Accidents happen that can leave you with broken jewelry. Alternatively, you could have been gifted jewelry that you’re not fond of or maybe an old piece of jewelry holds memories that you want to let go of. No matter the reason, it is possible to get a bit of cash out of your broken or unwanted jewelry rather than just leaving it sitting in your drawer or simply tossing it away. The trick is in finding the best place to sell it in Westminster.

Is There Still Value In Broken Jewelry?

When looking at broken jewelry that no longer functions, it can be difficult to believe that anyone would want to buy it from you. While this may be true when attempting to sell to the average person, some experts look past the typical retail value and look further into the composition of the material itself. As long as your broken or unwanted jewelry contains authentic precious metal or gemstones, it still holds value to those who are willing to repurpose it through melting and extracting processes or even attempt to fix it and restore it to its original state. By definition, there are certain characteristics of metals and gemstones that qualify it as “precious” and therefore valuable no matter the condition it’s in.

Precious Metals Precious Gemstones
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum
  • Diamond
  • Emerald
  • Ruby
  • Sapphire

Even if the gemstone in your jewelry isn’t classified as one of the four precious stones, semi-precious stones can still be sold. Semi-precious stones can include any other kind of gem such as amethyst, carnelian, topaz, rose quartz, and so on.

How Experts Appraise Broken Jewelry

By taking the time to bring your broken or unwanted jewelry to a professional jewelry appraiser, you’ll see that there are a number of factors that they take into account when totaling up the final price. For instance, precious metals all go by a purity rating since not all gold or silver is made with a full 100% composition. Additional metals are usually added into the mix for a number of reasons, but an appraiser can take a close look to determine where your jewelry lands on the scale. And since the value of precious metals tends to fluctuate just like stock prices, your appraiser will also take the current market value of your metal into account. There are some smaller factors that can help your case, like if you still have the original packaging on hand or if you took the time to clean your jewelry before bringing it to a seller in Westminster.

Precious Metal Qualities Precious Gemstone Qualities
  • Level of purity / karat
  • Alloy composition
  • Presence of hallmarks
  • Heavy weight
  • Magnetic properties
  • Amount of tarnish
  • Cut
  • Carat
  • Clarity
  • Color
  • Hardness
  • Luster

Even if you don’t know where to begin when it comes to familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of precious metals and gemstones, there’s no need to study. You can trust a professional appraiser to handle that part for you since they’ve dedicated themselves into acquiring the knowledge to do the job for you.

Places to Sell Your Broken or Unwanted Jewelry

Many places in Westminster come to mind when considering where to take your broken or unwanted jewelry, but in reality, many of those options are not doable options at all. There are some minute factors that could cause a seemingly obvious choice to turn down your offer, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. It’s all a matter of learning about different types of sellers and which one is actually worth your time.

Retail Jewelry Stores

The first place that most people think of when looking to sell their broken or unwanted jewelry is the retail store. You can find them downtown or in your local mall which seems convenient on the surface, but these stores may actually give you the hardest time. Most retail jewelry stores are only interested in pieces that they can immediately resell, so the idea of having to fix or repurpose a piece is usually out of the question for them.

Mail-In Gold Buyers

As you may have seen from late-night commercials, some gold buyers offer a mail-in service as an easy means of getting rid of your precious metals. People who have used these services claimed to have waited weeks just to receive a poor amount of cash in return due to “convenience” and shipping fees. Even worse, some people have reported items being lost in the mail only for them to be left empty-handed.

Online Classifieds

Some individual sellers run straight to their computer and throw up a listing online to garner a quick response. This may be a doable option, but it’s not the best method for getting your money’s worth. Those wanting to purchase your old jewelry online are independent buyers who are only in it for personal gain rather than trying to garner a healthy business relationship.

Pawn Shops

With so many sources providing an impractical means for selling your broken or unwanted jewelry, there’s only one place left to turn to. Reliable and trustworthy pawn shops in Westminster have qualified appraisers on staff to give you an accurate and fair price. If you have a certain price range in mind, a good pawn shop will encourage you to negotiate with them so you can leave feeling satisfied with the amount of cash in your pocket. Even if you’ve never negotiated before, there are online guides to negotiating to help you feel more confident the next time you walk into a pawn shop in Westminster.

The Best Pawn Shop In Westminster

Westminster Pawn has just gone through an exciting change under new ownership. It is now part of a conglomerate of renowned pawn shops loved throughout all of Southern California including shops like Central Mega Pawn and Azusa Pawn. Judging from the success of these two sister shops, you can expect a fast, friendly, and reliable experience every time you come into Westminster Pawn which is now being run by experts with decades of experience in the pawning scene. Stop by today to see what all the buzz is about!