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What to Look for in a Jewelry Buyer

Posted on October 25, 2011 by admin

Whether you’re looking for a new doctor, someone to patch up your roof, or the girl of your dreams, finding the right person is tough. Much of this is based on trust. While many of us are open to honesty and trust, it makes us vulnerable to scams and potentially getting ripped off or hurt.

In times of financial trouble, many people turn to selling their various wares and collectibles. Most commonly, people are known to sell their old or antique jewelry. When it comes to matters involving money, it’s very easy to get ripped off. A buyer might purchase your jewelry at a low price and then sell it for what it’s actually worth to another buyer. In some cases, a buyer might receive your jewelry and never send you the money that was initially offered.

Follow these tips to make sure you get what you deserve.

Getting the Estimate

Procuring an estimate is probably the most important factor in choosing a jewelry buyer. With a vast multitude of jewelry buyers, it would be hard to make a final decision, but many of them offer different prices. Also, some companies claim that prices fluctuate too much to offer a solid estimate. This is a red flag that they aren’t being totally upfront and honest. You’ll notice on our website, we provide exact pricing information, and it’s updated frequently.

So, be wary of buyers that simply ask you to bring your items in or emphasize the fluctuating prices of the market. Instead, go for the buyers who are open about their buying prices and are willing to give you a fairly accurate price quote ahead of time.

Also, you’ll want to beware of companies that tout unusually high prices, because they may be quoting per pennyweight, not per gram. This is a trick to make you think you’re getting more, when you’re actually getting less.

Longtime Business

A solid, established business with reviews and a good rating from the Better Business Bureau (Jewelry2Cash has an A+) will be your best bet. For example, Jewelry2Cash has been in business for over a decade, and is run by third generation jewelers with knowledge that only an expert jeweler would have.

Immediate Payment

Try to find a jewelry buyer that can offer immediate payment methods, either through online services, such as PayPal, or by direct bank deposit. These methods are both fast and easy. If a check is rendered, make sure it is from a trusted bank with local offices and has not been post dated. While cash is acceptable, you probably won’t want to carry around a stack of bills for security reasons.

Company Legitimacy

You can easily determine a company’s legitimacy by researching that company’s background online. The Better Business Bureau should accredit them and you can check with the Better Business Bureau online and see if the company has had any significant complaints from clients or customers. Appraisers should also have proper certifications and licenses.

Furthermore, as quick as the payment should be, the buyer should not skip protocol in order to get to the transaction faster. This is usually the telltale sign of a scammer. Experienced and authentic buyers will often be much more meticulous and careful. Ideally, everything should be documented. This will help you and the buyer avoid future problems and provide you with assurance of a fair deal.

Customer Service

Above all, the best jewelry buyers will treat their customers with care and concern. They should be able to promptly, accurately, and professionally respond to any inquiries you have.

Jewelry buyers often offer mail-in services, wherein you can send your jewelry to them. The best will reimburse you for any shipping fees.

Sometimes, an offer just isn’t right or isn’t as high as you could have wished. In this case, buyers should allow you to back off the offer with no questions asked.

It’s important to remember that, in general, people are fairly good and worth trusting and things should go smoothly. However, trust your instincts and stay vigilant. Don’t take an added risk just to hopefully squeeze a little more money out of your jewelry.

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Selling Loose Diamonds and Diamond Engagement Rings

Posted on October 17, 2011 by admin

We all know that the most important things in life are family, friends, love, happiness, and so on. While we try not to place too great an emphasis on money, there’s no denying that without it, it’s a lot harder to enjoy those things. In these hard economic times, those a little low on cash might want to consider selling jewelry. Selling loose diamonds and diamond jewelry like an engagement ring could gain you a nice profit.

Where to Sell

You have a few avenues through which you can sell your diamonds. While you might assume a jewelry store is the place to go, jewelers can only give you a fraction of what your goods are worth. Online listings and auctions are the most risky options, and it takes a lot of work to find the right buyer (who is usually looking for something very specific).

A professional jewelry buyer like Jewelry2Cash, can offer you the best value in a secure environment.

Jewelry Buyer

The best route for the average person wanting to sell jewelry is through a buyer. Jewelry2Cash beats competing offers, and we even list the prices we pay right on our website (which is a rarity in itself).

Even better, the process is very simple and requires very little legwork from you. The first step can be done quite simply from your home. Simply request a free price quote online. Keep in mind, this will be an estimate. The exact value of your goods can only be determined once they’re in the appraiser’s hands.

Now you have two options: you can physically deliver your diamonds or jewelry by making an in-office appointment, or ship your merchandise by post.

If you choose the former, you can bring your wares and actually have them appraised on the spot. You can choose to reject the offer and walk out with your loose diamonds or engagement ring. If you accept, you will have to show your ID, sign the proper documentation, provide a thumbprint, and collect your cash.

