Selling Luxury Estate Jewelry: Tips to Get the Most Money for Your Inherited Gold, Silver and Gemstone Jewelry
If you have inherited some jewelry that you want to sell,in order to get the best value it is important to understand what type of jewelry you have. Estate jewelry simply means the jewelry is pre-owned, but it does not mean it has an affect on the value. For example, you may have inherited a piece of silver and gemstone jewelry from Tiffany & Co. that may have more value than a new piece of 24 K jewelry. The following tips will help guide you through the process of getting the best value when you sell jewelry in Boca Raton.
Separating Real Jewelry From Costume Jewelry
14kt White Gold Checkerboard Cut Pink Topaz & Diamond Ring
If you have inherited a large amount of jewelry, such as a full jewelry box, the first step is sorting it. In many situations when you inherit several pieces of jewelry, the majority of it will be costume jewelry. Some pieces are more obvious than others. For example, if a ring contains an overly large stone, it is probably not real. If there are pieces of jewelry that look like gold, but you cant find a marking, pass a magnet over the jewelry. Precious metals will not stick to the magnet. This does not mean your costume jewelry doesn’t have value. Many vintage pieces of costume jewelry sell well, so consider selling these pieces through an online auction.
Finding the Value of Estate Jewelry
18kt Yellow Gold Round Brilliant Diamond South Sea Pearl Drop Earrings
Now that you have separated your costume jewelry from real jewelry,before you can sell jewelry in Boca, it is important to have a general idea of the value. The purer the gold is, the more valuable it will be. Gold pieces of jewelry will be marked with either 10k, 14k, 18k or 24k. The purest form is 24k, which means the gold is soft, so it isn’t often used in jewelry making. If there are silver pieces, you need to determine if they are sterling silver or silver coated. A piece of sterling silver jewelry will typically have the words sterling, sterling silver and/or 925 stamped somewhere on the piece (usually the clasp). Jewelry that is made with 18k gold and contains one or more gemstones typically has more value than a simple piece of 14k. If the piece of jewelry has a hallmark (jewelry maker) stamped on it, if possible, research the hallmark to get a better idea of the importance of the particular jewelry maker.
Getting the Appraisal
Two Tone gold Panther bracelet
Now that you have accomplished the tedious task of separating the jewelry, it is time to have it appraised. It is important to know that you do not have to sell your jewelry to the appraiser and when possible, you should get more than one appraisal. Appraisers are typically close in the value they place on jewelry, but not all of them are familiar with every type of jewelry. For example, for example, if you want to sell Tiffany & Co.in South Florida, you should go to a jeweler for an appraisal as opposed to a pawn shop. Make sure the appraiser, for any of your jewelry, is GIA certified and that you the price you are offered is calculated according to the current market. Although you are not expected to know the markets exact value of gold or silver, it is beneficial to have a general idea of the current rate.
Where to Sell Jewelry in Boca
Vintage Cameo Pin
There are a range of jewelry buyers in Boca Raton to choose from. When trying to decide which buyer will be the best suited for your jewelry, it is important to consider what you are selling. For example, if you have estate that is broken, but clearly marked as gold or silver, you can sell to a buyer that buys jewelry for melting. When jewelry is sold to a buyer that will use it for melting, you typically will not get the same price as if the piece was being bought to be resold. Both jewelers and pawn shops buy pieces that will be resold as well as metals for melting. If you have done your research and found out that the piece is indeed 18k with diamond settings and in great condition, it is usually better to sell it to a jewelry store. Whereas if you have a couple of 14k wedding bands, it may be more beneficial to take them to a pawn shop. If you have an antique brooch made by Tiffany & Co., putting the piece in a local auction may fetch a higher price. When selling jewelry, the goal is to get the best value, so do your homework to find out as much about each piece as possible. Typically, the better the quality, the higher the amount you get when selling, as long as you take the piece to the appropriate jewelry buyer.
The Price of Gold and Silver
Aquamarine and Diamond Earrings
One of the most important things to remember when you are selling estate jewelry is that sentimental does not mean value. Sentimental value usually means that you think a piece of jewelry is worth more than it actually is, simply because you Associate the jewelry with your loved one. It is important that jewelry buyers do not buy sentiment. Always check the current value per ounce of gold and/or silver on the same day as you go to the buyer. Keep in mind that the price for precious metals fluctuates daily.
Selling estate jewelry that you have inherited is often difficult. If you need money, but are hesitant about selling jewelry you may never wear, consider going to a pawn shop to pawn the jewelry instead of selling. If you do pawn the pieces, make sure you get a good price, because many people that pawn items find they really didn’t need them, so they never return for their pawned items. If you have several pieces that do not suit your style, such as a large gaudy ring, consider selling part of it and using part of it. For example, the setting could be changed to hold only one small diamond and you can sell the other gemstone from the setting.
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