How to Evaluate the Price of Fine Jewelry Before You Buy

Purchasing fine jewelry can feel a little intimidating because there are so many unknowns, which is why it is always preferred to do business with a jeweler you trust. But, in order to trust someone, you need some basic information to start out with.

Here are three areas to evaluate to help you decide if the price of a jewelry piece is fair or not, for purchase. 

Metal Quality

Fine jewelry is fashioned in gold or platinum.

Gold can be processed into different colors - yellow, white, rose, and even green. The content of gold, in a given jewelry piece, is usually divided up as follows:

·       10kt – 41.7% gold; least amount of gold content making it less in price

·       14kt – 58.5% gold; most popular metal content in the United States

·       18kt – 75% gold; most popular in European countries

·       22kt – 91.7% gold; the high amount of gold content makes the jewelry piece less durable for everyday use and higher in price

The rest of the metal content in these alloy mixes are metals to make it durable to wear, as gold alone is very soft, and the color desired. For instance, rose gold has a higher copper content to create the rosy color.

A basic tenant to jewelry pricing is this, the higher the gold content (10kt vs 18kt), the higher the price will be when all other factors are the same.

Platinum usually demands a higher price due to rarity and extra training required. Not all goldsmiths can work with platinum, due to its extreme heat requirements, specialized tools, density of material, and labor-intensive finishing.

Platinum jewelry can only be sold the following way in the United States:

·       950 Platinum – 95% pure platinum and can be marked as “platinum,” “plat,” or “pt”

·       850-900 Platinum – 85% to 90% pure platinum; the metal mark has to be proceeded by the percentage, for example: “850Plat,” or “900PT”

·       500-850 Platinum – 50% to 85% platinum; must be marked in conjunction with the other metal content, for example: “600PT 350IR”

Platinum generally demands a higher price because of the high content of pure metal and the technical aspects of working with it. 

Gemstone Rarity and Quality

For the most part, what separates an expensive and inexpensive gemstone from one another has to do with rarity and consumer demand. 

For instance, high quality and large sized amethyst and citrine are much more plentiful in nature than high quality and large sized ruby and sapphire, thus making ruby and sapphire jewelry a much higher price point. 

But, even in high-rarity gemstones, there are quality differences that can make prices vary.

·       Dark blue, almost black, sapphire is much less in value than a bright, medium toned blue sapphire

·       Cloudy, opaque, pinkish-red ruby is much less in value than clear, true-red ruby

Manufacturing Quality

This quality factor often doesn’t get the credit it is due. 

Creating jewelry is both a science and an art, engineering and beauty, and fine jewelry should have both! It will do you no good to have a beautiful piece that breaks whenever you wear it.

Here are some examples of things to look for:

·       Prongs (the single “claw” that holds a gemstone in place) – look for medium to heavy prongs with a round ball of metal sitting on top the gemstone; if the prongs look flat, morphed together, or jagged, it needs repair

·       Shank (the ring part that circles your finger) – look for at least a 2mm width, most thinner widths will bend and crack; a 2ct plus center gemstone will need a wider width than 2mm

·       Hollow Chains – some chains are not solid gold links but hollow links, much like a paper towel tube; they will feel lighter than they should and have a less price; these chains are not durable and cannot be repaired when they break

Bonus Tip: Question a price that seems too good to be true!

But, Who Should I Trust?

Evaluating each of these quality factors takes time and experience, and most people aren’t equipped with the knowledge. 

When looking for a jeweler to trust, here are a couple of things to look for:

·       Graduate Gemologist Diploma – A Graduate Gemologist (or GG) has gone through extensive hands-on training and lectures from the Gemological Institute of America (or GIA). GIA is the one who standardized gemstone quality factors and has taught generations of jewelers

·       American Gem Society Member – The American Gem Society (or AGS) is a sister organization to GIA. Only 5% of jewelers in the U.S. are members due to their high ethics, education, and experience criteria

Closing

Jewelry and gemology expertise is much like other fields, you need trustworthy teachers and lots of practice!

I would love to help you navigate jewelry shopping, as I am both a Graduate Gemologist and American Gem Society member. Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping, so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:

• One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)

• Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)

• Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 28 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)

Learn more about me and my process: www.AngelaCisneros.com 

Book your FREE appointment with me today! www.AngelaCisneros.com/book-appointment