What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects them on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £80 (~$107) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £68 (~$91) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £52 (~$69) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £36 (~$48) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £20 (~$27) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Metal content misdescribed as solid when it is plated, and stones described as natural when they are lab-grown or simulant. Both are common and neither is always deliberate.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether earrings is worth what is being asked:
- Missing backs, which are cheap but noticed
- Odd earrings with no pair
- Plated pieces with wear to the base metal
- Bent posts and damaged hooks
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Precious metal with hallmarks where present
- Matched pairs with both backs included
- Recognised designers and hallmarked studs
- Certified stones on significant pieces
Common faults and fakes
Hallmarks can be faked but are rarely faked well, and a jeweller will read one in seconds. Plated pieces wear through at edges and clasps first.
Ask for a close photograph of the hallmark and the item’s weight in grams. Those two facts alone put a floor under what it can be worth.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about earrings, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Check for a marking and say. People with sensitive ears react to nickel and plated posts, so this is a genuine functional question rather than a value one.
Confirm, and say what type. Missing butterfly backs are cheap to replace but the buyer needs to know to order them.
Compare them side by side. Slight handmade variation is fine and worth mentioning; a mismatched pair sold as matching is not.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Check both earrings match exactly
- Confirm both backs are present
- Look for hallmarks on the post or hook
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- Both earrings together, front on, filling the frame
- The posts and backs, showing type and any marking
- Any hallmark, magnified
- The stones or detail close up, plus any scratch, tarnish or missing back
Details to confirm before you commit
- Metal, with any hallmark photographed
- Fitting type, and whether backs are included
- Dimensions — hoop diameter or total drop length
- Any stone, and whether both earrings are identical
Live earrings listings
There is 1 live on WishThrift right now:
When to buy
Lifts sharply before Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. Hallmarked silver and gold studs sell within days.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have earrings sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell earrings for what to photograph and how to price, or what earrings are worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for used earrings?
Around £5 to £52 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check earrings before buying?
Ask for a close photograph of the hallmark and the item’s weight in grams. Those two facts alone put a floor under what it can be worth.
Is buying earrings second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Metal content misdescribed as solid when it is plated, and stones described as natural when they are lab-grown or simulant. Both are common and neither is always deliberate.
See also: all buying guides · earrings value guide · selling earrings · Jewellery & Watches · condition grades.