I remember walking into a pawn shop in downtown Chicago back in 2018, clutching a heavy gold charm bracelet I had inherited. I was broke, the rent was due, and I needed cash fast. The guy behind the glass threw it on a scale, punched a calculator, and offered me $150. "It's just scrap weight," he muttered. Something in my gut told me to walk away. I went home, cleaned it up, took some decent photos near a window, and listed it online. Three days later, it sold for $480.
That experience was my crash course in the jewelry market. I realized that the gap between what a dealer pays and what a collector pays is massive—often hundreds of dollars. Whether you are offloading an old engagement ring or clearing out a grandmother's estate, finding the best way to sell jewelry isn't about finding the nearest store; it's about matching the piece to the right audience. If you sell a Tiffany necklace to a gold scrapper, you are setting money on fire. If you try to sell a generic diamond on Craigslist, you are begging to be scammed.
What Is the Best Way to Sell Jewelry Online?
When you type what is the best way to sell jewelry into a search bar, you get bombarded with ads for "Cash for Gold" sites. Ignore them. The internet has democratized the jewelry trade, allowing you to bypass the middlemen who take a 60% cut. However, the platform you choose must match the "vibe" of the jewelry.
1. eBay (The King of Fine Jewelry) For anything made of real gold, silver, or platinum, Ebay is the undisputed champion. Why? The Authenticity Guarantee. If you sell a piece for over $500, eBay pays for an expert to verify it before it goes to the buyer. This eliminates the buyer's fear of getting a fake, which means they are willing to pay closer to retail prices. I recently sold a 14k gold rope chain on eBay for $350. A local jeweler offered me $180 "scrap value."
2. Poshmark (The Queen of Costume & Trendy) If you are selling a "Kate Spade" bangle or a vintage 1980s chunky necklace, go to Poshmark. This audience cares about the look and the brand, not necessarily the metal weight. Here’s where it gets interesting... On eBay, buyers obsess over gram weight. On Poshmark, buyers obsess over style. I once sold a gold-plated necklace on Poshmark for $45. The gold content was worth $0. If I had sold that on eBay, I might have gotten $10 because the "gold bugs" would have ignored it.
3. Depop (The Gen Z Vintage Vault) Is your jewelry weird? Chunky? Gothic? Depop is the best way to sell jewelrythat fits a specific aesthetic. Silver rings with giant gemstones or "Y2K" charm bracelets fly off the shelves here.
Best Way to Sell Gold Jewelry (The "Melt" Trap)
If you have broken chains, single earrings, or dental gold, you are selling a commodity. The best way to sell gold jewelrythat is broken is to sell it for "melt value." But you need to know what that value is before you sell.
The Math (Don't skip this):
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Check the Karat: 10k is 41.7% gold. 14k is 58.5% gold. 18k is 75% gold.
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Weigh it: Use a kitchen scale set to grams.
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Check Spot Price: Google "Current Gold Price per Gram."
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Calculate: (Weight) x (Purity %) x (Spot Price).
Honest Failure: In 2020, I mailed a bag of broken gold to a TV-advertised "Gold Kit" company. My math said I had $400 worth of gold. They sent me a check for $112. I tried to get the gold back, but the fine print said the transaction was final once the check was cut. Lesson: Never mail your gold to a company that doesn't give you a quote before you ship.
Recommendation: Take your scrap gold to a local Coin Shop (not a pawn shop). Coin dealers operate on smaller margins. They usually pay 80-90% of the melt value. Pawn shops usually pay 40-60%.
What Is the Best Way to Sell Costume Jewelry?
You inherited a jewelry box full of plastic beads, rhinestones, and base metal. Is it trash? No. The best way to sell costume jewelry is by the pound or by the "Jar." Unless a piece is signed (marked with a brand name like Trifari, Monet, or Weiss), listing it individually is a waste of time. Photographing a $5 pair of earrings takes 15 minutes. After shipping and fees, you make $1.
