Should You Sell Your Jewelry to a Pawn Shop or a Jeweler? What's better?
- Bert Levi
- Dec 31, 2024
- 2 min read
Okay, I’ll surprise you here because I’m going to say that it’s not as cut and dry as you might expect. Sure, I’m a jeweler. I also think in almost every case, you’ll get someone who knows more about your jewelry if you go to a jeweler. That means they’re going to give you a more accurate idea of its worth and you’re going to get a price that makes more sense.
But there are times a pawn shop makes more sense. You're pretty much guaranteed a pawn shop will buy or at the least make a loan on your fine jewelery. Not all jewelers, even jewelers who are licensed jewelry buyers will do that. Whether it's better to sell jewelry to a pawn shop or a jeweler depends on your needs and situation. There are things you need to consider.
Guaranteed price: Jewelry stores sometimes advertise a guaranteed price they will pay for your jewelry, partially basing their purchasing entirely on the materials and partially assuming a gesture like that will earn them customers. Pawn shops offer less predictable prices but often higher amounts.
Buyback policies: Jewelry stores are more likely to buy back items they originally sold, and they may offer a guaranteed price and length of time for the buyback process. So always check first with the store from which you first bought the item.
Options: Pawn shops offer loans against jewelry. That means if you’re hesitating to sell for sentimental reasons, you can get cash for the jewelry without losing it. The loan amount is a small percentage of the item's resale value. Pawn loans also have high interest rates, too. If you don’t want to part with the items, though, loans can help.
Consignment: Some jewelers won’t buy but only sell on consignment. That means they offer your item to their customers and take a fee. It may take a while to sell your jewelry at a jewelry store, and you may not have a say in how much they sell it for. If that’s all that’s available to you, you might find yourself going for a pawn broker.
This list is by no means exhaustive but perhaps it gives you some ideas. If you need a jewelry buyer in San Diego, won’t you give me a call? I’m committed to offering a fair deal, and if you reach out, you’ll be glad you did.
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This post offers such a refreshingly honest take on a question many jewelry owners face—and it’s clear that experience and transparency matter. In today’s jewelry store landscape, having a knowledgeable professional assess your piece can make all the difference in getting fair value. From an online store management perspective, building that same trust digitally—through clear pricing, expert content, and easy shop now options—helps customers feel confident whether they’re buying or selling. For those exploring how other jewelers are blending expertise with digital convenience, this curated directory is a great place to start.