If you’d rather mail your diamonds, it’s recommended that you insure your package in the event of any loss or damages. Once the package is received, an appraiser will inspect the items and give you the exact offer via phone or email. Upon acceptance, the money will be sent to you along with reimbursement for shipping charges. If you reject the offer, no worries! Your items will be safely returned to you along with a reimbursement for shipping charges.

Diamond Value: The Appraisal Process

What makes one diamond more valuable than the next one? The appraisal process helps to figure that out. While the process is essentially similar to diamond grading, appraisal involves putting an actual monetary value on the grading criteria.

An appraiser has to be incredibly knowledgeable about diamonds and understand the various criteria that go into evaluating individual stones. Some of these criteria include:

Clarity: Clarity consists of the internal characteristics (inclusions) of the diamond as well as any superficial defects (blemishes). These are viewed through a high-powered gemological microscope alongside a plot diagram that shows the location and type of inclusion. The appraiser will then grade the diamond based on its inclusions and blemishes.
- Flawless: The highest grade, these diamonds have no inclusions or blemishes.
- Internally flawless (IF): No inclusions, but a few small blemishes.
- Very, very slightly included (VVS): Some minute inclusions that a skilled appraiser might have trouble seeing.
- Very slightly included (VS): Some minor inclusions.
- Slightly included (SI): Diamonds have noticeable inclusions that an appraiser can easily find but might not be visible to the naked eye.
- Included (I): Clearly visible inclusions to the naked eye.
- Carat weight: A carat is equal to 1/5 of a gram and is divisible into one hundred points. Using a standard formula, the appraiser can determine the carat weight of the diamond based on size and cut.
- Cut: This refers to the symmetry, proportion, and polish of a diamond. Poor cuts mean less luminosity.
- Color: While most other gemstones are prized for brilliant, rich color, Diamonds are most prized for their transparency. The completely colorless and most valued stones are D grade diamonds with the system going all the way to letter Z, with Z grade stones having a slightly yellow hue.

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How to Sell Your Unwanted Jewelry and Gold Items

Posted on October 10, 2011 by admin

In the current economy, money is hard to come by. The federal budget deficit has put a significant strain on the American people, and the failing job market isn’t helping matters.

With so many financial difficulties, just living becomes a hard task. From buying food to filling your car with gas, you begin to feel the weight of money in every single facet of your life. Even sitting at home enjoying some TV costs you money.

Some extra cash would be nice to handle the burden of all those expenses. While taking a second job is not always plausible—there are only so many hours in the day—you may want to consider selling your old, unwanted jewelry or gold items.

Items to Sell

Most jewelry buyers are interested in gold and diamonds, which tend to be the two most treasured items in the world. However, jewelry buyers maintain interest in all sorts of precious metals as well as antiques and collectibles.

Some items you might want to consider selling include:

Antique or heirloom jewelry
Swiss watches
Gold (of any kind and in any form)
Dental gold (crowns or fillings)
Sterling silver flatware
Platinum
Loose diamonds

At the Jewelry Store

Your first instinct, especially when diamonds are involved, would probably be to head to your local jewelry store. However, you have to remember that the jeweler is, in the end, a retailer. He is responsible for running a business and has to make a profit.

With that in mind, you cannot expect a jeweler to offer you what you paid for that beautiful engagement ring. Even with certification, you will probably only get a fraction of what you originally paid.

Jewelry retailers rely on suppliers, who give them the diamonds and gemstones they need with no obligation to actually sell them. If the stones aren’t sold in a certain period the jeweler has the option of returning them to the supplier. With a customer, the jeweler doesn’t have much choice. Buying jewelry from a customer poses a risk to the jeweler.

Furthermore, if you’re selling diamonds, the shape and cut of the stone affects the price. Certain shapes and cuts sell easier than others. A jeweler will most likely pay more for a round brilliant cut stone just because it is so commonly chosen by customers. A marquise or heart shape would be harder to sell, so the jeweler might offer less.

Remember that the jeweler is more interested in the stone than the ring, which will typically be sold for scrap value, regardless of the material it’s made from.

Jewelry or Scrap Buyers

While you might want to sell your diamonds and precious stones to a jeweler, you can actually sell gold, silver, or platinum on your own to scrap buyers. What makes Jewelry2Cash different is that we not only buy metals, but we also purchase, finished jewelry, loose diamonds, art, antiques, and more. This is easily the fastest, most painless way of making money from your jewelry.

With scrap metals, companies melt down the metals for reuse in other items. Gold, for instance, would be melted down and used in coins, bullion, and, of course, more jewelry.

The great thing about this is that you’ll get an amount close to the market’s going price. The process is simple, too.

You can get a free quote, first. Once you’ve made your decision to sell, you can contact us to schedule an in-person appointment. You can also ship by following our detailing instructions online. Once the items have been inspected, and a precise cash offer will be given. You can then choose to accept or reject the offer with no added pressure.

Vintage Collectors and Online Selling

The Internet has simplified just about everything we do these days, and that includes selling jewelry, whether it’s through Craigslist, eBay, or even Amazon.

