No One Beats Our Offer Prices On Gold Jewelry

The Average Situation

Imagine you’re cleaning out a loved one’s estate and come across a jewelry box filled with the usual odds and ends: a handful of coins, a class ring, a few pieces of gold jewelry, and plenty of items you aren’t sure about. When it comes time to sell, many people feel overwhelmed and simply do nothing. Others take the entire collection to a jeweler, accept whatever number they’re given, and move on.

Of course, you are free to handle your gold however you choose. But if you take a few minutes to read our guide below, you’ll have a much better understanding of what you own, how gold is valued, and what you should expect from a reputable buyer.

Understand How Karat Relates to Purity

Most of the gold jewelry we see is 10K or 14K, which may also be marked 417 or 585. Pure gold is 24K, so 10K gold is 41.7% pure and 14K gold is 58.5% pure.

As a simple comparison, it takes approximately 74.6 grams of 10K gold or 53.2 grams of 14K gold to contain the same amount of pure gold found in one troy ounce of pure gold.

We also regularly see 18K jewelry, and 22K and higher gold is certainly out there. Much of the higher-karat jewelry we encounter comes from countries such as South Korea, Japan, India, and Turkey. Generally speaking, the higher the karat, the more valuable the piece will be based on its gold content.

Is Your Gold Plated, Filled, or Fractional?

Most traditional gold jewelry—rings, necklaces, bracelets, and similar pieces—is made of gold alloy throughout. However, less traditional items such as cuff links, watch cases, lockets, buttons, and pins are sometimes gold plated or gold filled.

Look for markings such as GF, 1/10, or 1/20. These markings can indicate that the item has a layer of gold over a less valuable base metal such as copper or another non-precious metal. Gold-plated and gold-filled items generally have much less precious-metal value than solid gold.

When there is any question, our XRF analyzer can test the metal and help determine whether an item is solid gold, plated, or made from another material.

A Quick Word About Diamonds and Gemstones

The diamond market has changed significantly over the past decade, particularly with the growth of lab-grown diamonds. If you believe you have a truly high-quality or valuable diamond, we recommend having it evaluated by a qualified diamond professional, preferably one with GIA credentials.

The vast majority of diamonds found in everyday jewelry are not valuable enough to justify removing and selling them individually. In many cases, when we are buying jewelry primarily for its gold content, the overall value of the piece is better understood by evaluating the gold and the item as a whole rather than removing a small stone and attempting to sell it separately.

If you have questions about a diamond or gemstone in your jewelry, we’re happy to explain how it factors into our evaluation.

What's a Fair Payout?

It’s important to understand that jewelry is not bullion.

Bullion refers to gold coins or bars that are typically 99.99% pure and are specifically produced to be traded based on the spot price of gold. The spot price is the current market price for an ounce of gold.

Pure bullion can generally trade very close to the raw metal value. Jewelry, however, sells at a discount because it must first be tested, processed, and ultimately refined before the gold can become bullion again.

That said, when you sell to a reputable gold buyer like Spartan Gold and Coin, you should expect to receive a strong percentage of the underlying gold value. We typically pay 85–95% of the gold value on qualifying jewelry, depending on the specific circumstances of the transaction.

How Do You Find Out What Your Gold Jewelry Is Worth?

The process is actually very simple.

First, we test the purity of the gold using our XRF analyzer.

Second, we weigh the jewelry.

Finally, we use the current market value of gold, along with the item's purity and weight, to calculate its value and determine your payout.

A simple item, such as a gold class ring, can often be evaluated in less than 90 seconds. An entire jewelry box can typically be sorted and evaluated in 15–30 minutes. We separate solid gold from costume and plated jewelry, do the calculations, and give you a straightforward price.

If you're thinking about selling gold jewelry in Spartanburg or closeby, we encourage you to get our price before making your final decision. You may be surprised by what that old jewelry box is worth.