Exploring thrift stores in search of hidden treasures can lead to remarkable discoveries. Probably the most on-the-nose way to ply your hand is by sifting through bags of broken jewelry.
A jewelry collector posted a remarkable acquisition via those means to the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit.
They excitedly shared their find of a pair of exquisite 9-karat gold earrings from a jewelry bag that they purchased for just $4. The bag was picked up at a Salvation Army-run Salvos thrift store in Australia.
Making the score even sweeter was that each featured two pink sapphires surrounded by six tiny diamonds, per the OP. The first question that came to mind of many Redditors was just how valuable the earrings were.
The OP said that appraisals in Australia cost around $100, which turned them off from checking even their best finds. They also weren't looking to confirm the stones were sapphires as opposed to rubies, as one commenter suggested.
They shared a healthy attitude when it came to knowing the precise valuation and composition of the earrings.
"As I'm too lazy to take them somewhere to confirm, I'll probably never know for sure!" they wrote. "But I know 'for certain' that they're pretty, which is enough."
That sort of attitude is admirable and shows off a simple benefit for thrifters in landing something you really like for cheap. Of course, some bargain hunters have opted to cash in on unique and valuable pieces, such as one whose find ended up getting a sky-high valuation on "Antiques Roadshow."
Purchasing secondhand jewelry also offers environmental benefits. Thrifting reduces pressure on the jewelry and gold industry, mitigating the environmental impact of mining, which often includes habitat destruction and pollution.
When it came to the OP's earrings, they were just thrilled to have another stunning piece in their collection. They reiterated they didn't want to learn more or turn a profit.
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$200 or more 💰 "Amazing find!" one wrote. "Could you take them to a pawn shop, and would they test what they are?"
"That's always an option to be considered," the OP replied. "For now, though, I just obsessively hoard all the random, and few and far between (!), jewellery pieces I've been lucky enough to find — all the time feeling like the dragon from the Hobbit and not feeling any urge to let it go!"
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