Jewelry Seller’s Guide

Selling your gold, silver, or platinum jewelry can feel like an overwhelming task. Some pieces will have stamping to indicate what it’s made of, but others may be completely blank, leaving you guessing. Below, we’ve compiled some of the most important information you’ll want to know before selling your jewelry in our Seller’s Guide.

At The Gold Depot, we want to educate you in the process so you know you’re receiving a fair price when you bring it in to sell. When you bring your jewelry to us, we test each individual item right in front of you, so you know you’re receiving fair market value. Plus, our consultation service is free and there is no obligation to sell.

If you’re interested in selling your jewelry, or want to see what it’s worth, visit us today.

What to Know About Your Jewelry

Gold Jewelry

Gold can come in various colors, including yellow, white, rose gold (pinkish color), or green. Most gold jewelry is stamped to indicate its karat level such as 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, or 24K. While most countries require some stamp indicating the gold karat, few effectively enforce and hold the jewelers accountable. Therefore, we do not require a gold karat stamp to be present. We test all items to accurately determine the gold content of each item to provide you with an accurate appraisal.

Platinum Jewelry

Platinum is a white color similar in appearance to white gold. Because of this, one can often be mistaken for the other, so proper testing is necessary during appraisal. Platinum jewelry will typically be stamped with Plat 950, 950, PT 950, Platinum, PLAT, 5%Irid.-Plat, 10%Irid.-Plat, or Iridium Platinum. Along with platinum jewelry, we also buy platinum wire and platinum coins.

Silver Jewelry

Authentic Silver pieces will be stamped Sterling, Sterl., 925, 950, 965, 999, 999 Fine, or Fine Silver. Items such as knives, serving pieces and candelabras are often weighted, meaning the insides are hollow and filled with base metal, so the worth will be determined only on the amount of silver included, not the item’s full weight.

More Jewelry Stamping

The informational stamping on jewelry may not always look the same on each type of precious metal. Here is some other stamping you may notice:

.917 means 22K
.585 means 14K
.417 means 10K

.375 means 9K
.333 means 8K

950 PT means Platinum
925 means Sterling Silver

The Step-by-Step Process of Selling Your Jewelry at The Gold Depot

When you’re preparing to sell your valuables, you don’t want surprises. Here’s what you can expect when you bring in your jewelry to The Gold Depot:

Step 1: We accurately test each piece in front of you using the latest technology in precious metals and Electronic Diamond Testers.
Step 2: Each piece will be accurately weighed on a certified scale to ensure precision weight.
Step 3: Each piece will be appraised for the highest value by our experienced staff with years of knowledge buying precious metals.
Step 4: You receive a fair price assessment in minutes. After testing, weighing, and appraising your items, we will offer you the most money possible.
Step 5: After you approve our offer, we pay you cash on the spot! Our consultation service is free of charge and there is no obligation to sell. All price assessments given are based on weight and karat grade contained in the item, not its resale value. For this reason, we cannot pay for gemstones or other small diamonds that are under .20pt (1/5ct).

Ready to get started? Bring in your jewelry for an appraisal, or contact us for more information.