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Extra time on your hands? Hunt for treasure in your own home

As most of us are now finding ourselves with more time to spend in our own homes, it can be a good time to think about tidying out and decluttering. As jewellery lovers, we know you probably have lots of old pieces lying around that don’t get the wear they once did. So, why not declutter your jewellery collection, make some extra cash and give your jewellery a new lease of life for someone else in the process? Now is as good a time as ever to have a jewellery Spring clean!

Selling your old jewellery can be an exciting, but sometimes overwhelming, experience, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before. The prospect on cashing in on your old pieces is very attractive to many people, but it’s important to do your homework beforehand to make sure you’re getting the value you deserve. At McGowans, we have decades of experience in valuing, selling and buying jewellery, so we’ve put together our top tips for ensuring you always receive a fair price.

Don’t just throw away your broken gold


Contradictory to what you may believe, when it comes to selling your gold, broken jewellery still has value. Even if it cannot be reconditioned for selling purposes, the separate parts can be sold as scrap metal; the price of which will fluctuate with the daily market.
In times of economic uncertainty, gold usually always retains its value. So, with the current price of gold currently sitting at a 7 year high, there’s really no better time to sell!

Get your stones identified


It’s very easy to mistake the stones in a piece of jewellery without expert advice. For example cubic zirconia can easily be identified as diamond, garnets can be mistaken for rubies or coloured sapphires can be mistaken for gemstones of lower quality. Unfortunately, if you don’t know what stones are in your jewellery, this can result in you receiving less than what your piece is worth. At McGowans, we are happy to identify anything you’re unsure of and there’s no need to make an appointment!

Check for hallmarks


Under the Hallmarking Act of 1973, it’s a legal requirement for all jewellery that contains precious metals to be labelled as such. Naturally, the higher the volume of pure metal, the more valuable the jewellery will be and the more money you can expect from a sale. Similarly, many pieces will also include a makers mark to make it easy to identify the person or company that produced it. This can also have a significant influence on the price of your jewellery.

Recondition your old pieces


If your jewellery is tarnished or has any scratches or stones missing, this can detract from it’s overall value. By ensuring that they look as good as they did the day you bought them, you’re sure to receive a higher price. Check out our blog on reconditioning your jewellery here.

At McGowans we don’t just offer repairs and valuations, we also specialise in buying vintage and antique jewellery, including diamond or other precious stone-set rings, brooches, pendants and more. So if you’re looking to sell your jewellery quickly while still ensuring that you’re getting a good price, contact us today to find out more.