Michele's Estate Jewelry and Silver — Local services in Rollingwood

I was exiting the parking lot at Trader Joe’s on Bee Cave Rd in Austin when out of the corner of my eyes I see the sign “Michele’s Estate Jewelry.” Normally it is not the thing that excites this middle-aged man, but it so happens that I had just been appointed Administrator of the Estate of a close family member and not knowing much about jewelry and especially women jewelry this seemed like serendipity. A few days later I called to inquire if they did appraisals and if it would be all right if I just brought my “bags-o-jewelry” since there was just lots of stuff and I had no idea of how to separate the valuable from the fantasy jewelry to minimize what I expected would be a stiff appraisal fee. Lisa was nice, very reassuring and told me to just bring it in and they would charge me $150/hr. and will appraise as many pieces as I wanted, that the fantasy jewelry would just take seconds while the valuable ones is where the time would be spent. As it turns out Phill later told me that the $150/hr. is just to discourage people who have no intention of selling but just want a free appraisal. The appraisals cost me nothing even thought I offered to pay for all time he took checking for marks, looking at the stones, for the rubbing and chemical test of the gold, etc. It took me several visits to get through all the rings, earrings, bracelets, chains, pendants, silverware, etc. His only request was if I could come first thing in the morning or to call before to avoid being there during their busiest time. Overall, I felt the process was straight forward, well explained and Phil answered all my questions. Did I get the best possible price for the estate? I can’t be sure, but my feeling is we did Ok. Michele's Estate Jewelry and Silver is...

Selling gold jewelry and sterling silver that our grown children had no interest in isn’t something we had any experience with. We did our research on the process and obtained estimates from major and local businesses that buy gold and silver. Michele’s in Austin, Texas was recommended on an independent website that provided a tutorial on selling but didn’t buy themselves. When we told Michele’s the number of pieces and pattern of the sterling we wanted to sell, Phillip gave us an email estimate that was 20% higher than the next highest offer. Always wary of internet transactions we did more checking and found only favorable information. Additionally, we checked with a friend in Austin who gave Michele’s very high marks. Based on an email exchange and a leap of faith (which turned out to be not a big leap and our faith was met with honesty and efficiency) we mailed the sterling to Michele’s. Within 24 hours of receipt Phillip had transferred to our account the offered amount plus the cost of mailing and insurance. Nice touch. When it came to the gold which had to be tested and weighed, Phillip did this and provided an estimate that was based on the current gold prices but considerably higher than rates we had been quoted by other buyers. Our dealings with Michele’s were fast, efficient and totally satisfying. It was a pleasure dealing with them and we will do it again if we come across any hidden treasures. Highly...

I made an appointment with Michele's Estate Jewelry and Silver since I was looking to sell a variety of items -- loose diamonds, watches, pearl necklaces, and earrings. I had read plenty of excellent reviews on both Google and Yelp. The shop has many items in it -- silver coffee services, engagement and cocktail rings, watches, pearls, earrings, and glassware -- all beautifully displayed. Phillip, son of Michele, was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the whole process. He explained lots of details about the items and patiently took the time to share which pieces were/weren't for them and why. He also recommended other leads for items on which he didn't make an offer to purchase. Phillip is very conscientious, detailed, thorough, and transparent. He made what I thought would be a complicated and stressful situation both remarkably smooth and very straightforward. I feel grateful for the very fair offer I received and would definitely do business with Michele's again and already referred a friend there to buy a diamond...