Sell Gold Jewelry
Rings, necklaces, bracelets — here's how gold jewelry is valued, where to sell it, and how to make sure you're paid fairly.
What your gold jewelry is really worth
Gold jewelry is valued on its gold content, not its retail price. A buyer looks at three things: the weight, the karat (purity), and today's gold price. That gives the melt value — the worth of the pure gold in the piece. Design, brand, and craftsmanship only add value if a buyer intends to resell the piece intact rather than melt it.
Before you sell anything, find the melt value so you can judge an offer:
How gold jewelry is priced
- Karat matters most: 14K is 58.3% gold, 18K is 75%, 10K just 41.7%. Higher karat = more value per gram.
- Weight is measured, not estimated: a good buyer weighs each item; gemstones and clasps are usually deducted or valued separately.
- Stones are separate: most gold buyers pay for the metal only. Diamonds and colored stones need a specialist — see our diamond ring guide.
- Live price is the baseline: offers should track the current gold price.
New, vintage, and broken jewelry
Broken or outdated jewelry (tangled chains, single earrings, bent rings) is best sold for scrap by weight — condition doesn't matter when it's melted. Designer or antique pieces in good condition may be worth more sold intact to a jeweler or collector than melted, so get a second opinion before scrapping anything branded or unusual.
Where to sell gold jewelry
- Dedicated gold buyers / refiners — usually the highest payouts for scrap jewelry.
- Local jewelers — convenient, and better for resellable designer pieces.
- Online mail-in buyers — competitive, but use only insured, reputable services.
- Pawn shops — fastest cash, typically the lowest offers.
Whatever you choose, get two or three quotes and compare them against the melt value. For the full playbook, read our main guide to selling gold.
Get the most for your jewelry
- Sort by karat and weigh separately — don't let everything be graded at the lowest karat.
- Keep hallmarks readable; clean pieces gently but never file or damage them.
- Know the melt value first, then treat any offer as a percentage of it (expect 60–85% for scrap).
- Don't be rushed by "today only" pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I get for gold jewelry?
For scrap and broken jewelry, expect about 60–85% of the melt value depending on the buyer and quantity. Calculate the melt value first so you know what a fair offer looks like.
Do I get paid for the gemstones in my jewelry?
Usually not from a gold buyer — most pay only for the metal content. Diamonds and valuable colored stones should be appraised separately by a specialist.
Should I sell my gold jewelry or melt it?
You don't melt it yourself. Sell broken or plain jewelry for scrap by weight; have designer, antique, or gemstone pieces evaluated intact first, as they may be worth more than melt value.
Is 14K or 18K jewelry worth more?
Per gram, 18K is worth more because it's 75% gold versus 58.3% for 14K. But a heavier 14K piece can still be worth more overall than a light 18K one — weight and karat both count.
How do I know my jewelry is real gold?
Look for a karat hallmark (10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K). Marks like 'GP', 'GF', or 'HGE' mean gold-plated or gold-filled, which have little scrap value. A buyer can confirm purity with an acid or XRF test.