Earring Beach Find: How to get value out of this?

[Aquaman]

Spot value 98% on the gold alone is the best your gonna get. A good smeltor will pop those chips out and send them back to you. Think golds bad...silvers much worse in regards to what people pay vs what they're actually getting. I always kinda chuckle to myself after finding a T&Co ring and researching how much the former owner spent. Smeltors could care less if its T&Co or James Avery. 93%, take it or leave it!

 

[ScubaDetective]

As stated ARA will give you the most for the gold. However don't expect much from a 10K earring.

They will also remove the diamonds and return them free of charge. I have hundreds that I have kept.

Want to know how bad they are marked up? ARA offered me 105.00 for a 3/4 karat diamond. Your small ones are worth nothing.

If you have a scale or can have the earring weighed you can find exactly how much it is worth in gold by plugging the values in here:

http://dendritics.com/metal-calc/


Better than finding a dollar. Nice save

 

[Brizors]

The diamonds set that way are in a groove. When they mould the gold they bend part of it out and slide the diamonds in until the last one fits tight and then they squeeze the gold back closed. You can either bend out part of the track the diamonds are in and slide one out after the other. Or cut one end off through the gold. You can actually break one end off but you risk cracking the diamond at the end from any pressure applied. Some refineries like one I walked into in Orlando simply use pliers and hand you the stones back. Takes them seconds. The ones who use chemicals to dissolve the gold don't want to risk damaging stones they really don't want. Imagine breaking a stone scrapping $100 in gold with a stone someone thought was worth a bunch. Sadly the diamond market is flooded. That's why you see the round pendants with diamonds loose inside behind a glass. My friend bought his wife one. That's one way gold scrappers move small diamonds. Also diamonds look even smaller after you remove them from jewelry. Youll be amazed how they shrink

thank you SO much! I will have a go at this soon! I have NEVER had any real diamonds in my hands before, to me, this is AMAZING!

I do lapidary and silversmith'g as a hobby. If I staged (7) stones like a production line, it would still take me 40-60 minutes to facet each diamond.

When u consider the pricey equipment, disposable tooling/powders, the cost of raw or rough stones, And my time even at min wage, it's like $50 each stone to make. So ts fun but definitely not something I can do for a living and complete with the poor Asian and African countries that usually produce these.

My point is the artisan that makes the piece should get a fair compensation. But not the over-inflated price that high end jewelers command.

Interesting how it all works behind the scenes, thank you for explaining it to me.

The way to get the most from it is to sell it privately. eBay is probably the easiest. Good write-ups bring more money too.
Very nice find.

Ahh so really I should try to sell anything first for its form factor and beauty on ebay for the most money, then resort to ARA if it doesn't sell?

From what I have read Diamonds are not rare. The Marked is controlled so that limited quantities are available at any given time. DeBeers is one of those controlling the market.

Keep the demand High thru advertising that makes people thing they are rare and then limit the supply and the Price is outrageously high.

Bummer man, I thought all along diamonds were the !!!! and the most rarest thing to find... :/

Its a nice find though...sooner or later...FIRE OPAL! Or some other stone more rare than a diamond...The generic Diamond value is all about Marketing! Theres some really cool gems found in the wild here in the States you can go hunt for...

Various places in the Carolinas, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, California. Lots of places advertise for folks to come and camp and have a go in the search for a neat raw gem or fossil. In fact, thats exactly what me and the Missus are considering, Shes a rockhound, and I'm a detectorist/gold bug. We think it would be very cool to travel around from State to State in a stupid little van and hunt for stuff...
Mud

Haha I would love that too and to drop all my responsibilities to travel around detecting all day.

 

[Rob O]

Few years ago I found a large heavy set diamond ring, I took it to 3 local jewelry dealers and all three offered $1300 for the ring . So i knew I was not getting low balled.

 

[ScubaDetective]

Few years ago I found a large heavy set diamond ring, I took it to 3 local jewelry dealers and all three offered $1300 for the ring . So i knew I was not getting low balled.

Getting three jewelry dealers to offer the same price? I would say that is quite hard to believe. And even if they did you WERE getting low balled. They have to resell it. They need to make a profit and there is a ONE THOUSAND percent markup on diamonds. I found a ring appraised at 14 GRAND. The highest price I was quoted to by from a jewelry store was 2500.00. I took it.

The gold value is only part of the price. If you have a large diamond it is also worth something. I have sold hundreds of gold rings. I have sold them to jewelry stores, individuals and to refineries. I have sold to Midwest, ARA, 123 Precious Metals and found that only ARA will give you the top dollar and is very reliable and honest.

A LOT of experienced people on here find a lot of gold. One of the mods here does also. I only found 53 pieces this year but have found more in previous years. And before this year I sold all I found so I could live. My experience in finding and selling gold is vast.

 

[Rob O]

I should of said, all 3 Jewelers were at the Same (Price Range) not at the same exact Price...... My Bad

 

[DaviDs]

I found a ring appraised at 14 GRAND. The highest price I was quoted to by from a jewelry store was 2500.00. I took it.

..I took it to 3 local jewelry dealers and all three offered $1300 for the ring . So i knew I was not getting low balled.

So I found a 10k gold earring with 7 small P1 rated diamonds in them.

I found a Platinum Tiffany & Co diamond engagement ring. Website listed it at $8,500. Melt value of the band was $217 (more than pawn shops), and the best offer I got on the diamond was $700.

 

[Brizors]

Getting three jewelry dealers to offer the same price? I would say that is quite hard to believe. And even if they did you WERE getting low balled. They have to resell it. They need to make a profit and there is a ONE THOUSAND percent markup on diamonds. I found a ring appraised at 14 GRAND. The highest price I was quoted to by from a jewelry store was 2500.00. I took it.

The gold value is only part of the price. If you have a large diamond it is also worth something. I have sold hundreds of gold rings. I have sold them to jewelry stores, individuals and to refineries. I have sold to Midwest, ARA, 123 Precious Metals and found that only ARA will give you the top dollar and is very reliable and honest.

A LOT of experienced people on here find a lot of gold. One of the mods here does also. I only found 53 pieces this year but have found more in previous years. And before this year I sold all I found so I could live. My experience in finding and selling gold is vast.

So of all those avenues of selling, what have you found to be the most lucrative in terms of most value? or does it depend really on what you found. I imagine a thick gold band with a huge diamond on it would be of interest to a jewelry store to resell but not so great for a cash for gold shop cause they would need to remove the diamond!

 

[ScubaDetective]

So of all those avenues of selling, what have you found to be the most lucrative in terms of most value? or does it depend really on what you found. I imagine a thick gold band with a huge diamond on it would be of interest to a jewelry store to resell but not so great for a cash for gold shop cause they would need to remove the diamond!

It really depends on what I find. Most wedding bands are just scrap gold. I have put rings on consignment at jewelry stores, I have sold some on E-Bay. Most lucrative is finding a private buyer by far. HOWEVER when you find rings worth into the thousands, it is hard to find someone with that much cash.

The trouble with jewelry store consignment is you really do not know what they sell it for. I don't trust people and I know that is my problem. About 5 years back I sold a store a half karat flawless diamond for a grand.

I sold this 14K Artcarved one on E-bay and got a good price for it.



This is the ring I got 2500.00 for. The main diamond is 1.1 karat and perfect.



If I think it has more than scrap value I will keep it and let people know I have it. I don't have to sell my gold right now so I am just hoarding what I find till the price goes back up.

I will NEVER go to a cash for gold shop. You want to be taken go there or a pawn shop.

 

[Brizors]

It really depends on what I find. Most wedding bands are just scrap gold. I have put rings on consignment at jewelry stores, I have sold some on E-Bay. Most lucrative is finding a private buyer by far. HOWEVER when you find rings worth into the thousands, it is hard to find someone with that much cash.

The trouble with jewelry store consignment is you really do not know what they sell it for. I don't trust people and I know that is my problem. About 5 years back I sold a store a half karat flawless diamond for a grand.

I sold this 14K Artcarved one on E-bay and got a good price for it.



This is the ring I got 2500.00 for. The main diamond is 1.1 karat and perfect.



If I think it has more than scrap value I will keep it and let people know I have it. I don't have to sell my gold right now so I am just hoarding what I find till the price goes back up.

I will NEVER go to a cash for gold shop. You want to be taken go there or a pawn shop.

Ahh okay, so you first try to sell it on ebay or jewelry store consignment and if that doesn't work where do you sell it for scrap. ARA?

 

[ScubaDetective]

Ahh okay, so you first try to sell it on ebay or jewelry store consignment and if that doesn't work where do you sell it for scrap. ARA?

Not exactly. If it is nice I go to ebay or jewelry stores. Otherwise straight to ARA.

 

[Steve]

even with eBay you still have to pay commission and run the risk of getting scammed. big risk for an extra %

 

[JohnH]

Like was said, diamonds aren't really rare (except the really larger stones). Think of all the jewelry stores in the US and all the diamonds in them. Then think of the world's diamond centers (NYC, Brussels, Tel Aviv etc) and all the stones sitting there. Then think of all the stones in the Caribbean at all the cruise ports and then add in the rest of the world's stores. And then consider all the stones DeBeers hasn't released yet. This is what happens pretty much ONE company controls the prices from the source for one product. It's mind boggling all the diamonds sitting around. Hardly rare at all, just expensive like oil was not too long ago. then the US flooded the market. Ooops Opec, now your hurting. Not so DeBeers.

