Selling old Jewerly

First of all find out the scrap value, you should be able to workout the carat of the diamonds from the size, and with it to see how heavy it is, at least 50% of that will be gold and prices are available online.

That gives you a base line, after that try and find something about the watch, it may only be worth scrap value, but it could be worth significantly more depending on make, age, condition etc.

In the last episode of Only Fools and Horses Del Boy makes his fortunes from some old watch that once belonged to a famous watchmaker.

Those places that advertise on the telly will only give scrap value, and you’d be better off going somewhere local with a fixed address.

And shop around, not everywhere gives the same price.

Those places should be a last resort, if you can sell the watch to someone who wants it because of what it is, you’ll get a better price.

thanks - I don't think it is worth a lot - well retail yeah it was - but quite honestly it is common enough type of watch that it does not have the "antique" type of value and people do not really wear watches much any more - the value would be more in the gold and diamonds (although the diamonds are not big diamonds kind of smaller and used as quarter numbers on the watch).

It is more - if we could get 50 bucks so be it - we are not using it and it has no personal value to us.

Why not put an ad on Craig's List or Kijiji with a photo and ask for offers? We have a NextDoor app that people use for selling stuff. Also, FB Marketplace, I hear, is good. You could also take it to a watch repair shop and see what they have to say. I agree with izzy to get the value first. We watch Antiques Roadshow and their estimates surprise people all the time

What I am about to say comes from experience with selling and buying personal jewelry. Those that advertise, are paying for those (constantly running) ads. Generally speaking, they offer lowball ‘scrap’ value prices. Estate jewelry buying is a lucrative business but it’s not all jewelry stores that deal with it.

That being said, some places, in the case of 14karat ring, will offer the “meltdown or scrap price” of the gold. So if there’s 1 ounce of gold but 14k gold is only 56% of actual gold, then they’ll pay you on 0.56 ounce of gold (minus a fabrication or handling fee.).

All that aside, returns on estate jewelry is often meager. If the watch is attractive by modern standards, they may give you a few bucks. If the diamonds are chips, there won’t be much offered. If the diamonds are of some value (usually not) they may offer a little more, but typically they are of industrial grade value.

I’d sell it privately to someone who had a passion for a “dress watch’.

Hope this helps. If you’re in Boston, you may find out more at The Jewelers Building at 333 Washington st, Boston.