The "Junk Jar" Strategy: I take a clear mason jar or a poly bag and stuff it with 5 pounds of costume jewelry. I list it on eBay as "5lb Junk Jewelry Lot - Craft/Repair/Wear." These lots consistently sell for $40-$60 to crafters and resellers who enjoy digging through the pile. It takes me 5 minutes to photograph the pile, and I make $40. Opinion Statement: I honestly believe selling "unsorted jewelry lots" is the most fun way to make money on eBay. You get rid of the clutter instantly, and the buyer gets the thrill of the treasure hunt. Everyone wins.
Predicting Trends with Closo Demand Signals
Sometimes, costume jewelry becomes highly valuable because of a trend. In 2024, "Gold Vermeil" and "Silver Navajo" jewelry spiked. If you sold these as "scrap," you lost money. I use Closo Demand Signals to check if a specific style is trending before I list it.
How Closo helps me predict demand across categories 6 weeks ahead is by monitoring search volume velocity.
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The Scenario: I had a box of turquoise rings.
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The Signal: Closo showed a massive spike in searches for "Western Gothic" jewelry on Pinterest and TikTok.
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The Action: Instead of selling the rings as a bulk lot for $50, I listed them individually on Depop using keywords like "Western Goth" and "Whimsigoth."
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The Result: I sold the rings for $25 each, totaling $300.
I use Closo to automate my market research – saves me about 3 hours weekly of trying to guess what Gen Z considers "cool" this month.
What Is the Best Way to Sell Fine Jewelry?
Fine jewelry (Tiffany, Cartier, David Yurman) carries "Brand Value" on top of "Melt Value." The best way to sell fine jewelry is almost always through a specialized marketplace or consignment.
1. The RealReal: They do all the work. You send the item; they photograph and list it. Pros: High trust. Buyers pay premiums. Cons: High fees (they take 30-50%). They often discount items without asking you.
2. eBay (Self-Listing): You keep more profit (fees are around 13-15%), but you do the work. Crucial Tip: Photograph the hallmarks. If a ring is stamped "T & Co." (Tiffany), you must have a clear macro photo of that stamp. Without it, buyers will assume it's a fake.
Comparison Table: Where to Sell Fine Jewelry
How to Sell Diamonds (The Hardest Gem)
This is the most painful part of the industry. If you are asking how to sell a diamond ring or how to sell diamonds, prepare for disappointment. Retail diamonds have a markup of 200-300%. That $5,000 engagement ring you bought at the mall? The diamond inside it is likely worth $1,200 on the wholesale market. When you try to resell it, you are competing with wholesalers.
Where can i sell my diamond ring? Do not go to a pawn shop. They pay pennies on the dollar for stones. Your best options are:
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Worthy.com: This is an auction site specifically for diamonds. You send the ring, GIA grades it, and professional buyers bid on it. It is transparent and usually gets you the true wholesale market price.
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IdoNowIDont.com: A marketplace for "pre-loved" engagement rings. You sell directly to another couple looking for a deal. This gets you the highest price (closer to retail), but it can take months to find a buyer who wants your exact size and style.
Parenthetical Aside: (I once tried to sell a 1-carat diamond ring on Facebook Marketplace. I got twelve messages. Ten were scammers asking for my phone number, and two offered me a trade for a dirt bike. Selling high-value diamonds locally is a nightmare. Use a secure middleman service.)
What Is the Best Way to Sell Estate Jewelry?
Estate jewelry usually refers to antique or vintage fine jewelry (pre-1960s). The best way to sell estate jewelry is often through a local auction house or a specialized dealer. Why? Because identifying an Art Deco platinum mounting vs. a 1980s reproduction requires expertise. If you put a rare Edwardian ring on eBay as "Old Ring," you might sell it for $200 when it's worth $2,000.
The Assessment: Take the pieces to a local reputable jeweler (not a chain store like Kay's). Ask for a verbal appraisal. If they say, "This is a museum-quality piece," consign it with an auction house like Heritage Auctions or Sotheby's. If they say, "It's nice, but common," sell it on Etsy or eBay. Etsy is particularly good for "Estate" pieces because the audience specifically hunts for vintage charm.
