How Pawn Shops Determine the Value of Jewelry

Jewelry is one of the most common items sold and purchased at pawn shops. People who bring in jewelry to pawn generally do so with a dollar figure in mind, which may or may not match the dollar figure a broker gives.

But how exactly do pawn brokers determine the value of your jewelry in Barberton, OH? Here’s what you should know about pawn shop jewelry value and the factors that go into determining it.

Jewelry composition

The first factor a pawn broker will look at when determining jewelry value is the composition of the jewelry. The specific types of metals used in creating the jewelry will have a significant impact on its value based on the qualities of those metals and the demand that currently exists in the market.

For example, gold is generally worth more than silver, although you can still get some value for the latter due to its outstanding scratch resistance. Gold, however, is scratch-resistant, is even more durable and does not tarnish.

The purity of the metal will also make a difference in the value. For gold, the higher the karat, the more valuable it will be.

If you’re trying to pawn gold, there are also multiple sub-types of gold to consider, including yellow gold, rose gold, white gold and green gold. This sub-type could also influence the value of your jewelry.

Yellow gold is the purest and thus more likely to be given a higher dollar value. Rose gold is blended with copper, so it is more affordable, but it’s also quite popular at the moment, so both factors will need to be considered when determining its value.

Included stones

Another big factor in determining the value of jewelry at a pawn shop is the precious stones it includes. Diamonds are, of course, popular for all forms of jewelry and will give you the most value, even if it’s just a fraction of the value of the stone when purchased new.

Other types of precious stones commonly found at pawn shops include rubies, sapphires and emeralds. There are also semiprecious stones like amethyst, blue topaz, amber, jade, turquoise and pearl. Precious stones are much rarer than semiprecious stones, so they will fetch a higher price in most cases.

However, the stone itself isn’t the only thing that matters. Other factors include the weight and color of the stone. A single, large stone is likely to be worth more than several smaller stones, since a large, high-quality stone is more expensive and rarer.

You should also consider the name brand of the jewelry—was it a designer piece? If so, this could fetch you a higher price.

Speak with your local pawn shop

There are a lot of different factors that can go into determining pawn shop jewelry value. If you’re interested in learning more about how much you could potentially pawn your jewelry for, contact Sydmor’s Jewelry and Pawn Shop. Our pawn shop in Barberton, OH, buys and sells all kinds of jewelry and can help you with any questions you might have.

Categorised in: Pawn Shop

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