Pre-owned Diamond & Gemstone Jewellery

Our pre-owned diamond and gemstones jewellery collection offers affordable luxury for those who love quality and style. Our highest-value listings, from our rings to our necklaces as well as our earrings and bracelets are authenticated and appraised independently, and we include as much information as possible about each piece in our product listings, with expertise given by our in-house and external jewellery experts. 

 

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What is second-hand diamond & gemstone jewellery?  

Second-hand diamond and gemstone jewellery, also known as pre-loved or pre-owned, is jewellery that has previously been owned by someone.  

It doesn't always mean it’s been worn a lot or even at all. We probably all know someone (perhaps us!) who has received jewellery as a gift that wasn't quite their style – and so it tends to get left in the jewellery box unused.  

Even if it has been well worn, the good news is that jewellery stands the test of time brilliantly. Unlike clothes which can wear out, fade and lose their shape by shrinking or stretching, the stones and metals in most jewellery are long-lasting, durable and can often be restored easily to look as good as new. 

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How should you choose second-hand diamond & gemstone jewellery?  

Buying second-hand diamond and gemstone jewellery can be a rewarding experience, offering unique pieces at great value for money. Our top tips for choosing pre-owned jewellery are below. 

  • Choose a reputable seller or dealer with a positive track record. Read buyers’ reviews to ensure you’ll be making a trustworthy transaction. 
  • Carefully inspect the jewellery for any signs of wear, damage, or repairs. Consider the overall condition and whether it aligns with your expectations. As we’ve already mentioned, at Charles Fish we carry out repairs needed and polish all pieces before they leave us. Anything you receive from us should reach you in sparkling condition! 
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  • Make sure your jewellery is gold/silver/platinum by getting the hallmark checked out. Again, as we’ve mentioned, every piece that we sell here at Charles Fsh has a hallmark meaning it is what we say it is!  
  • Look out for independent valuations. If you’re someone who likes to buy higher-priced items with independent assessments, you’ll want to check out our diamond and gemstone pieces that come with external evaluations (this will be mentioned in the “product specification”). These will tell you about the clarity and colour of the diamonds as well as carat weight and cut and whether they’re natural or lab-grown as assessed by an external gemologist. 
  • Think about your style and what kind of gemstone will work with your skin tone and wardrobe. If you're looking for wedding jewellery, check out our blog for tips for choosing gems for your Big Day. If you’re looking for a gift for someone else, consider the recipient’s style or favourite colours to inform your choice, or go for something with a classic design as these tend to have a more catch-all appeal. 

Why choose our second-hand diamond & gemstone jewellery?  

Charles Fish has been around for almost 200 years, so believe us when we say we know jewellery! If you choose one of our pieces, you’re buying from a trusted and knowledgeable business with a long history. 

Our customers love our service (we have a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot) and enjoy supporting our small, family-run company. Many of our staff have been employed by Charles Fish for 30+ years – some for their entire careers. This consistency means employees are incredibly well informed about our products and processes, so we operate a very smooth-running machine which in turn makes for a well-ordered transaction process.  

You can be sure of exactly what you’re getting when you buy from us: we conduct Yehuda testing to confirm whether the diamonds you’re buying are natural or lab-grown, and every piece we sell is hallmarked for assurance of gold purity. 

You’ll get excellent value for money as the cost of anything you buy from us won’t include manufacturing expenses. Plus you’ll find a wide variety of styles, techniques and designs all in one place.  

And you’ll receive your beautiful gem in mint condition: we repair items where needed and polish our jewellery to perfection before sending it out. 

We also make it easy to return purchases. You have 28 days to send a product back if you don’t like it and returns are free, so there’s no need to panic if you’re buying a gift, or what you get isn't quite what you expected – we know it happens sometimes!  

More often than not though, our buyers truly appreciate what they get, for the materials, style and often-exquisite craftsmanship. 

Material and gemstones    

Our second-hand diamond and gemstone jewellery collection features yellow, rose and white gold, plus a smaller amount of silver and platinum items. You’ll also find a range of gemstones, from diamonds and sapphires to peridots, amethysts, jade, garnet, opal, blue topaz, smokey quartz and many more.  

At any one time we have so many different pieces featuring such a wide range of metals and stones, you’re bound to find something you love. And new treasures are arriving all the time! 

Design and craftsmanship  

Because we get new items every week, there's always the possibility that we’ll have something from a renowned or well-known jewellery maker at any time. While most of the jewellery we receive is unbranded, occasionally we do receive creations from celebrated designers, and when we do we include as much information as we can about those pieces in our product descriptions. 

As it comes from so many different sources, our diamond and gemstone jewellery features a wide range of designs, from Art Deco to modern. You'll find various setting styles too – prong, bezel, tension, channel, and pavé - offering something for every preference! 

Sustainability  

Buying second-hand diamond and gemstone jewellery means you’re buying more sustainably. That’s because pre-loved jewellery isn’t made with recently mined metals or stones, so has a way less negative impact on the environment than brand-new bling, meaning you can buy gloriously guilt-free.  

Verification and authentication  

Every diamond and gemstone piece we receive is examined by our in-house jewellery and gem expert, who will make a note of diamond carat weight, style, total weight, cut, setting and any other stand-out features of note. 

Our stores are all equipped with state-of-the-art Yehuda diamond testers to distinguish between artificial and lab-grown diamonds, and our finest pieces come with independent diamond reports from qualified gemologists so you can be confident in what you’re buying.  

In addition, we ensure every piece that comes to us without a hallmark is tested in the Birmingham Assay Office and given the appropriate stamp. Nothing you buy from Charles Fish comes minus a hallmark!