What Is the Best Way to Sell Expensive Jewelry? ($10k+)
If you are holding a piece worth over $10,000, do not list it on Poshmark. The risk of chargebacks and mail fraud is too high for a standard app. For "High Jewelry," you need a broker. Circa and Sotheby's have private sale divisions. They will offer you a lower price than retail, but the transaction is wire-transferred and secure. You are paying for safety. Now the tricky part... You need paperwork. Original receipts, GIA certificates, and box/papers add 20-30% to the value of expensive pieces. If you don't have them, pay the $150 to send the stone to GIA for a fresh report before you try to sell.
Cross-Listing with Closo 100% Free Crosslister
Most sellers make the mistake of choosing just one platform. They list on eBay and wait. The best way to sell jewelryfast is to be everywhere. Jewelry is small and easy to ship, making it perfect for cross-listing.
I use the Closo 100% Free Crosslister to multiply my reach.
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The Workflow: I create a high-quality listing for a silver bracelet on Ebay.
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The Expansion: I use Closo to push that listing to Poshmark, Mercari, and Depop with one click.
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The Logic: An older buyer might see it on eBay. A younger buyer might see it on Depop.
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The Result: I recently sold a vintage locket on Mercari that had been sitting on eBay for 6 months. Different eyes, faster sale.
Sell Jewelry Near Me vs. Online
Sometimes, you just want the cash today. If you search sell jewelry near me, your options are Pawn Shops, Coin Shops, and Jewelers. When to sell locally:
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Safety: If you are selling a Rolex, meeting a stranger from Craigslist is dangerous. A secure jeweler is safer.
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Speed: You walk in with gold; you walk out with a check.
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Low Value: If a ring is worth $20, shipping fees ($5) kill the profit online. Sell it locally.
When to sell online:
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Niche Items: A "Taxco Mexico Silver Spider Pin" will sit in a local shop for years. On eBay, a collector in Germany might buy it tomorrow.
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Brand Names: Tiffany, Cartier, and Bulgari always sell for more online because the buyer pool is global.
Common Questions I See
People always ask me... Is it safe to mail jewelry to buyers?
Yes, if you do it right. Never drop a jewelry package in a blue mailbox. Always hand it to the clerk and get a receipt. Use "Insured" shipping. For items over $200, always require a "Signature Confirmation." If you use eBay's Authenticity Guarantee, you ship to their hub, and they handle the secure shipping to the buyer, which shifts the liability off you.
Common question I see... Should I clean my jewelry before selling?
Yes, but be careful. For gold and diamonds, warm water and mild dish soap with a soft toothbrush work wonders. A sparkling diamond photos much better than a cloudy one. However, for vintage silver, do not polish off the patina (the dark oxidation). Collectors often pay more for the "aged" look, and polishing it can decrease the value.
People always ask me... How do I find out what my jewelry is worth?
Do not look at the "Appraisal Value" on your insurance papers. That is an inflated replacement cost. Look at "Sold Listings" on eBay. Search for your item (e.g., "14k Gold Hoop Earrings 5 grams") and filter by "Sold." This tells you what people are actually paying in cash today.
Conclusion
The best way to sell jewelry requires you to separate your emotions from the metal. Your grandmother's ring is priceless to you, but to the market, it is 4 grams of 14k gold and a quarter-carat diamond. Once you accept the market reality, you can play the game. Avoid the pawn shops. Use the coin shops for scrap. Use eBay for fine brands. Use Poshmark for style.
My honest assessment is that you should buy a $15 digital scale and a loupe (magnifying glass) before you sell anything. Knowing exactly what you have prevents you from being taken advantage of by buyers who hope you are ignorant.
If you are ready to start listing your collection to the widest possible audience, use the Closo Seller Hub to manage your listings across every major marketplace.
For more on identifying which platforms fit your items, read our Pages Similar to eBay Guide
And if you want to know which jewelry styles will be in high demand next season, check out Trending Products Forecast 2026
