Most Jewelry You Purchase is NOT an Investment February 27, 2023 13:25

Custom Design or Help With Your Estate Jewelry By Appointment January 3, 2023 01:30

Things can get a hectic in our little store, so starting in 2023, we will be available to meet with you by appointment for engagement ring shopping, custom design or help going through the box of estate jewelry you just inherited.

We will schedule appointments with you between 10am to noon. So you can come in before the store opens at noon. This will allow us to focus all of our attention on you - without interruption.

Call us at 616-897-9480 to set up your appointment.

Or you can email Cliff - cliffy777(at)comcast.net

       (put the @ symbol where it belongs!)

Deal Of The Day - Jewelry on Sale at Chimera Design December 6, 2022 08:28

We now offer fine jewelry from Allison-Kaufman October 27, 2022 14:24

The Chimera Advantage - What it Means For YOU March 9, 2022 17:54

We Just Added A Selection of Bracelets For Men March 2, 2022 16:07

Cliff started wearing bracelets way back before cell phones, the interweb, or electric motorcycles. (Nixon was president - see what I mean, long time ago.) 

Anyway, we have been getting requests for bracelets and we just added a couple dozen styles from Chisel. We have bracelets made of titanium, stainless steel, gemstone beads, and combination bracelets. They range in price from $45.00 to $149.00 and Cliff is pretty happy with the selection.

Stop in and get some coolness for your wrist today.

Chimera Will Celebrate 20 Years in Lowell With a Free Concert November 12, 2021 16:19

Cannot believe we have been in Lowell since 2002.

If you like music and fun, then please join us next May 22nd on the Riverwalk in Lowell for a great time with some talented musicians.

Read More About The Event Here

Shop for Personalized Jewelry Online September 9, 2021 14:06

Custom Made Heart Beat Ring or Rings Using Your Actual Heartbeat - Stackable June 26, 2021 13:08

Diamonds Grown in Laboratories - We Like Them and Sell Them - January 19, 2021 10:05

What To Know About Buying/Selling Estate Jewelry January 22, 2020 12:24

Selling Your Estate Jewelry

The first thing we tell anyone who inherits jewelry - be it a little or a lot - DO NOT TOSS ANYTHING OUT! We have seen too many instances where people mistake the real thing for costume jewelry and vice versa. Take all the items to a trusted professional with experience, test equipment and a solid reputation. Let them tell you what you have.

The second most important thing to know is that generally speaking, Estate jewelry is like any other used item - it is not going to sell for the replacement cost or any where near the cost of a new piece. There ARE exceptions, but a general rule of thumb for a sales price if the item is in good, very good or excellent condition is 50% of the cost of a similar new item. 

Exceptions might include Rolex watches, designer pieces, collectible items - signed pieces, etc. 

A popular misconception is that diamonds and diamond jewelry appreciate in value. Some of this is because of misunderstanding appraisal value. For example, say I do an appraisal on a 1.00 ct G color SI1 clarity round diamond mounted in a 14kt white gold solitaire for someone today. I might advise them to insure the ring for $6,700.00 as a replacement value. Should Ms X pass away tomorrow, will her family be able to sell the diamond ring for $6,700? NO, not even close. I am advising them with the appraisal that in my professional opinion based on 23 years in the business that if they lost the ring, $6,700 would be enough to replace it with a similar ring. Who in their right mind would buy something used for the price of the same item new?

Think about it - pick any item you own that might be covered by insurance. A musical instrument, your car, electronic equipment, smart phone, etc. If your house burned most insurance policies will cover replacement cost (the good policies anyway), but would you use that as a tool to sell your used car, TV, phone, or guitar? No, because no one is going to pay you the same amount for a used whatever as they would for a NEW one. They would be silly. The same principle applies to Aunt Susie's diamond tennis bracelet that she had insured for $7,000. It is used, so expecting it to sell for the price of a new one is not realistic. (Exception, it was a Tiffany piece made in the 1920s in mint condition.....then MAYBE.)

People like to think that this process somehow means jewelry prices are super inflated or fake or what ever. Simply not true. The replacement or new value of ANY ITEM is generally considerably more than what you can sell the used item for. People want to hold used jewelry to a different standard some how and I do not understand it.

We have 20 years experience in the jewelry business and we also have test equipment that helps us find the gold and diamonds in the midst of costume jewelry.

So - what does this help cost? Well, if you will allow us to buy the silver and gold, we don't charge you to look for it. If you just need a general evaluation and to separate out the fine jewelry from the rest, we work on an hourly basis (Cliff is pretty darn fast at this, too) We charge $40 an hour.

If we find some really nice pieces, we can sell them for you on consignment here in our store OR we have a network of people we work with in NYC, Chicago, Dallas, and LA who buy big, estate pieces. We have been able to help people realize more money in their pockets by this networking.

A Sample Of New Jewelry Made Here At Chimera Design June 28, 2019 13:34

90 second video of some of the latest handmade jewelry at Chimera Design from the bench of Julie Claire DeVoe.