...
Home » Reuse Ideas » What To Do with Old Gold Jewelry – Smart Ideas

What To Do with Old Gold Jewelry – Smart Ideas

Are you wondering what to do with your old gold jewelry? however oftentimes, we have all this jewelry that we never wear for no apparent reason.

Perhaps you think that your jewelry should be enjoyed by future generations or maybe it just doesn’t fit in your new lifestyle.

Whatever the case, there are plenty of solutions to having old gold jewelry instead of just letting it sit in your jewelry box and collect dust.

Gold is a precious resource that must be properly managed and given value.

The main challenge is that many people still have no idea how to properly care for their gold and so this leads to mismanaged gold.

The mining of precious metals and gemstone has very adverse effects on the environment and that’s why we must all collectively work together to find ways and means to responsibly recycle old gold.

Let’s work towards a greener and more sustainable future.

What to do with old gold jewelry

If you’ve got outdated or unused gold jewelry that is just sitting in your jewelry box, here are 10 amazing ideas on what to do with your old gold jewelry:

Custom design something new

Among the reasons why people don’t wear their gold jewelry is because they’re just not comfortable wearing them.

After all, maybe your tastes have changed or you simply don’t feel like wearing it anymore.

Perhaps you feel that the piece is outdated and no longer fits your tastes.

Whatever the case, you can always custom design something new.

It should be a piece that you’ll love and wear as much as you can.

Gold is easy to melt down and reshape.

As such, you can create new pieces of jewelry several times without it losing its value and quality.

In the long run, you’ll end up saving so much more money if you have your gold worked on by someone who knows what they’re doing.

Work with a professional jeweler or goldsmith to create something that you’ll love wearing for years to come.

It could be a custom-made bangle, ring, necklace, earring or whatever you want.

Use gold in your craftwork

If you’re an artisan looking for a sustainable resource to add to your craft work, then you can always use old gold jewelry.

Use some of the old gold jewelry in order to make something one-of-a-kind that you can sell.

There’s always a market for handmade work.

You just need to find out where the market is.

This means you must join online artisan communities and social media platforms that specialize in craft circles or online communities for those in the business of selling handmade goods.

You’ll get your daily updates with the latest trends and what’s currently in demand.

Also ask your friends and family if they know anyone who needs handmade jewelry.

Repair and clean your old gold jewelry

Old is gold, literally.

You should always work to maintain the condition of your gold as much as possible.

This means you clean and polish them regularly so as to keep them shiny and well-maintained.

You also have to take care of their settings, clasps, and chain links.

If they get worn out, then you might want to consider getting a good repairman to do an overhaul on them.

If you want the jewelry to last longer, then you might want to do your own repairs wherever possible.

However, for those who have no idea how it’s done, it’s best that you get someone who does.

In this way, you can avoid damage to your jewelry pieces as well as making them last longer.

Furthermore, repairing will breathe new life into pieces that appear to have lost their sheen.

The same goes for a proper polish or cleaning.

The pieces will be back to their former glory in no time.

Sell for gold value

Gold is a precious commodity and It’s also a global currency.

This means that people all around the world have been using gold for centuries in order to make purchases.

If you want to get cash for your gold, then you should look for stores that sell gold and silver.

There are many of these stores around the world.

You can also look online to see if there is a regular market for old gold jewelry.

If there is, then you can sell your old pieces of jewelry at a gold store.

Just make sure that the store you choose is authentic and has good reviews so you know where to get the best price.

The trick is to find a reliable and trustworthy store that buys gold from their clients and people who want to sell their diamonds in exchange for cash.

You can also ask friends or family if they know any reputable places that buy old gold jewelry in exchange for cash.

Pawn it

Pawning is a good option if you want to make some quick cash by selling your old gold jewelry.

The amount of cash you get is dependent on the gold and what it’s valued at.

This means that if you sell at the right time, you can get a fair chunk of cash.

The one drawback is that there are risks involved with pawning your gold.

For example, you might not get the price you want.

They will give you a low cash offer and then try to raise the price later on.

As such, it’s best that you always weigh your options before selling your gold to pawn stores.

Also, once you’ve sold your old gold jewelry, make sure you get a receipt so there will be no problem in terms of ownership.

When you pawn your old jewelry, they’ll give you an identification number or a claim ticket so you can track your item.

Make sure that they don’t sell it to anyone else before paying you the cash.

Consign it

Consignment stores are a bit safer as they offer more protection to the seller.

When you consign your old gold jewelry, you’re basically letting the store sell it for you.

They’ll get a percentage of the final sale price when they’ve sold it.

