eBay

desdemona1013 · ‎10-22-2022

I've been here since 2006 with 100% feedback selling jewelry. Clearly I am not scamming customers. I am sure they take the stuff they buy from me to their own jewelers, who confirm that my descriptions are correct.

I had my very first diamond ring sent to the jewelry authenticators this week and it FAILED! It was a big chunky vintage ring, hallmarked 14k. It passed the 14k acid test with the stone and the acid. They failed it, saying they put it into some machine, and it came back at 13.3K gold, not 14k gold. This is SO FRUSTRATING. The gold in vintage rings often had a bit of alloy mixed with the gold, but the standard was they could still mark it as 14k because it was like 98% of 14k gold. Who is to say that their gold test is correct and ours is wrong, or that the stamp on the ring is false? We as sellers have no recourse if the authenticator kicks our items back. Is anyone else having problems like this??

desdemona1013 · ‎07-12-2023

I sell on Etsy too.

eddyscoins · ‎08-09-2023

Going trough the same situation. How in the world we can figure out to the decimals the carat’s of gold. Specially in my case it was a vintage-antique diamond ring. At this time they couldn’t measure the carats that precisely. Scratch test stays strong on 14k.

Hallmark, stamps of manufacture….
I feel like there is no winning not for the seller, not for the buyer, not for EBay. Because none of us gets anything out of it. Only frustration.

eriny1234 · ‎08-18-2023

I too, have been selling Antique Jewelry on Ebay for years, since 2003. I also have 100% positive feedback. I have my more expensive pieces appraised by a GIA Certified Appraiser and include that appraisal in the sale. I had an Antique Ring appraised at 18kt and Platinum that was rejected by the Ebay Authentication process. The reason? The gold tested at 16.79kt and the Platinum at 854.

The alloys used in Antique Gold varied widely and it was generally accepted that there would be some variation in actual gold content, and that was acceptable. Unless an item is marked Plumb, it is assumed that it is not, and that used to be ok. As for the Platinum, my listing did not state a number for the actual content, but the Authenticity Guarantors rejected it because it wasn't 950. After researching this on Ebay, the requirements are that Platinum be at least 850, which my item was.

So, it feels like the Authenticity Guarantee works against honest Antique Jewelry sellers and Ebay's Authenticators should be trained on Antique/Vintage Jewelry and the variations that are inherent in them.

They sent my item back, but my buyer still wanted the ring, with a small discount. Arbitrarily rejecting the item, without giving the buyer a choice to accept the item has cost me hundreds of dollars and I can't see a lot of Antique Jewelry Sellers staying with Ebay if their policies don't change.

rubyliteatheart · ‎09-11-2023

I sold a beautiful art deco pair of earrings in solid 14k gold, stamped of course. These beauties had black enamel and tassels reminiscent of a by-gone era. I acquired these earrings in 1970 from my great uncle, who’s wife was my grandmother’s sister. This couple had no children and were well off. My great aunt had exquisite jewelry and clothes. The earrings were old then, therefore, they were true art deco. They are in beautiful vintage condition. In all those years I barely wore them. Unfortunately for me they went through the authenticity guarantee. They failed “inspection.” It was implied that the 14k stamp in the picture I posted did not match the description. I took this as an accusation that I messed with the stamp. They insinuated the metal purity was not genuine. This made me very upset because the “experts” are wrong. Who are these authenticators anyway? I don’t want to sell any high end pieces through eBay going forward. I don’t trust them, as this is a scam. Your buyer can verify fine jewelry at a reputable jeweler in the area that they live. Why would eBay throw this obstacle into the mix? This way of selling can and will work against them. I see that I’m not alone in this. That’s the only good news.

rubyliteatheart · ‎10-22-2023

I too had a very bad experience with the Authenticity Program. Like yourself I have sold fine jewelry over the years since 2005. No one ever returned anything because it was not what I said it was. Why not just let customers bring the jewelry to a local jeweler for verification? Fast forward to the present, I sold a beautiful pair of Art Deco earrings that I acquired from the estate of my great aunt who passed away in 1970. The earrings were old then. They are 14k solid gold (stamped) with tassels and black enamel. No question in my mind they were the real deal. I sold them and they went through an authenticator and failed!😳. I was not happy, neither was my buyer. After I got them back I took them to three jewelers, one of whom sells very high end jewelry on eBay, and they all verified the earrings to be genuine. The info you gave about gold being infused with some kind of alloy was very helpful, but give me a break, that’s splitting hairs. And yes, there is nothing you can do about it once they ruin your sale.

thebarnproject · ‎11-10-2023

I just had a vintage diamond ring fail authentication. I had the ring appraised by a 30 year professional, GIA certified appraiser. .98 caret, G/SI1. They failed it saying it was .87, K/I1. THAT is a HUGE discrepancy. I am going to have it appraised by another GIA professional. I have a feeling he will agree with the first one.

brendaginsberg · ‎11-28-2023

It doesn't help: The authenticators make tons of mistakes - especially with antique jewelry, which they know Zero about. Once the item fails, you lost the sale and there is nothing you can do about it. Even if they are 100% wrong.

Yes, there are dishonest sellers out there, but there are also honest ones and we are being penalised for the people in Carlsbad not knowing what they are doing when it comes to a lot of our jewelry, notably antiques.

kh-vince · ‎11-28-2023

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.