A thrifter struck gold (literally) and posted their incredible find in the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit — it was met with a mix of envy and admiration from commenters.
The shopper stumbled upon a seemingly real pearl necklace with a beautiful blue gemstone encased in the clasp. But after turning it over, they discovered a hidden treasure that made the jewelry even more valuable.
"Know next to nothing about pearls but looked at this in the case because they appeared irregular enough to possibly be something. Then I noticed the clasp was stamped 14k and has a very pretty gemstone set in it! Fiance has mentioned liking pearls before so this is a super score for me! Only 11 bucks to boot!" they wrote in their post.
For the price of a couple of Starbucks coffees, they scored a necklace that could retail for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, making it a huge steal if it's indeed the real McCoy.
While several commenters encouraged the original poster to take the necklace to a jeweler just in case, others reassured the OP that it looked authentic.
This isn't the first case of a lucky shopper snagging a great bargain on jewelry while thrifting, either. One thrifter found a presumably genuine 14-karat gold and pearl necklace for just $5, while another discovered a gold ring with four rows of diamonds hiding in a bag of costume jewelry.
Countless others have gotten amazing deals on other expensive items, from coveted espresso machines to designer purses to name-brand tennis shoes.
Even if you're just shopping for everyday necessities, such as kitchenware, furniture, or clothing, you can find heavily discounted items that are just as good as new.
Not only does thrifting help you save money and enjoy your favorite brands for less, but it's also a huge win for the planet. Shopping secondhand keeps items out of landfills, where they break down and release polluting gases such as methane.
In the case of gold necklaces, gold mining is among the most damaging industries in the world, contributing to contaminated drinking water and degraded ecosystems, per Earthworks. Pearl farming can lead to overexploited lagoons and plastic pollution because of ropes, nets, and other equipment used during cultivation, as Plastic Odyssey detailed.
By buying a thrifted necklace, you're helping protect these fragile environments while keeping more money in your pocket. Many others are jumping on the thrifting bandwagon, according to a recent ThredUp report. The global secondhand market is projected to hit $350 billion by 2028, signaling a positive change in how we shop.
Commenters congratulated the OP on hitting the thrifting jackpot. "Holy crow that's a great find!!!" one wrote.
"Congrats you might [have] something special there they don't put cheap pearls on a 14k clasp," said another.
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