As such, you can choose to sell at a higher price and make more money per sale.

You do not risk getting anything in terms of money if you don’t manage to find a buyer for the jewelry after a certain amount of time.

This means that you have to trust your store as they’ll take care of the marketing and selling of the old gold jewelry.

However, what you make when you sell your jewelry is contingent on the final sale price.

You can choose to work with a smaller store that has been in the business for years so you know that they will get the best value for your gold piece.

Recycle unwanted gold jewelry

If you no longer want to wear the jewelry because it’s been worn out over time or you’re just not fond of it anymore, then you can recycle them.

This means that you’ll be turning your old gold jewelry into new metal so it can be used in other jewelry pieces.

The best way to recycle unused gold is to turn it into scrap gold.

You can do this by visiting a scrap gold dealer’s shop or office.

This is where they’ll melt your old jewelry and turn it into a new form of metal which will later be used in making other jewelry pieces.

If you’re lucky, the piece might even create something more valuable than what you have before.

Donate

Donating your old gold jewelry is a great way to get some tax deductions.

However, this means that you’ll have to find a charity or church where you can donate the gold pieces.

You’ll also need to check if they accept gold jewelry as donations in order for you to avoid wasting time sorting and taking care of them when they’re not needed anymore.

You can check online as well as see if there are local charities or churches that will take the old pieces of gold jewelry from your collection.

Organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army accept all kinds of items including gold jewelry.

The pieces will be sold and the proceeds will go to help the needy in your local community.

You can also get a tax deduction for making the donation which is a great incentive to give them your old gold jewelry.

You won’t be wearing them anymore so you might as well let someone else to enjoy them.

There’s no guarantee that your favorite pieces will be sold, but donating old gold jewelry will certainly help someone in need get much-needed money or supplies.

Trade in old jewelry

If you have a few pieces of old gold jewelry lying around, then you can trade them in for newer pieces.

However, this means that you’ll be getting rid of your old gold jewelry.

To make sure that the store will take your old gold jewelry, make sure that it’s already been cleaned and polished.

This way, the store will have an easier time assessing the value of the gold pieces and if they’re worth anything at all.

Jewelry stores will often have a certain amount of items they’re looking to trade.

Before you go, check what they’re willing to trade for your old gold jewelry.

If you agree on a price, then you can make the trade there and then.

You should also make sure that the store isn’t going to make a windfall off of your old pieces of gold jewelry.

The trade-in value of your old jewelry will depend on the quantity and quality of the jewelry pieces.

When you sell gold pieces, you can check out the current price in gold to get an idea as to how much they’re worth.

It’s always a good idea to look online or call the local gold dealer before making a move.

Gift it

People hold on to their jewelry for years because of its sentimental value.

However, as time goes by, they don’t wear it as often and it starts to collect dust.

Gift the pieces to someone special and you’ll be able to make their day.

This means that by giving away your old gold jewelry, they’ll be able to enjoy it as much as you did when you first purchased it.

This is especially true if the person you want to give the pieces to really enjoys your old jewelry.

It’s like giving a gift that keeps on giving!

Final Thoughts

Old gold jewelry isn’t something that will ever go out of style.

There are so many different types of old gold jewelry that can be used to make a statement.

From necklaces and bracelets to rings and earrings, there’s something for everyone.

There are also other ways to reuse old jewelry, no matter how old or ugly it is.

There are so many ways to recycle your old gold jewelry including melting them into new and more valuable forms of metal.

You can also donate them to charitable organizations or trade them in for other pieces that you like.

FAQs

How do I get rid of unwanted jewelry?

When it comes to getting rid of unwanted jewelry, the options are limited.

You can sell or trade-in your old gold jewelry.

However, this means that you won’t be able to get the same value out of them.

It’s best that you take care of your old pieces by polishing and cleaning them in order to make them as attractive as new.

This way, you’ll be able to sell or trade in the pieces for something that you really love or need.

You can also donate it or give it away as gifts.

Are old gold necklaces worth anything?

An old gold necklace is worth what you can sell it for.

This means that you’ll never know the exact value of your gold necklace until you go and sell it.

As long as the piece is in good shape, then you should be able to get something from it.

The price will always go up if you decide to do a bit of cleaning and polishing, but that’s all up to you.

Author

  • Jen Wheeler

    Jen Wheeler, co-founder of Recycling-Revolution.com, holds degrees from UC Berkeley, Yale, and Stanford. A renowned environmentalist, she's championed sustainable practices at global events and leads EcoBright Solutions, focusing on recycling education and eco-friendly products.

Was this helpful?

Yes
No
Thanks for your feedback!