12 Estate Jewelry Lots to Stalk Now at Everything but the House

There are antiques marketplaces like 1stdibs.com, where access to the finest signed, collectible jewels can happen anytime, anywhere. The latest platform to enter this space is Everything but the House (EBTH), which for the sake of comparison, is scrappier, more like an online boot sale. And that’s the point.

True bargain hunters, even in the fine jewelry world, like nothing better than to rummage through an unedited mishmash of goods in search of the proverbial diamond in the rough. And on May 5, EBTH is hosting a sale offering some 132 lots of estate and vintage jewelry that savvy jewelers should plan to check out. The best part? Bids start $1, and there are no premiums, no reserves.

You’ll have to clear the gnarly swarm of commercial-grade, no-frills birthstone jewelry and 10k gold jewels set with synthetic stones first. But I had a chance to preview the sale and combed through the offerings to unearth 12 solid options for JCK readers to consider. There’s bridal jewelry, including an 18k white gold diamond eternity band that will practically resell itself. And the most resourceful designers will see the value of scrapping, say, a plain-Jane pair of murky rose-cut diamond studs or a green tourmaline pendant and resetting the gems in brand-new pieces.

There are also a few true antique pieces that, despite not being in pristine condition, may get some attention in a packed velvet ring tray. Art Deco onyx and diamond pieces are in demand, and I found a decent-looking ring set with Old European–cut stones that’s worth a gander.

To be sure, this is not the most prestigious auction you’ll ever poke around on, and it’s more fun to shop for estate in person, but imagine the bragging rights if your treasure hunt is successful.

Sale starts Saturday, May 5, at 2 a.m. EDT and ends on Wednesday, May 9, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. But if you bid on an item within the last 5 minutes of the sale, you’ll get an extra 5 minutes to bid again (and again) till someone scores.

Below, a sneak peek at some contenders.

Southwestern-style squash blossom necklace with stabilized turquoise in sterling silver