Selling smart·6 min read

5 Things to Know Before You Sell Gold Jewelry

The jewelry box is worth more than you think — and easier to undersell than you'd believe. Five things first.

Gold is near record highs, and a lot of people are quietly wondering what that old, unworn jewelry is worth. Fair question. Here's what to know before you cash any of it in.

1. You're selling weight and purity, not sparkle

A scrap-gold buyer doesn't care that the chain is pretty. They care what it weighs and what karat it is — 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K. That number is the share of the piece that's actually gold; 14K is about 58%.

So a heavy, plain 14K chain can be worth more than a delicate, fancy 18K one. Weight and karat, not looks.

2. Gemstones and brand-name pieces are a different sale

If a piece has real diamonds or gemstones, or it's signed by a name like Tiffany or Cartier, do not sell it as scrap. As scrap, you're paid only for the gold and the stones are thrown in free — a small fortune, gifted to the buyer.

Designer and gem-set pieces often do far better through a jewelry resale auction, where buyers bid on the piece as a piece. Set those aside and sell them separately.

3. Weigh it yourself first

A cheap kitchen or jewelry scale that reads grams costs a few dollars and pays for itself instantly. Weigh each karat group on its own.

Then run it through a melt calculator at today's spot price. Now you know the floor — the raw metal value — and no buyer can tell you your gold is worth less than the metal in it.

4. Where you sell decides what you get

Same gold, wildly different offers. Pawn shops are fast and usually pay the least. Local jewelers are convenient and land in the middle. Reputable online mail-in buyers — insured, free shipping kit, written offers — tend to pay the most for plain jewelry and scrap.

There's no single right answer, but there is a wrong move: taking the first offer without comparing.

5. A fair buyer makes it easy to say no

The good ones send a free insured shipping kit, make an itemized offer you can see, and return your gold at their cost if you decline. The bad ones make declining feel difficult.

If saying no is hard, that tells you something. Use the buyers who earn the yes.

See what your jewelry is worth →Live melt value by karat, plus the buyers we'd actually use.