There are many practical reasons to sell gold jewelry and a few reasons that are purely emotional. No one reason is better than another, but if more than one of these apply to you, it’s probably a sign that now’s the right time to sell.

1. Your jewelry is broken or damaged. If you have earrings without mates, brooches with broken clasps or chains that are kinked and twisted, you may keep thinking, “Maybe some day I’ll get if fixed.” Be brutally honest with yourself. If you haven’t bothered to get it repaired in years, what is the likelihood you’re going to do so now?

You may also be shocked at the cost of jewelry repair these days. The fine craftsmanship required as well as the relative softness of gold both mean a high price tag on repairing damages. If you sell gold jewelry that is damaged, you can use the money you make to buy brand new pieces that are in perfect condition.

2. Your jewelry is out of style. Most people have very particular taste in jewelry so finding the right buyer for older, dated jewelry can be a difficult task. It will be a time-consuming, costly task to advertise for a buyer for older pieces of gold jewelry and there’s no way to know if you’ll ever find the right buyer.

Companies who buy scrap gold, however, are always happy to buy from you, and they don’t care about the style or any damage to the jewelry. They won’t penalize you on the gold price because the jewelry is old-fashioned or just plain unattractive!

3. You don’t have the time to sell gold jewelry pieces individually. Everyone hopes that their grandfather’s antique watch or grandmother’s set of gold pins can be sold to a collector or someone who will cherish them. The reality is that it’s very hard to find the right buyer for estate jewelry, and even if you find someone they probably won’t be interested in everything you have. By splitting things up and selling only a few pieces, you’re cutting into your own time, and you may still have half the pieces sitting around month’s from now.

If you sell gold jewelry to a buyer who wants the gold for scrap, you can get it sold all at one time for a great price. At the end of the day, you’ll have cash in hand and no more unwanted jewelry to worry about.

4. Your gold jewelry has bad memories. Do you still have that engagement ring from an old boyfriend who dumped you before the wedding or gold necklaces from your ex-husband? Selling gold jewelry that’s associated with unpleasant moments in your past is very empowering. You’re getting something of value out of items you would otherwise like to forget about. Don’t hold on to a lingering memory. Get started on a new life with some cash in your pocket.

There are as many reasons to sell gold jewelry for scrap as there are types of jewelry. If one of the above reasons seems like a perfect reflection of your own life, now is the time to sell gold jewelry and move on with your life.

Wholesale Buying Tip #1

You first need to find out what you have to do to qualify to buy jewelry wholesale. Sometimes a vendor’s license is required. Most times, but not always, bulk buying is a necessity. Often, you will have to deal with sellers in overseas countries. Each of these qualifications poses different challenges and hurdles to over come. Vendor’s licenses often come at a price. Can you afford the licensing fees? Vendors are most often required to submit tax forms every so often. Do you know what forms you need, how to properly complete them and where they should be returned? Do you have the time for forms and other paperwork? Bulk buys may not be your thing, especially if you are only searching for that perfect engagement ring or sweet sixteen gift. There are online suppliers that will sell single pieces, as well as jewelry fair or show vendors, but they require a bit of digging to find and contact. Do you have the time to Google through hundreds of websites to find the one that will sell you just one of whatever it is you’re looking for? Many overseas vendors sell at wholesale prices. When dealing with foreign sellers, several things must be taken into consideration – pricing, currency and shipping. What currency are the prices listed? That great ring may in fact cost closer to $4000 if the price listed is £2000. How will your payment be made? Most online sellers do accept credit cards or PayPal, but there are sometimes extra charges for handling “foreign” accounts. Lastly, consider shipping. How long will it take for your item to arrive? Can it be insured? Are the shipping charges going to negate your savings over retail prices?

Wholesale Buying Tip #2

Once you make the decisions that wholesale buying, is in fact, for you, your next decision should be where to buy. Again, a Google search can be most helpful in finding just the right vendors for you. Notice I said vendors, not just vendor. You want to comparison shop. Find similar pieces on several sites and compare their prices, their shipping policies and prices, and their return policies. If one or two sites stand out above the rest, then you can feel assured that you will be dealing with a reputable company. Just as you wouldn’t necessarily buy that special piece of jewelry from the local con artist pawn broker, you don’t want to deal with a slick Internet snake oil salesman, either. Most quality dealers’ sites will be listed with Better Business Bureaus, professional associations or other quality assuring organizations. If you aren’t familiar with a site’s accreditations, perform a Google on them too. Also, be sure that you are dealing with a “real” wholesaler. Most will ask for either your vendor’s license number, or a tax identification number. If a site doesn’t ask for these, flee as fast as you can close the site. An informed buyer is a happier buyer.

Wholesale Buying Tip #3

Be sure that the merchandise you are buying is the real deal. Educate yourself on how jewelry is made. Plated jewelry isn’t as high a quality as vermeil jewelry, which isn’t as good as solid jewelry. Become familiar with the terminology used to describe jewelry, too. Know what vermeil is. Learn the difference between a simulated gemstone and a chemically enhanced one. Don’t be fooled by imitations or wannabes. Don’t be afraid to ask question, either. If you can’t figure out an item’s description in the online catalog, contact the seller. A reputable seller will reply, hopefully with an answer to your query. If not, find someone else. If you are looking for a special, unique piece, you want it to be a quality piece, not a half-priced knock-off.

Wholesale Buying Tip #4

You’ve straightened out all you paperwork and become a wholesaler. You’ve searched out the sites that sell only quality stuff. You can spot a simulated emerald from the real thing at a hundred paces. Now, you’re ready to go shopping. Don’t buy the first piece that catches your fancy. Again, comparison shop. You may be able to find the item, or something very similar available somewhere else. Maybe even retail or from an auction site. And it may just be less costly somewhere else. Don’t just compare prices, either. Compare shipping, return policies, customer ratings and feedback comments. In short, narrow down your purchase to the best possible choice.