You are going through Grandma’s things after her death and you discover her jewelry that she kept in a couple of boxes on her dresser. Is it worth anything? First you should have the jewelry appraised to find out the rarity of the estate and antique pieces. Rarity can add value to a piece of jewelry.
The reason for knowing the value of the estate jewelry is important. One reason is for insurance purposes. If you find a piece of jewelry that has been sitting at the bottom of the jewelry box that is worth thousands of dollars you should think about getting it insured for the replacement value, especially since it is probably irreplaceable.
Another reason is for resale purposes. If you want to sell the estate piece, because either you want or need the cash, or you have decided that it is time buy something else, you need to know the value before taking it to an estate jewelry buyer. If you don’t have an idea of what the value is, then you won’t know if what the buyer is offering you is a good deal or a bad deal.
There are several ways to figure out if the estate jewelry has any cash value before taking it for an appraisal. First, clean the jewelry. It is easier to see if the stones and the metal are real and how it is made if it is clean.
After cleaning, look for any markings on the jewelry that would indicate karat weight, type of metal used or if it is a designer piece. If the piece is a precious metal and is a designer piece it is more valuable.
If you can’t find a marking for what type of metal it might be, use the magnet test. Run a magnet along the jewelry. If the magnet sticks to the jewelry, the metal isn’t gold or precious and your question is answered.
Once you know whether or not the estate jewelry has any monetary worth, then you can decide if you want to sell it or keep it.
If you are ready to sell your jewelry items in San Diego and you want someone that you can trust, why not choose a company that prides itself on making customers for life. We are a small, family owned business and offer only fair prices. When it comes to making decisions regarding the value of jewelry, we can help.