When you hear the term pawn shop, you can automatically picture the numerous jewelry and luxury items displayed – ready to be sold and purchased. Apart from that, pawn shops are also the easiest place we go to when we have valuable items and we need fast cash. We know that we can pawn our jewelries and get an amount matching its value. But, how do they really determine the value of the jewelry brought to them?
To avoid misconception, it is important to know and understand how pawn brokers determine the value of the jewelry sold and pawned to them. The aesthetic appeal of the jewelry can be a factor too, but it goes way deeper than that.
Here are the things that you should know about it:
- Quality
The quality of the metal used in crafting the jewelry is the main determinant of its value. What metal is used in making the jewelry? Diamond has no intrinsic value. Meaning, its value will be based on the 4 c’s — clarity, color, cut, and carat. On the other hand, gold is generally more valuable than silver. And if it is gold, how pure is it? The higher the carat of the jewelry is, the purer it is. And the purer the gold is, the more valuable it is.
Apart from that, there are also different types of gold which have different values: the white gold, Chinese gold, rose gold, green gold, and others. Yellow gold is the purest and thus more likely to be given higher dollar value. Rose gold on the other hand is blended with copper, so it is more affordable but it’s also quite popular now. So, both factors are needed to be considered in determining the value of the jewelry.
- Included stones on the jewelry
Another big factor that is considered in determining the value of the jewelry is the precious stone that it includes. Diamonds are the most popular stones sitting on jewelry and give the most value. However, there are also other precious stones that could be included in jewelries such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and other semi precious stones like pearl and amethyst. Generally precious stones are more valuable than semi precious stones since they are rarer.
Moreover, factors such as the size of the stone and the name of the maker will be considered too in determining the value of the jewelry. A large stone that is of high quality is rare, therefore a single, large stone will typically have a higher value than a jewelry with several smaller stones. A jewelry crafted by a brand name will also cost higher than other jewelry pieces.
Determining the value of your jewelry is a lengthy process with so many factors to consider to ensure that you will get the amount that you deserve for your valuable item. If you have jewelry items that you wish to know the value of, come speak with us at USA Jewelry.