelets, chains, belt buckles, cufflinks, and tie tacks.

Along with different materials, jewelry comes in all sorts of pieces. Here are a few jewelry pieces that are popular on eBay:

• Rings: Thousands of buyers come to eBay in search of a perfect ring, including fashion rings and gemstone rings, and even rings to be used as engagement rings and wedding bands.

• Necklaces and pendants: Necklaces and pendants are the perfect way to complement a dress or shirt. Buyers are looking for necklaces and pendants of all sizes, including chokers that sit close to the neck, short, medium, and long strands, long lariats, and chains.

• Earrings: Popular earring styles include dangle earrings, hoop earrings, or elegant and simple stud earrings.

• Bracelets and charm bracelets: Bangle bracelets, beaded bracelets, and cuff bracelets can help make a fashion statement while tennis bracelets, traditional charm bracelets, and modular Italian charm bracelets make thoughtful gifts—perfect for eager buyers of all ages.

• Body jewelry: Jewelry to adorn your ankles, toes, and belly are popular in the Body Jewelry category.

Get Top Dollar for Your Jewelry

Get Top Dollar for Your Jewelry

Once you have an idea of what you’re going to sell, it’s time to think about how to attract Jewelry buyers. Here are the top tips from eBay’s most successful sellers.

Help Buyers Find Your Items with Keywords

Keywords are a great way to attract buyers to your listing, especially when used correctly in your Listing Title. Listing titles are used by eBay’s search engine to pull up listings during a search. Use your 55 characters wisely, and try to anticipate what buyers will be searching for. Find out what is being searched right now with our list of Top Jewelry & Watches Searches. Be sure to include common search terms like “diamond” and “gold,” when appropriate. State important characteristics of your item—what it is, material, brand, size, certified if applicable, and condition. Of course, you should only include keywords that are relevant to the item you are selling. You can also search current and completed eBay listings to see what other sellers include in their titles.

In your Listing Description, make sure to include both basic information and details about your item. A good description is concise, well organized, and easy to read. Create bold section headlines, bulleted lists, and be sure to restate the information featured in your title plus more details such as dimensions and sizes, original retail price, estimated value, information about the collection it belongs to, authentication, grades (such as cut and clarity), and any other interesting features. You can also insert photos or links to videos that highlight the unique attributes of your item. Think about your listing from the buyer's perspective. The more information you provide, the more likely the buyer will be to place a bid on your item.

Here are some terms commonly used by other sellers to describe their Jewelry pieces. Make sure you only use a term when you are sure it applies to your item.

• New In Box (NIB): Unworn jewelry that remains in its original packaging or box is new in box.

• New With Tags (NWT) or New Without Tags (NWOT): Like pieces that are new in box, jewelry that has never been worn or used can fall under new with tags and new without tags. Jewelry that has never been worn can fall under NWOT. If price tags or branding tags are still attached to the piece, your item is NWT.

• Gently Used (GU): Gently used fabrics have been washed and possibly used, but appear new and have no signs of wear and no flaws.

• Poor: Jewelry pieces that show major wear and cannot be worn are in poor condition. However pieces in poor condition might have desirable elements and parts. Make sure to be very clear about your item's condition when listing an item in poor condition.

• Carat (CT): Carat is a measurement of size for diamonds and precious stones.

Do Your Research

If you don’t know much about your piece of Jewelry, a little research can help you understand what you are selling which can lead to a higher return. Examine your Jewelry for any signatures, markings, dates, engravings, or brands. Try to learn about the company or maker that your pieces belongs to—stones and materials used, production era, production company, and rarity. All of these details will give you a better estimate of your item’s value, and educating your buyers can increase the attraction of your item.

When selling a Jewelry pieces that contain expensive stones or materials, or that are is potentially worth a lot, it may be worthwhile to get your item appraised and authenticated. Authenticating your Jewelry not only provides you with a good estimate on expected sale price, but it also builds buyer confidence. Third-party graders and authenticators are qualified, experienced professionals who pledge to provide unbiased opinions.

Note: Opinions expressed by evaluators are theirs alone. eBay does not examine items listed on its site and does not have the expertise to evaluate items. eBay cannot guarantee the findings of any evaluator — authentication and grading are difficult, often subjective matters where experts themselves occasionally disagree. Each of the companies listed on the Opinions, Authentication, and Grading page that provides authentication and/or grading services is an independent company, and eBay is not responsible in any way for any action, inaction, opinion or service in connection with these companies. You should review the credentials of each company and use your own judgment before using any company's services.

Showcase Your Jewelry with Great Photos

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words! Photos are the closest you can get to putting your Jewelry in the hands of potential buyers. Here are some tips on how to best represent your item:

• Choose the Right Background:

• Use a contrasting, solid backdrop. By placing your Jewelry on a solid black or white backdrop, you draw a buyer’s immediate attention onto the item. This is easily achieved by hanging a bed sheet or placing poster board behind the item. Use a plain, colored fabric backdrop to make your item stand out. Most importantly, avoid background clutter that can distract buyers or confuse them regarding what you are selling. If you are selling more than one item in your listing, take pictures of the set as a whole and of individual pieces.

• Cover All Angles: Take pictures from multiple angles and distances, zooming in on important details. Make sure highlight any signatures, dates, and details. Zoom in to show textures and colors. Always include photographs of any flaws—it gives the buyer a clearer idea of what they are bidding on and builds buyer trust.

