Since the dawn of time, jewelry has been made from precious materials, including gold, and gemstones such as sapphire and diamond. Today, people buy jewelry online, but most importantly, they keep their jewelry because it has value, and the question arises whether the value of jewelry will increase or decrease over time.
How to know if my jewelry has value?
Searching for distinctive hallmarks
The way to know if a piece of jewelry has value is to look at the hallmarks present. First, when we talk about ownership hallmarks, we refer to marks that indicate whether the jewelry is from 0 to 24 karats.
Currently, in France, for 9-carat gold, there is the clover hallmark, for 14-carat gold the scallop shell, and for 18-carat gold the eagle's head. Finally, for 22-carat, it is the eagle's head inside a hexagon with a 1 indicating that it is the first title. And for the purest, it is the seahorse.
The magnet test
When the jewelry is actually gold, there is no chance that the magnet will attract it. The magnetic test is the first test to determine whether the jewelry is gold or not. Alloys may attract the magnet if they are costume jewelry, as only the outer coating has a golden appearance.
If it is silver jewelry, there is also no chance that it will attract the magnet. Similarly, when we talk about the alloy associated with silver, it is copper, and copper does not attract the magnet either.
Inspection of settings
In the case of jewelry with stones set, it is necessary to see how the settings hold. In fact, there are pieces of good quality costume jewelry whose settings look like beautiful costume jewelry, but the stones are glued. If you do not know how to distinguish this type of jewelry from fine costume jewelry, you should consult someone like an expert who knows whether it is the prong holding the stone or if it is glue. Thus, if your jewelry is of very good quality, the stones it contains are actually set with complex prong settings.
Consult an expert
You probably have pieces whose value you are unsure of, and that's where you need to call an expert. They have the means to test the pieces to know if they are real or fake.
What type of jewelry sells best?
As for the type of jewelry that sells the most, it is necklaces that sell the best. However, 87% of women wear earrings daily, 64% wear necklaces regularly, and 47% wear bracelets.
When it comes to a particular brand, it is Cartier's Love bracelet that is the best-selling bracelet in the world to date and even in France. Then, there is Tiffany & Co.'s second best-selling ring, and finally, there is the Heart Necklace, also from Tiffany & Co.
Do luxury jewelry pieces increase in value?
As they are already called luxury jewelry, their value is no longer to be defined. This suggests that their value is maintained over time. Thus, investing in these brands is truly the best thing to do when you want to protect your wealth.
Where to have jewelry appraised?
When it comes to appraising jewelry, this is something that must be carefully studied and not neglected. Here is what you need to do before selling, sharing, or insuring your jewelry. For reference, an ounce of gold, or 31 grams, was worth about 1358 euros in 2019. You probably have a very valuable antique piece in your attic and therefore need to contact a specialist to have it appraised.
Why appraise jewelry?
The jewelry specialist or gemologist is the one who can handle the appraisal of a piece of jewelry. They can take into account the dimensions of the items, the metals used, the weight, the photos, and the characteristics of the necklace, bracelet, or ring to be appraised.
This data must be taken into account to define the sharing if the jewelry is an inheritance or if you wish to insure the valuable items. These are also the values considered by the insurance company in case of theft of the jewelry. Moreover, when talking about the buyback of your jewelry, it is not the use value that will be used to buy the jewelry.
The most valuable on the market is 18-carat gold, then there is 14-carat gold and 9-carat gold. So, when we talk about the value of a piece of jewelry, it depends on its purity, that is, the amount of gold it contains. The expert who will appraise the jewelry will take into account the hallmark of the jewelry that is placed on chains or rings.
When talking about diamonds, they are classified according to their international classification, meaning that their weight (categorized in carats), color, clarity, cut, polish, and carbon proportion, and finally, their fluorescence are taken into account.
How much does a jewelry appraisal cost?
The law requires professionals to display their prices, which means you should request multiple quotes and compare prices. And this is how a piece of jewelry full of diamonds without a center stone can cost 130 euros and even reach 200 to 8000 euros for a ring with good quality diamonds.
For a ring with rubies in the center, the price can be 480 euros and reach 10,000 euros for those of very high quality. If there is a certificate of authenticity, jewelry with diamonds in the center will have an additional 100 euros on the price.
If you are interested in selling jewelry, it is best to approach jewelers. These jewelers must take into account the amount of precious metal contained in your jewelry and other criteria: the style of the jewelry, whether it is worn or not. Is it made by known jewelers or not? If it is gold pieces or treasures, they must be appraised by an auctioneer in a sales room.
What are the taxes related to jewelry appraisal?
There are taxes related to the sale of precious jewelry, meaning that a special regime applies. Below 5,000 euros, there is nothing to pay, but above 5,000 euros, there is a tax of 6.5% to be applied on the proceeds of the sale.