Rare Lion Antiques & Jewelry

In downtown Tempe, at 403 W. University Drive, Suite 102, Rare Lion Antiques and Jewelry has spent decades building a reputation as one of the Valleys go-to destinations for antique and estate jewelry. According to the businesss own site, the shop has been appraising, buying, and selling antiques and jewelry in Tempe since 1981, giving it a multi-decade presence in a city whose retail landscape has changed dramatically over that same span. The inventory reaches well beyond jewelry alone: shoppers browsing the store will find antique and estate pieces spanning silver, art glass, cut crystal, porcelain, fine art, Native American items, furniture, and a range of other decorative categories, making it as much a general antiques destination as a jewelry specialist. What truly sets Rare Lion apart, though, is its in-house appraisal department, staffed by a gemologist certified through the Gemological Institute of America, the industry standard credential for jewelry evaluation. The shop offers free verbal appraisals in-store along with detailed written assessments for clients who need documentation, a service that draws not just casual sellers but also estate liquidators, attorneys, and accountants who need a credentialed, professional opinion on jewelry and antique values. Both on-site and in-store evaluations are available, which makes the business a practical stop for anyone settling an estate, insuring a piece, or simply curious what an inherited ring or necklace might be worth. That appraisal expertise has not gone unrecognized locally: Rare Lion won the New Times Best Antique Store to Buy Jewelry award in 2011, a distinction that reflects the shops standing among Phoenix-area antique and jewelry retailers even years after the fact. The store keeps regular retail hours Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Sunday visits available by appointment, a schedule that accommodates both walk-in browsers and clients who need a dedicated one-on-one appraisal session outside normal hours. Its location on University Drive places it within the walkable core of downtown Tempe, close to Arizona State University and the Mill Avenue district, making it an easy stop for shoppers already exploring the areas mix of restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. Customers can reach the shop directly by phone or email to ask about specific pieces, schedule an appraisal, or inquire about consigning or selling estate jewelry and antiques. For anyone in the Phoenix metro area looking to buy a distinctive piece of estate jewelry, sell an inherited collection, or simply get a credentialed opinion on what a family heirloom is worth, Rare Lion Antiques and Jewelry offers a combination of decades of retail experience and certified appraisal expertise that is uncommon among general antique shops. In short, Rare Lion Antiques and Jewelry is a longstanding downtown Tempe antiques and estate jewelry shop distinguished by its GIA-certified in-house appraisal service and its 2011 recognition as the Valleys best antique store for jewelry buyers.