• Use Proper Lighting: Natural light tends to give the best representation of your item, however direct sunlight can have the nasty effect of shadows. Find an area that receives indirect sunlight. Try taking your item outside on a sunny day and photograph it in a shady area. If you can't seem to find an area like this, or would prefer to use indoor lighting, try surrounding your item with desk, overhead, or floor lamps. Above all, avoid using your camera's flash which causes distortion and shadows.

• Add Gallery: Including a Gallery photo with your listing is extremely important for success. You can attract attention to your item with a photo next to your listings in search results. In addition, when a buyer uses “Picture Gallery” to look at search results, your listing will be shown. Your Gallery picture should be a very clear, uncluttered view of your item. Since it is the only photo visible on search pages, make sure it provides a good representation of your item.

Maximize Profits with Low Priced, No Reserve Listings

Auction style listings are a great way to create excitement around your Jewelry, which in turn can develop into a bidding frenzy among buyers—which could result in a higher selling price for you. The keys to a successful auction style listing are to get your first bid and encourage bidders to continue bidding.

• Low Starting Price: Getting that first bid is critical, as other buyers are generally more likely to jump in if they see there are already bids on an item. To do this, many sellers prefer to set an opening bid below what the item is actually worth. Try beginning with a low starting price—such as 99 cents—to jumpstart bidding activity.

• No Reserve: Be careful when setting a reserve price. Buyers may lose interest in an item if they place a bid and find it doesn't meet the reserve. Because they do not know the reserve price, they may assume the seller is simply asking too much for the item. To prevent this from happening, try listing your item with "No Reserve." Items sold with "No Reserve" typically attract more buyer interest, as buyers know that they will actually win the item if they are the high bidder.

• Accept PayPal: Buyers want to know that they can pay securely when making a purchase on eBay. By accepting PayPal payments, you can build buyer confidence and help protect yourself. PayPal transfers payments to a bank account of your choice and notifies you when a payment has been received. Best of all, PayPal offers free online tools to make managing your payments easier. You can even print shipping labels and track your shipments.

Ship Your Jewelry

Ship Your Jewelry

Specifying reasonable shipping and handling costs in your listing is essential for smart selling—and it improves your search ranking when buyers sort by total cost. Never leave a buyer wondering how much shipping will cost.

Calculate Shipping Costs

Often times, shipping costs will vary by distance. To make sure your shipping charges reflect this, incorporate a shipping calculator into your listing. With the shipping calculator, eBay can automatically calculate the shipping cost for your buyers based on the size and weight of your item and the buyer’s location. You can also program the calculator to add in the cost of packaging materials and your handling fee, if any.

Select a Service Option

To protect both you and your buyer against loss or damage during shipping, consider purchasing shipping insurance for your package—especially for higher priced items. Shipping insurance is available through most shipping companies, and can be purchased while you pay for shipping. You can factor in the cost of shipping insurance into your shipping cost—but make sure you state in your description that you are doing so. Buyers want to know that they are paying extra for shipping for a good reason.

Package Your Jewelry Securely

After your item sells, you are ready to ship it off to its new home. Make sure you package your item safely and securely. Use bubble wrap, foam, or other packaging materials to make sure your item is not damaged during its move. Here are a few steps to think about:

• Wrap It: Individually wrap items and provide lots of cushioning (bubble wrap, peanuts, foam, corrugated dividers, or crumpled paper). Do not use newspaper—the ink can rub off and damage your items. If any pieces could be damaged by water, make sure you wrap them with a layer of sealed plastic or place them in a waterproof Ziploc bag.

• Box It: You can order free USPS Priority Mail boxes right on eBay—the United States Postal Service will even deliver them right to your door for free!

• Seal It: Use strong tape designed for shipping, rather than masking tape, cellophane tape, string or paper over-wrap. Once you’ve sealed up your package, you can pay for shipping and print shipping labels right from your PayPal account. You can even request a pickup from USPS or UPS, saving you a trip to the Post Office or UPS location.

Build Your Reputation

Build Your Reputation

Communication is the key to a successful transaction. Make sure you’re available before, during, and after the sale. Answer any questions about your item promptly. Include a thank you note in your package—it’s a great way to surprise and delight your buyer and encourage them to leave you positive feedback.

Always Leave Feedback

Feedback is extremely important for all eBay users. Consistent positive feedback lets buyers know that you manage transactions well and that you care about your reputation. One way to help ensure good feedback is to communicate well, represent your item truthfully in your listing, and be polite. Also remember your buyer’s feedback score is as important to them as yours is to you—so be courteous, thoughtful, and truthful when leaving feedback.

Express Yourself

Be more than just a username to your buyers. Introduce yourself through your About Me page and MyWorld. Add pictures, keep track of your favorite buyers, and tell the community about your interests and collections. Show your expertise by writing Reviews & Guides. Connect with other Jewelry lovers on the Jewelry & Gemstones Discussion Board. Remember, be yourself—and have fun!

Sell for a Cause

Support your favorite cause and enhance buyer trust and loyalty at the same time. eBay Giving Works listings tend to sell at higher final prices, because buyers are more willing to purchase, and often pay more for, items that benefit a nonprofit. Get more exposure and receive a receipt for your tax-deductible donations!