Where should I go to get this bracelet appraised? Or should I bother?

September 21, 2017 8:59 PM

Yet another question about selling jewelry. I found a few gold things that I can sell as scrap, but there is one distinctive piece that is worth asking about, a very intricate bracelet. Since I know nothing about jewelry, before I take it somewhere to sell I wanted to check if this looked like the kind of thing that might have additional value over the weight. If so, can any jeweler do the appraisal or should I contact one of the large auction houses?

It has no markings other than a 14K stamp, and it weighs 70 grams. If it's my mom's it's probably around 60 years old, but since she didn't wear jewelry it might be my grandmother's, so maybe 75 years old.

posted by Room 641-A to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

Yes I think it would. It's probably very early 70s vintage but if you post some close up of the clasps it'e easier to say. If there is no marks on it my guess is it's a copy of a popular style. As for selling it, I have no idea on value but a local "estate jeweler" would be my first stop. Or send photos to some online dealers and see what they say. If they all offer you close to the same price, that's probably what it's worth.
posted by fshgrl at 9:08 PM on September 21, 2017 [4 favorites]

Best answer: The term for this type of flexible metal band is "mesh," if you want to do some web searching.
posted by Scram at 6:47 AM on September 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: It depends a bit on how you value your time. In my experience, people buying gold just weigh your stuff, no matter how nice it is, so you'd have to find a very particular buyer to do more than that, and it might be a needle in a haystack...
posted by acm at 9:15 AM on September 22, 2017 [2 favorites]

These type of bracelets aren't in high demand as they are delicate, the gold wire strands often break (and then snag on things and break more), are difficult to repair and difficult to keep clean.
posted by IpsoFacto at 12:23 PM on September 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I think there could be a chance of getting more than just the gold price for it, but the trick is finding someone who will want to buy it. See if someone in your city has a good reputation as an estate jeweler who will also buy gold. I've sold several pieces to one (in Austin, if that helps you) who explained to me what he would take to sell as jewelry and what would simply be for the gold. You can always refuse the offer, too -- don't feel beholden to take it.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:58 PM on September 22, 2017 [1 favorite]