TRENDSPOTTER: How to sell your jewellery – and get the best price

Inherited a box of jewellery? Found a few pieces you never wear? Or maybe you’re simply ready for a change?
Whatever the reason, selling jewellery can feel daunting – but it doesn’t have to be.

Let’s explore your options… and why auction might be the smartest move you make.

Your Options for Selling Jewellery

1. Sell to a friend
   Sounds easy – until you realise you first need a friend who’s interested, and then you need to agree on a fair price. Both can be trickier than they sound
2. Use an online selling platform
   These can be useful, but they come with their own headaches: strangers knowing where you live, managing postage, and the occasional buyer who claims the parcel “never arrived.”
3. Sell to a jeweller or ‘cash for gold’ service
   Convenient, but you’ll usually only be negotiating with one buyer – and they’ll be factoring in their own profit margin. That means you may not be getting the best price.
4. Sell at auction – reach hundreds of buyers at once
   This is where things get interesting. Auctions bring together trade buyers, private collectors, and jewellery enthusiasts, all bidding against each other. That competition can help you achieve a fair – and sometimes pleasantly surprising – price.

A selection of items available at the next Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale on 21st August

How the Auction Process Works

It’s simpler than you think:

1. Get a free valuation
   Call the auction house, tell them what you have, and book an appointment with a jewellery specialist.
   In most cases, they’ll need to see the items in person – sometimes photos can be enough for an initial opinion.
2. Meet your valuer
   Over a coffee (or perhaps a glass of fizz), the valuer will examine your pieces, using years of expertise and specialist equipment. They’ll give you an estimate range – for example, £200 - £400 – based on market trends and recent sales of similar items.
   There’s no obligation to sell, and this service is free.
3. Decide to sell
   If you’re happy with the estimate, you’ll provide your details (ID, contact info, bank account for payment) and the valuer will give you a receipt. They’ll confirm the auction date your item will be entered into.
4. Pre-sale notification
   Before the auction, you’ll receive a catalogue entry with your lot number, description, and sale details.
5. The sale
   Buyers can bid in person, online, by phone, or leave commission bids – giving your item global exposure.
6. Post-sale notification
   After the sale, you’ll be told the outcome and, if it sold, how much it achieved. Payment is then transferred directly into your bank account.

A selection of items available at the next Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale on 21st August

Reserves – Protecting Your Price

When you enter an item into auction, you can:

• Sell without reserve – your item sells to the highest bidder, whatever the price.
• Set a fixed reserve – a minimum price you won’t sell below (usually the lower estimate).
• Set a reserve with discretion – gives the auctioneer flexibility to accept a bid slightly below your reserve if it’s close.

What Does It Cost?

Auction houses work hard to present your jewellery in the best light:

• Identifying and assessing stones and metals
• Detailed photography and cataloguing
• Designing and marketing the sale catalogue
• Promoting to a global audience

This is why there’s a commission fee – a percentage of the final selling price – agreed in advance.

Why Auction?

Selling at auction offers your jewellery to the widest audience possible – often to buyers around the world – creating competition and, potentially, higher prices.
It’s professional, transparent, and exciting… and you might be surprised at just how rewarding it can be.

To view the catalogue for the next Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale on 21^st August, please click here

To arrange a valuation of jewellery, silver or watches, please contact Steven Collins directly on steven.collins@cheffins.co.uk