Proposing is an exciting event. However, finding a ring can be an arduous process. It is a piece of jewelry you and your significant other will be wearing for the rest of your life; making sure you get the right one can be difficult. While it may be tempting just to look online, or at chain jewelry stores, it’s often a good idea to take a look at pawn shops; here’s why:

Low cost

The most compelling benefit of pawn shops is the cost. As the jewelry found from these stores are often second-hand, the cost is significantly reduced from a fresh piece of gold or silver. In addition, pawn shops often offer deals for expensive items, especially if they’ve remained unsold for long periods. If money is tight, checking a pawn shop may be a solid idea.

Lots of inventory

Pawn shops often build up inventory over long periods of time, such as over the course of years or even decades, depending on how long the shop has been open. The variety you find at a pawn shop often greatly exceeds those at more conventional jewelry stores. This inventory showcases slices from decades of past time, and from styles that may have fallen out of popular fashion. Checking through this stock may find you something surprising that will catch you and your partner’s heart better than anything in current production.

Vintage options

This slice of decades past could also have even more prized, vintage pieces. People sell old jewelry for all manner of reasons, whether because of the death of the original owner, or simply falling out of use. As pieces are sold, sometimes, someone may sell something unique and vintage. Having an old, valuable, one-of-a-kind piece is something to be prized, and as such, checking pawn shops for these valuable accessories may be a good idea.

Experienced jewelers

Jewelry-focused pawn shops aren’t just run out of a hole-in-the-wall by someone who simply wanted to own a pawn shop. These pawn shops almost always have jewelry experts on house or on call to properly assign a date and value to any jewelry that comes in. In addition, these experts are often goldsmiths themselves. Love the metal of a ring, but want a different gem? Get it replaced in-house, on the spot, as you buy it!

Whether you’re looking for something in particular or simply exploring options, modern jewelry stores may not have what you desire. Checking out pawn shops is a smart idea to make sure you scope out what you may be looking for. The further your search, the more likely you will find the perfect piece at a more affordable price due to the variety of these pawn shops. Good luck on your search and check out Gems N’ Loans for your best options in Southern California!