Buying gold jewelry: What to look out for when selling

Selling Gold Jewelry: How to Get the Best Price

Anyone looking to sell old gold jewelry or have it melted down should know the rules of the game. The right buyer, the right preparation, and the right timing can significantly improve the proceeds.

Know the Value of Your Jewelry

Before you speak to buyers, you should do your own calculations:

1. Weigh the jewelry (kitchen scale)
2. Read the fineness from the hallmark (585, 750, etc.)
3. Calculate the pure gold content: Weight × Fineness/1000
4. Check the current gold price (€/gram of fine gold)
5. Material value = pure gold in grams × gold price

Buyers typically pay 80–95% of the material value – anything less is too little.

The Different Selling Options

• Refineries: Highest purchase price (90–95% of material value), but impersonal
• Jeweler Purchases: Personal, but often lower (70–85%)
• Mail-in Buyers: Convenient, but risky – check carefully
• Auctions: Often the best way for designer pieces or special jewelry
• Online Platforms (eBay, Vinted): For wearable used jewelry – often more than material value possible

Tips for Higher Proceeds

• Always get 3+ offers – the difference can be significant
• Have stones appraised separately before melting
• Take advantage of high gold price periods
• Never melt down designer pieces (Tiffany, Cartier) – the used market pays more

For new, certified gold jewelry: corelunejewellery.de – transparent, fair, of the highest quality.