Raise Cash by Selling Inherited Jewellery

Good quality items such as 24-carat gold necklaces and rings set with precious stones can fetch a fair amount of money. If you have recently inherited such jewellery and have no emotional attachment to the items in question, read the following short guide to make sure that you get a good price and are able to cash in on your inheritance without running into any difficulties.

 

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• If you have any paperwork relating to the items that you inherited, keep this to hand when trying to sell them. Receipts from the shops where they were bought, certificates of authenticity or appraisals of their value by independent experts could all help you to get a better price. For example, if you would like to sell a diamond ring and you have a certificate that details the cut, colour, clarity and weight in carats of the stone or stones with which it is set, it will be much easier to negotiate a fair price with interested buyers.   
• Research current trends in jewellery design. If you are able to establish that the style of bracelets, necklaces and other pieces you have inherited is currently in fashion, you will feel more comfortable holding out for a good price. On the other hand, if after doing some research it quickly becomes clear that the style of the jewellery in question is not in demand nowadays, you may have to resign yourself to the fact that the best offer you receive will only be for the value of the precious metals and gemstones, and will not include anything for the craftsmanship or design features. 
• Separate your jewellery into various categories. If you have several pieces that are made from 24-carat gold and others that are made from 18-carat gold, it is important to keep them separate when approaching a jeweller or other buyer. If not, you may find that the dealer in question weighs them all together and then offers you a price based on the lowest quality gold. You will need to be able to read and understand the hallmarks on each piece in order to separate them into their respective groups so you may have to do a little research online before you tackle this task. 
• Approach friends and family first. Unlike buyers who are in the trade, your friends and relatives do not have access to jewellery at wholesale prices so will be more likely to pay a higher price. However, if you are going to offer your loved ones the chance to buy your inherited pieces, make sure that you quote them a fair price or you could find yourself out of favour in the future. If none of your acquaintances are interested, move on to the next step.  
• Find specialist buyers in your part of the world. The quickest way to make a sale is to approach a firm that specialises in buying and selling good quality jewellery as they will almost always make an offer, no matter what it is that you have to sell. Because expert buyers will already understand the 4 Cs of diamonds, they are often the easiest people to deal with when selling jewellery set with these precious stones.

The above suggestions should help you to obtain the best price for your inherited jewellery but how much you are able to raise will also depend on how urgently you need the cash. If you are experiencing financial difficulties and are desperate to raise some money it is of course important not to mention this fact to prospective buyers as it may well encourage them to offer you a much lower price.