Simply have a look at that picture above. For those who’re as intrigued by the glittering hodgepodge of gold chains, bracelets, bits, and bobs as I’m, enable me to clarify what it’s: a snapshot of the junk pile. Not less than that’s what Elisa Casas, aka @chelseagirl.nyc, calls it on her full of life Instagram feed, and stated junk pile is the place she sources a few of her finest classic nice jewellery.
I needed to discover out extra—digging by way of kilos upon kilos of random gold jewellery castoffs actually appears like my concept of heaven. What follows is a recap of what I discovered about Casas, her enterprise, and her course of.
First, her title could also be acquainted to any New Yorkers studying this, as Casas has a protracted historical past within the resale vogue house because the proprietor of three SoHo boutiques. The primary was Chelsea Woman, which opened on Thompson Road in November 1993. “I used to be six months pregnant once I opened my little store in SoHo, and, fairly frankly, I didn’t know what I used to be doing,” she says. “However I used to be captivated with classic clothes and jewellery, and that keenness translated right into a profitable enterprise.” Laurel Canyon (a onetime favourite procuring hang-out of mine), Clutch!, and Metropolis Woman Café adopted throughout a 17-year interval…till Soho modified. “My arty clientele moved out and vacationers moved in, my shops misplaced their leases and closed one after the other, so I started promoting completely by way of my web site,” says Casas.
Lower to 2016, when Casas’ daughter Ruby arrange an Instagram account for her. The format suited Casas nicely, as she’s a former photojournalist. Immediately, she’s promoting completely by way of the platform, focusing primarily on vintage gold-and-diamond jewellery, with about 15 to twenty% of her stock plucked from the junk pile.
“It’s such a enjoyable manner of procuring, and my clients are actually fascinated by it, so sharing my tales undoubtedly retains my ‘junk pile gang’ engaged and invested,” says Casas. “My clients inform me that they really feel nice about rescuing heirloom items actually days earlier than they get melted down and misplaced ceaselessly. In their very own small manner, they’re preserving little bits of historical past.”
Elisa Casas and her daughter Ruby, looking the junk pile for treasure
As for this newly initiated member of the junk pile gang, I wanted specifics. Like, what’s the junk pile by definition—and extra to the purpose, the place does one discover one?
“What I affectionately name the ‘junk pile’ is extra typically referred to as a ‘scrap pile,’” says Casas. “There are numerous companies on forty seventh Road (and I assume in different cities) that purchase gold, and it’s all thrown into massive, soiled, tangled piles. The scrappers don’t care concerning the high quality of the items, all they care about is the value of gold. When gold is down, they wait, and when gold goes up, they ship all of it to the melter and make their revenue. In between, sellers like me can rifle by way of the piles for treasures. Being a treasure hunter all my life and loving the joys of the hunt, I completely adore in search of that needle in a haystack! The items I select are bought by weight, which is manner below retail worth, permitting me to supply particular objects to my clients at discount costs.”
Not surprisingly, this dingy dragon’s lair of treasures is strictly the area of the jewellery commerce. “The junk pile guys are very strict about getting your organization info, and so they solely take firm checks as cost,” says Casas.
I additionally wished to know: How on earth does one reduce by way of the litter to seek out items value turning over? I distinctly recall experiencing an intense type of overstimulation and fatigue digging by way of the clearance racks on the late, nice Century 21 in downtown Manhattan. I can’t think about what a pile of gold jewellery would do to my senses…
“I at all times purchase my merchandise on intuition. If I need it, I assume my clients do additionally, so in that regard, procuring within the junk pile is actually no completely different than procuring wherever else. After all, as a vendor, I carry on high of the tendencies and I do know what my clients like. So for instance, I at all times buy San Marco bracelets, which I discover typically, due to their reputation. And chains are immediately scorching, so I at all times search for good ones.”
The key, she says, is to undergo the pile methodically, piece by piece. “It’s really easy to miss one thing particular for those who go too rapidly. And you must be actually cautious to display screen for situation: Hole objects are sometimes dented, rings are out-of-round, and deep file marks (from testing) are widespread. Typically an merchandise simply wants a simple restore (like a series lacking its clasp), and I’ll take it to my jeweler. Different occasions, I’ve to depart it behind.”
The junk pile is only one arrow in Casas’ quiver—she sources her items from all around the world. “I’ve a supplier in Paris who buys high-end vintage rings for me from all of the public sale homes. I purchase on-line. I’m going to flea markets and auctions. I’ll look wherever and in all places for a nice piece of vintage jewellery.”
However man, does she unearth scorching little numbers among the many rubble. Under, a few of her most memorable finds.
“Infrequently, if the stones are small, the junk pile guys don’t trouble to take away them, which is the perfect!” Casas says. “I not often purchase earrings as a result of my daughter, who has her personal firm, Woman of the Earth, additionally digs within the junk pile and sells them on her web site. However when I discovered one in every of these within the junk pile,” say says of the earrings beneath, “I prayed to seek out the opposite, and I did!”
Retro diamond and ruby earrings
“Jewellery remorse! I didn’t truly purchase these: They had been so costly and I didn’t know what I might do with them,” Casas says of the chess items beneath. “However I took a photograph, and once I posted it on Instagram, everybody went loopy. Once I went again to get them the subsequent day, they had been gone.”
18k gold chess items
“Regardless that I knew it wasn’t superold, I appreciated the standard workmanship, so I purchased it,” Casas says of the bigger ring beneath, on the precise. “Once I confirmed it to my pal Janet, she gasped: It was a designer from the ’70s, whose items not often come to market. Janet was a collector of hers, so I used to be thrilled to present it to her!”
Helen Woodhull rings (the junk pile discover is on the precise)
“This strong gold fob is a murals. Fobs are usually not actually my factor, however if you discover one thing particular like this, you instinctively know to purchase it. It bought in a single scorching minute.”
Griffin fob
“Snake chain bracelets are a scorching pattern proper now, and consider it or not, the outdated ones find yourself within the junk pile fairly often. Final week I discovered the heaviest one I ever noticed, but it surely had some kinks, so I took it to my jeweler, and I pray that he can repair it. The wonderful thing about the junk pile is, for those who don’t promote it to a buyer, you’ll be able to simply promote it again to them! So, typically I take probabilities on items that I usually wouldn’t purchase.”
Assorted snake chain bracelets
