Have you a couple of ornaments that have been lying around for years without ever being picked to accessorize any of your wardrobe wears? It’s time to salvage some of the money spent on them by getting them exchanged at a store. Now, simple as that sounds, you still need your little research before you show up at the door of a jewelers hoping that he will take them from you and hand you a fat bunch. As the owner, you must know what they are worth, and if they are worth anything at all. Here are some cues to finding if a certain piece of jewelry that you have been holding on to for a while is worth anything.
Where Is the Hallmark?
The hallmark is a little keeper of information. The right kind of inspector can exploit loads of information from them. The hallmark of a jewelry can indicate the time it belongs to, the quality of metal, the names of the makers, the place of its origin and such details. So, when finding out what a piece of ornament can be worth, you need to start by spotting the hallmark first. If you find one on your jewelry, its good news because hallmark on gold and platinum jewelry is a warranty of a standard of quality. Look at the back side of your jewelry or around the fastener or hook. Those are the places where these marks are stamped.
The Karats and Carats
The weight of jewelry indicates the real value of a piece of jewelry. So, what’s left to find out is the weight of the ornament and its fixtures. This shouldn’t be hard because any jeweler who has a little scale will have the answer to your question. Once your jeweler has computed out the total weight of the ornament, try to find out the weight of the gems the piece it is carrying separately. That way you will have the individual weights of both the metal and mineral separately.
Beyond this point, you will need professional help to calculate out the precise value of your jewelry. A professional will be able to grade the gems and gold and sum up the possible value of the ornament based on the present rates. A good way of recycling old jewelry is to buy new ones with them.
