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Love Diamonds But Not The Steep Price Tag? This Secondhand Marketplace Is Making Fine Jewelry More Affordable (And Sustainable)
Engagement rings, earrings, watches, and more — all for up to 80% off retail prices.
At a time when many shoppers are reevaluating the environmental, ethical, and, yes, financial impacts of buying diamond jewelry, I Do Now I Don’t is offering an appealing (and way less expensive) alternative. The peer-to-peer jewelry marketplace bills itself as a sustainable option for reselling quality diamond pieces sans retail markups or environmental costs. That means shoppers can potentially save 50 to 80% compared to original retail prices. They also get the peace of mind of knowing they bought from an existing supply of diamonds versus a newly mined stone (for every carat of diamond, 250 tons of earth must be moved, which releases an estimated 57 kilograms of carbon into the atmosphere).
How Does It Work?
I Do Now I Don’t operates sort of like eBay or Depop, but for diamond jewelry and other high-end, vintage pieces. If you’re looking to buy, you can search the marketplace by categories like engagement rings, loose diamonds, vintage jewelry, watches, or wedding bands. You can also search by more specific qualities such as carat size, gem shapes, cuts, and brands.
When you purchase a piece, the seller has seven business days to ship the item to I Do Now I Don’t. Payment is then held by the company until the piece is evaluated by gemologists via a third-party lab to ensure it matches the listing description. As you browse the listings, you can see some of the stories behind the gems, which are often unexpectedly funny and sweet. A listing of a classic, round diamond engagement ring had this story attached: “My husband ‘lost’ this ring before proposing and purchased another. And then we found it. LOL.”
If you’re interested in selling jewelry, you can create an account for free and list your item on the marketplace (you’ll only be charged a commission once you make a sale). For each item you list, you can get two estimates: one for a direct offer from I Do Now I Don’t and another that serves as a suggested listing price. List your item from there, and field offers from prospective buyers via email.
Why Buy Secondhand Diamonds?
There’s been a historical stigma attached to pre-owned engagement rings that, frankly, seems like bunk nowadays (along with any notions of how many months’ salary someone is “supposed” to spend on a ring). The superstition of a secondhand ring is just that, a superstition, and buying a pre-owned ring helps reduce the need to mine another diamond. It can also potentially save you thousands of dollars.
Even if you were to buy new diamond jewelry, there’s a chance you could be wearing a secondhand stone without knowing it. According to I Do Now I Don’t, one in every 10 diamonds that retailers sell are actually re-cut, re-set stones. While I couldn’t verify this exact stat, what’s known is that diamonds don’t experience the wear-and-tear other jewelry might. This means that the lifespan of a 100-year-old diamond has likely seen at least a few different ring fingers. There’s something kind of special about knowing there’s provenance — and at least one or two good stories — imbued into your ring, which can, in turn, be imbued with your own stories.
What Else Can You Find On I Do Now I Don’t?
On the I Do Now I Don’t marketplace, you can procure some stunning vintage pieces apart from the more marriage-oriented jewelry. There are one-of-a-kind finds like a kitschy/fabulous gold enamel parrot brooch from the ‘60s or a truly special 14-carat-gold Tiffany & Co. powder compact from the ‘40s. Here are a few current favorites:
