Selling Jewelry? How to get the best price. 

Lately most of the calls and emails I receive are for people who have jewelry and gems they want to liquidate. I can certainly help with this. I have an extensive network of dealers and a couple of international auction houses I work with on a regular basis. The key to getting the best price for something is in getting the item in front of the right people in the correct market. That is, the market where similar items are commonly sold. The trick is correctly identifying the item and identifying the elements that create value. The following is a fairly common type of liquidation scenario. The client has a man's 14k ring with a 2.00ct diamond in the center. There is no urgency for payment. Rationale: Virtually all the value in this ring is in the diamond, (unless the ring is stamped Tiffany, Cartier etc). Next, does the stone have a credible laboratory report (GIA or AGS)? If not, I usually recommend getting one. Having a lab report from GIA or AGS levels the playing field by taking the grading call out of the discussion. Next is condition. Is the ring desirable and in salable condition? If so, there may be a small premium. IMO the value element of the ring in this discussion is almost totally in the diamond. I would have the stone removed, pre-grade it, and send it to the lab. I would either return the mounting or issue a scrap credit. When the diamond is back from the lab, I would scan the lab report and email it to my dealer network for offers. This network is the right market for this type of item because they buy stones like this every day from all over the country. They in turn have a network of specialty dealers and collectors that they sell to at a small profit. Next, I would present the best offer to the client. When the client agrees with the offer, I close the deal and request payment from the buyer.

The example above is a simple and common scenario. However, had the client brought me a very valuable item, liquidation at a major auction house might be the best option. It depends on the value elements of the items and the urgency for payment. Getting the best price is all about getting the item in front of the right people in the correct market.  

If you have something to liquidate, please give me a call and we can discuss ways to help you get the most money for your items.  

The Graff Pink Diamond

A few months ago a 24.78ct fancy vivid pink diamond sold at Sotheby's for a record $46.2 million!  

Read the story:  Graff Pink Diamond