Precious metals such as silver and gold, and gems such as diamonds and rubies, have long since captured the imagination of people around the world. For much of history, most items made of such precious materials were restricted to the wealthy, such as royal dynasties, noble houses, and aristocrats. Over time, ordinary and middle-class households and people could afford them too, and today, many Americans own jewelry, personal accessories, and other goods made of gold, silver, and more. Mothers often pass down jewelry to their daughters, and fathers may pass down gold or silver plated wrist watches or pocket watches to their sons. But what about selling your jewelry to jewelry buyers? This means evaluating the item’s quality and type to determine a fair price. Diamond buyers will have a rating system to refer to for a gem’s quality, and when you sell diamonds, be prepared for an evaluation on those goods. Selling jewelry can be done to either a store or a private buyer, but in either case, great care will be taken to determine a price.
Selling Jewels
Jewelry buyers will, as mentioned above, take care to look over a gem’s value before offering a price for it. A person may expect this when they approach jewelry buyers, but the owner may also refer to jewelry buyers and experts before selling to a private party. A private buyer does not want to get ripped off, and a the seller does not want to take a loss, either. And selling to jewelry buyers will definitely mean the correct procedure is followed.
What do jewelry buyers look for? They may assess not only the metal body of a piece of jewelry, but also the gem. Experts will use microscopes and rating systems to determine the value of a gem based on its level of inclusion. Most gems have small inclusions in them or may even have blemishes or chips on the surface. Flawless, or FL, diamonds are extremely rare and incredibly valuable, ranking at the system’s top. At the bottom are diamonds that are considered included, or I. Included diamonds may be I1, I2, or I3 (very included), and may not be worth much. Most often, a gem owner will present a diamond that ranks somewhere in the middle, such as VVS (very very slightly included) or VS (very slightly included). Microscopes allow jewelers to spot imperfections like these and determine where on that scale a gem will rank, and thus its value.
Some jewelry is in fact customized. Many American buyers like to design and order custom jewelry, with details such as the gem’s type and cut pattern, and the body’s design, being unique. Women may order custom decorative rings or necklaces or earrings for themselves, and some men like to order custom engagement rings for their girlfriends. Such unique jewelry pieces may be of great interest to jewelry stores or to private buyers, depending on taste.
Gold and Silver
Many goods are made of or coated with gold or silver, such as trophies, photo frames, tea sets, lighters, and of course, watches. Before making a sale, an owner will have these items evaluated for factors such as purity (higher is better), and the item’s age and condition. The expert will also determine the level of craftsmanship involved, as shoddy or poorly made gold or silver items may sell for less. The owner may take these items to an antique road show or some other road show where experts will be available, and both the buyer and seller will want to make sure that the price for an item is fair.
When a sale is secured, the owner may pass on the item to the new owner in person if possible, or otherwise ship them. Shipping jewelry or gold or silver items requires care, as the box must be sealed and waterproof to avoid stains or damage to the surface. Items such as watches or trophies or tea sets may have ample padding and packaging so that nothing is jostled around or damaged transit. A buyer would be pretty upset if their new silver trophy arrived with the handled snapped off, for example, due to rough shipping and a lack of padding inside.
