Used Wedding Rings
Where to Find and Shopping Tips

Best Places to Find Used Wedding Rings

One of the first steps you can take to find high quality used rings for the right price is to start your search with reputable retailers and jewelers that specialize in used jewelry. With that in mind, here are EWR's top recommendations on where to find reasonably priced premium used wedding and engagement rings.

Louped

One of the best places online for pre owned wedding rings with a fantastic selection of used men's and women's wedding rings, stellar customer service and an excellent reputation. You can even find pre owned loose diamonds for sale here. 

Kay Jewelers Outlet

Find a large selection of previously owned diamond engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands up to 70% off their original prices here!

Jared and Zales

Known for their extensive styles and selections of engagement and wedding rings, both of these companies have online stores where you can find barely used engagement rings and wedding bands too.

EraGem

For unique one-a-kind used wedding rings, visit EraGem and take a look at the many vintage and antique wedding rings for sale here. Rings have a price range of a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, styles include Retro and Art Deco rings plus this company is a highly trusted resource for used vintage and antique jewelry. 

Store5a

If you are looking for unique used designer wedding rings, Store5a is a great place to start. Here you'll find plenty of pre owned men's and women's rings from designers including Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, Lagos plus pre owned finds by Store5a. All pieces are thoroughly authenticated and ring designs range from contemporary diamond or plain wedding bands to fabulously unique rings with bold designs, pearls and gemstones.

Twice Loved
Specifically for used engagement rings, Twice Loved carries a beautiful selection of pre owned gemstone and diamond engagement rings and this is a good place to sell engagement rings too.

Local Resources for Used Wedding Rings

Local vintage, antique and pawn shops can also be a terrific source for used rings, like other resources rings should come with certification and/or authentication papers from a reputable resource.

What about purchasing used wedding rings on Craigslist? For now, EWR strongly recommends avoiding this option. While it is possible to find quality used rings on Craigslist, there are a lot of risks associated with purchasing rings directly from an unknown person.

• There is no secured protection or guarantee for your purchase. So, if you are not happy with the rings after their purchase, or you find that you overpaid for the rings, or even if you discover that the rings are not made with real diamonds, gemstones or gold, there may not be any way to return the rings. 
• There have been instances - though only a few - of people being robbed and assaulted when they tried to sell and buy rings using Craigslist. 

With so many other options available, it's easy to find used rings from reputable local and online resources.

And now, on to essential shopping tips!

Shopping Tips for Used Wedding Rings

Three main things to keep in mind when shopping for used rings are ring sizing considerations and the types of metals and materials the rings are made with. 

1. Sizing

While most used wedding rings can be resized, some types of bands cannot be sized due to their design - and large changes in band sizes can be challenging or even impossible on some types of rings. If you are interested in rings that are not the right size, check first to make sure the rings can be sized before you buy and call a few local jewelers to get an estimate on how much the sizing may cost. .

2. Wedding Ring Metals

By far, platinum is the most durable wedding ring metal followed by palladium and 18k gold. Rings made with 14k and 10k gold are also quite durable, as long as they are crafted with excellent workmanship.

Avoid any used rings that are made with silver, platinum or gold plate - like brass or copper rings coated in a thin layer of silver or gold....or even silver rings plated with gold or platinum.

Rhodium plate is to be expected on any white gold ring, and this plate will need to be replaced on every day rings about every one to two years. Before investing in a used white gold wedding ring, consider whether you'll want to keep up with regularly re-plating the ring.

Rings crafted with white gold can contain nickel. If you have a nickel allergy, stick with used rings made with platinum, palladium, silver, rose gold or yellow gold.

3. Wedding Ring Gemstones and Diamonds

It is not uncommon to see diamond rings for sale with comments from the seller like:

"I have the original certificate report, but I can't find it right now."

"The original diamond certificate was lost, but it is a real diamond."

"The certificate was lost, but will cost (so many dollars here) to re-order. You can re-order another certificate if you want."

And whether these statements are true or not, with so many used rings on today's market you do not have to risk purchasing a diamond ring without a diamond certification report issued by a reputable laboratory.

A grading certificate issued by a reputable laboratory is a must with used diamond rings - and not just any certificate either. Ideally, choose a used diamond ring that has a certificate issued by either the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the American Gem Society (AGS), the International Gemological Institute (IGI) or the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) - with the GIA and AGS being the top two recommended diamond certificate laboratories. 

Likewise, if you are purchasing a used gemstone ring make sure the ring comes with a certificate of authentication or appraisal from a certified gemologist or from the AGS.

Keep in mind too that even synthetic man made diamonds should come with a diamond certification report - ideally from the GIA. Diamond simulants though will not come with any type of report.

If you are purchasing from a highly reputable company, an authentication report will do too. Sometimes original certificates are lost for gemstones and diamonds, just stay with established businesses instead buying from a single person - so you know for sure the authentication report is true. 

With used antique or vintage diamond rings, the rings may not be available with a diamond certification. This is because mounted diamonds cannot go through the certification process, they have to be removed from the rings. If a diamond certification report is not available with the ring, make sure the ring comes with a legitimate appraisal or certificate of authenticity instead.

Extra Tips to Keep in Mind While You Shop For Used Wedding Rings

Last but not least, these important tips will help to ensure that you are purchasing a quality ring for the right price:

Ideally, it is best to purchase a used ring which comes with the original receipt of purchase - especially if the ring is only a few years old.

If you are purchasing a used ring, whether from a retailer, a private individual or online, a refund policy should be available with the ring. (If the ring is resized though, it may not be possible to return the ring for a full refund).

Used designer rings should come with certificates of authentication, diamond grade reports, plus identifying stamps on the inside of the bands. Original ring boxes too are highly desirable. If you are purchasing a used designer ring, just take a look online to double-check what type of maker's mark you should see on the ring's band. 

Alternatives to Used Wedding Rings

If you are looking for inexpensive wedding rings, and just can't seem to find the right used rings, there plenty of affordable alternatives.

Rings made with high quality diamond simulants Moissanite are made to last and priced quite affordably too. Rings made with contemporary metals like Titanium and Tungsten and Cobalt are also an excellent option too, especially for durable low cost men's wedding bands.

You may also want to consider a ring made with an enchanting - but affordable - gemstone. Take a look at EWR's handy Gemstone Wedding Ring guide for properties, characteristics and price guides for gemstones strong enough to hold up to daily wear. A few affordable and stunning examples include aquamarine, amethyst, morganite, watermelon tourmaline, topaz and iolite.

For Affordable Diamond Wedding Rings, take a look at this page to see how to choose more affordable diamonds, and diamond ring styles, without compromising on the look or durability of the diamond.

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