Yes, experience matters when you sell gold. A gold buyer with a long, verifiable track record has served more customers, has more reviews over more years, and has more reputation to protect. Experience alone isn’t a guarantee, though. Whether you sell to us or anyone else, here’s how to judge a gold buyer before you hand over your jewelry.
1. Check how long they’ve been in business, and whether you can verify it
Look for a history you can confirm from outside sources: years of reviews on Google and Yelp, a Better Business Bureau profile, press coverage, and licenses where they’re required. A business that has been accountable to the same community for many years is easier to trust than one you can’t find much about.
2. Read reviews over time, not just the star rating
A perfect rating from a handful of recent reviews tells you less than hundreds of reviews collected over many years. Read the detailed ones, look at how long customers say they’ve been coming back, and notice how the owner responds when something goes wrong.
3. Watch your gold being tested and weighed
Your jewelry should never leave your sight. A reputable buyer tests the karat and weighs each piece on a scale you can see, and tells you the results as they go.
4. Ask how the offer was calculated
You should be able to understand your offer: the weight, the karat and how the current market price of gold factors in. If a buyer can’t or won’t explain the number, that’s a reason to walk away.
5. Make sure they look beyond the melt value
Diamonds and gemstones, designer and signed pieces, and luxury watches can be worth more than their gold content. An experienced buyer recognizes these and evaluates them separately instead of pricing everything as scrap.
6. Expect no pressure and no obligation
A quote should be free, and you should feel comfortable saying no or taking time to think it over. Pressure to decide on the spot is a warning sign.
7. Get paid on the spot, with a receipt
When you accept an offer, you should be paid right away and receive a receipt that lists what you sold.
How we do it at Gold Standard Jewelry & Loans
Gold Standard Jewelry & Loans has been family owned and operated since 2008, founded by a family with three generations in the fine jewelry business. Today we serve Long Island and Queens from four locations in Syosset, Carle Place, Floral Park and Forest Hills.
- We test and weigh every piece right in front of you.
- We explain exactly how we arrived at your offer.
- We refine gold in-house, so there’s no middleman between your gold and your payout.
- Offers are free, with no pressure and no obligation.
- Walk-ins are welcome at all four stores.
You can read what our customers say on our reviews page, learn more about selling gold with us, or find the store nearest you.