 

[hawgdawg]

Its a nice find though...sooner or later...FIRE OPAL! Or some other stone more rare than a diamond...The generic Diamond value is all about Marketing! Theres some really cool gems found in the wild here in the States you can go hunt for...

Various places in the Carolinas, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, California. Lots of places advertise for folks to come and camp and have a go in the search for a neat raw gem or fossil. In fact, thats exactly what me and the Missus are considering, Shes a rockhound, and I'm a detectorist/gold bug. We think it would be very cool to travel around from State to State in a stupid little van and hunt for stuff...
Mud

If you and the missus ever hit the road in that stupid little van searching for your riches in gems and gold , and make it to N.Carolina , let me know , I'll spring for your beer tab one day , just to hang out with ya and get a load of your philosophy on life and other everyday going's on .

To the OP , maybe see if you can find the earring on the net somewhere and find a price for it . Here's another idea . A friend of mine had a bunch of gold scrap jewelry , he took it to a jeweler and had them melt it down and made him a custom piece jewelry . He said it wasn't to expensive , a lot cheper than he thought anyway .

 

[therover]

Read this tread about ARA. Some have had good experiences, some not so good. Seems this guy may be getting the shaft and it's recent.

Make your own decision.

http://www.thetreasuredepot.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/ss_config.pl?page=1;md=read;id=308527

 

[itsaring!]

Read this tread about ARA. Some have had good experiences, some not so good. Seems this guy may be getting the shaft and it's recent.

Make your own decision.

http://www.thetreasuredepot.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/ss_config.pl?page=1;md=read;id=308527

Pretty scary! I've used ARA a bunch of times with very little issue. And all my checks were for over a grand. I will say the OP may look for a walk in refinery. WE used one in Orlando area that paid 95%. Always weigh your gold before going anywhere though.

 

[therover]

Pretty scary! I've used ARA a bunch of times with very little issue. And all my checks were for over a grand. I will say the OP may look for a walk in refinery. WE used one in Orlando area that paid 95%. Always weigh your gold before going anywhere though.

I had always heard good things about ARA but that was when guys were sending their stuff in years ago. Maybe ARA is having difficulties now that the price of gold has continued to fall.

 

[itsaring!]

I had always heard good things about ARA but that was when guys were sending their stuff in years ago. Maybe ARA is having difficulties now that the price of gold has continued to fall.

Good logic! They may have held the gold thinking the gold would skyrocket after the election like some thought. They'd have lost their butt!

 

[SandInToes]

...they mean a lot to me due to how rare they are formed in nature. So the jewelry industry can screw off!

Diamonds aren't so rare as you think. The De Beers vaults in London, Luxembourg and South Africa are full of them. Millions and millions of carats of them, just sitting, waiting for the prices to rise so they can be sold at higher margins. De Beers used to control about 90% of the diamond market, and so regulated the supply that went to market. They withheld most of the diamonds that were mined. This constant "shortage" artificially inflated the prices, and made people THINK that diamonds are rare.

Since about the 1990's, control of the market has been slipping away from De Beers, and that has made diamonds more of a commodity, lowering prices so that many more people can afford them. Everyone has diamonds now. The real value stones are:

Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Emerald, Spinel, Tsavorite Garnet, Alexandrite and Jadeite Jade.

These are the ones you want to see attached to your finds.

Here is a brief but interesting history of the De Beers diamond cartel:

http://www.kitco.com/ind/Zimnisky/2013-06-06-A-Diamond-Market-No-Longer-Controlled-By-De-Beers.html

...and another:

https://www.diamondbanc.com/blog/does-de-beers-still-control-the-diamond-market/

Happy Hunting,

Dave Town

 

[Brizors]

Pretty scary! I've used ARA a bunch of times with very little issue. And all my checks were for over a grand. I will say the OP may look for a walk in refinery. WE used one in Orlando area that paid 95%. Always weigh your gold before going anywhere though.

Well the good thing is my cash for gold place which most here say to steer clear of, is a very nice and respectful guy that has AMAZING reviews, that also happens to pay 85%-90%. So I dunno, wouldn't you say that he is a good idea.

He has good morals, I brought a heavy pure gold ring I found that had a name on it, he said to come back in a week and if I didn't find the owner then he will take it.

So what do you say, does he give a good % and is he a good guy or should I still steer clear?