Thinking of Selling Your Antique Jewellery? Here's What I'd Do First

People come to me at all sorts of stages in the process of deciding to sell. Some have already had an offer from a high street buyer and want to know if it's fair. Some have inherited a piece and have no idea what it's worth. Some have been collecting for years and are ready to move something on. Whatever the situation, the advice I give is usually the same: slow down, find out what you actually have, and then make a decision.

Selling antique jewellery without doing that groundwork first is one of the most common ways people leave money on the table. Here's what I'd do before selling anything.

Get an Independent Valuation First

This is the single most important step and the one most people skip. Before you approach any buyer, you need to know what your piece is actually worth. Not what someone is willing to pay you for it today, but what it would realistically achieve in the right market with the right buyer.

An independent valuation from a specialist gives you that baseline. It tells you the replacement value for insurance purposes, the fair market value for a private sale, and often the auction estimate if that route is relevant. Without it, you're negotiating blind.

At Tobi Gem Setting we offer professional valuations for antique and vintage jewellery. We can tell you what you have, what it's worth and what your realistic options are before you commit to anything.

Understand What You're Selling

Before you sell, it's worth spending a little time understanding the piece itself. What era is it from? Are the stones original? Are there hallmarks, and what do they tell you? Does it have any provenance, documentation or history that could add to its value?

I've written a guide on how to identify and date antique jewellery that covers a lot of this ground. Even a basic understanding of what you have will help you have a more informed conversation with any buyer and make it harder for someone to undervalue your piece.

Provenance matters more than most people realise. A piece with a documented history, original box, receipts or any connection to a notable previous owner will almost always achieve more than an identical piece without that paper trail. If you have any documentation, keep it together with the piece.

Know Your Options Before You Commit

There are several ways to sell antique jewellery and they suit different situations. Understanding the options before you commit to one is worth the time.

Selling directly to a specialist dealer like us is the quickest route. You get a fair offer based on genuine expertise, there are no fees, and the transaction is straightforward. The trade-off is that a dealer needs to make a margin, so you won't achieve the same price as you might at auction in the best case scenario.

Auction can achieve strong prices for the right pieces, particularly those with broad collector appeal or strong provenance. The major auction houses including Christie's hold specialist jewellery sales several times a year and their specialist teams can give you a pre-sale estimate. Bear in mind that seller's fees typically run to 15 to 20 percent of the hammer price, and there's no guarantee of sale.

Private sale through a specialist can sometimes achieve the best of both worlds, particularly for pieces with a strong collector following. It takes longer but can be worth it for the right piece.

Online platforms and general auction sites are an option but come with real risks. Without specialist knowledge it's easy to misprice a piece, and the audience for serious antique jewellery on general platforms is limited compared to specialist channels.

Don't Rush Into the First Offer

This is where I see people lose out most often. A high street buyer or a cash-for-gold shop will make you an offer quickly and it will feel straightforward. But those offers are almost always based on scrap or melt value, not on the piece as a collectable. For a modern piece with no particular collector interest, that might be a reasonable route. For anything with age, quality or character, it almost certainly isn't.

If you've had an offer and you're not sure whether it's fair, come and talk to us before you accept it. We'll give you an honest view. If the offer is reasonable, we'll tell you. If it isn't, we'll tell you that too and explain why.

Think About Condition and Presentation

I've written before about when to restore antique jewellery and when to leave it alone, and the same thinking applies when you're selling. A piece that's been over-polished or had its stones replaced can actually be worth less than the same piece in honest original condition. Don't be tempted to have anything cleaned or repaired before you get a valuation. Let a specialist see it as it is.

That said, presentation does matter. If you have the original box, any certificates, receipts or documentation, bring them along. They add context and can add value.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a valuation cost?

Valuation fees vary depending on the number of pieces and the purpose of the valuation. Get in touch and we can give you a clear idea of what's involved before you commit to anything.

How long does it take to sell antique jewellery?

Selling directly to a dealer can be done in a single appointment. Auction typically takes two to three months from consignment to sale. Private sale timescales vary depending on the piece and the market.

Do I need to clean my jewellery before bringing it in?

No. Bring it as it is. Over-cleaning can damage antique pieces and remove patina that contributes to their value. We'd rather see it in its natural state.

What if I'm not ready to sell but want to know what something is worth?

That's completely fine. A valuation doesn't commit you to anything. Many people get pieces valued simply to understand what they have, for insurance purposes or out of curiosity. We're always happy to help with that.

If you're thinking of selling and would like an honest conversation about your options, get in touch and we'll arrange a time to take a look.