There are a few drawbacks to selling your wares online. Most collectors are only looking for specific items and will only shell out the big bucks for those few items. The most sought after pieces tend to be vintage and are from the pre-Depression era. Your jewelry also has to be completely intact with no missing parts and free from blemishes, such as dents or scratches.

Selling through the Internet is also a lot of work. Finding collectors is difficult and time consuming, and in the end, you may not receive very much for your jewelry. In addition, there are security risks and you should be concerned with fraudulent payments and other scams as well. Remember to sell smart.

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Pawn to Carry On: Business Owners Get Smart

Posted on September 28, 2011 by admin

In these times of economic strain, business owners all across the country are doing all they can to make ends meet. Thankfully, there is now another option besides the standard bank loan to assist in a business venture: Pawning, or pawnbroking.

How does it work?

First, the business owner brings in what they wish to pawn or use for a loan, which may be jewelry, loose diamonds, watches, antiques, or a number of other items. A loan is offered depending on the value of the item. (The benefit of selling your items or using them as collateral with us versus your average pawn shop is that we have a distinct knowledge of the value of these kinds of items, and therefore offer a higher rate.) As with a bank, the seller is charged interest. The item acts as collateral, since it is returned to the customer once the loan is paid off. If the loan is not paid, then the lender keeps it and makes an effort to sell it to recoup costs.

Terms of a Pawnshop Loan

Many small business owners are borrowing against expensive items, such as valuable jewelry, to meet their payroll needs. Like all other customers, these owners then have up to four months to pay back their loans and retrieve their items back. The pawnshop is required to mail customers a notice when their loan has expired, which provides an additional 10-day grace period to the client as well. The vast majority of loans are repaid in full. In fact, redemption rates typically average 80 to 90 percent.

A pawnshop loan is considered to be a small-dollar and high-risk transaction, with the selling of the object being the only option available to recoup costs if a loan in not repaid. Business owners receive a receipt including the terms of the loan, a description of the pawned items and the due date for repayment.

Reliability of Customers

Small business owners are often regarded as reliable customers at a pawnshop, since revenues from their businesses are expected to cover future loan repayments. Shop owners look upon this positively, as they would much rather collect interest during repayment than take the risk of having to sell the collateral. A number of business owners repeat this process by pawning and reclaiming the same valuables throughout the year. In addition, a small business owner can always provide proper identification and can usually provide any necessary proof that an item was acquired legitimately.

On or before the due date, a business owner also has another option if they are unable to repay a loan for whatever reason. With a payment of the total accrued finance charges, they may extend a loan for another 4-month term. Many pawnshops will continue to extend the loan as long as needed, with the sole condition being that accrued finance charges are paid by the due dates

Business owners should keep in mind that no matter what valuables they are pawning, they would receive larger loans if the item has high demand and is in excellent condition. Jewelry may be pawned, along with a wide host of other belongings such as cars, fine art, and precious metals.

Pawnshop Loans vs. Bank Loans

A number of pawnshops are open every day of the week, offering business owners and other customers loans in minutes with the proper collateral. Since pawnshop loans are short-term, unlike bank loans, they are often easier to repay due to minimal finance charges.

Another advantage of this type of loan, compared to a bank, is that no credit check or application is required. Those looking to pawn need only to provide the collateral and proof of identification. This also means that in the case that a loan is unable to be repaid, there will be no effect to a person’s credit score. Therefore, a pawnshop is especially ideal for when one needs cash in an emergency. Another emergency situation, besides meeting payroll, may include paying business utilities so that an office can keep lighting on as needed.

Because a pawnshop will retain ownership on an item if it cannot be repaid, the business owner should be sure that this is a valuable they are willing to risk based on the prospects of their business. But business owners who need cash for a number of different reasons should definitely consider this method.

With lower interest rates, no credit score worries, and fast cash to keep things going in a pinch, business professionals across the country—including right here in San Diego—find that a simple pawn loan helps to keep them calm and carry on with business as usual.

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Welcome to the Crown Funding Blog

Posted on August 25, 2011 by admin

Welcome to the Crown Funding blog! This blog is your direct source for information about gold, cash, and making money with what you have. This space is as much yours as it is ours.

With money so hard to come by, Crown Funding is all about getting you the cash you need with the merchandise you have on hand. Just some of the items we purchase include:

Jewelry
Diamonds
Precious metals
Silver flatware
Coins
Swiss watches
Antique collectibles

Most jewelers pay around 20-30% of retail price, but we’re confident that we can offer more than our competitors. Contact us for a hassle-free price quote. For gold, silver, and platinum items, keep your eye on our precious metals payout table, which is updated regularly.

From there, you can either mail us your items or deliver them in-person.

Make sure to check out our blog regularly. We’ll make sure to keep you posted on fluctuating metal prices and news about the jewelry industry. We’ll be updating regularly with helpful hints for first-time gold sellers, tips for getting the most money out of your old jewelry, and step-by-step help outlining the process of selling gold. Stay tuned!

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