Jewelry has been a way for many to express their personal style, create a look, and for many to add the perfect touch to any outfit. Whether you’ve recently started to wear jewelry or you’ve been wearing it your whole life, you may have a few questions about your jewelry quality, care, or since gold prices are at such historically high prices, how to sell your gold jewelry. You’ve come to the right place, as we are the experienced best jewelry buyer in Chicago. We’ve compiled a few questions, but as always for the last 40 years you can reach out to us if you have additional questions that you may have.
Q: What types of gold jewelry are there?
A: The term “gold” refers to a variety of different jewelry types that all have a unique composition. Technically speaking, there are nine different gold metals used to make jewelry, but common examples include solid gold variations that range from lower karat gold such as 8 karats or 9 karats, going up to 10 karats, 14-karat gold, 18 karats, all the way up to 21, 22 and finally 24 karat gold, there is also the lesser value gold-filled jewelry, and finally gold-plated jewelry, or vermeil.
Q: How can I tell what quality and karat my gold jewelry is?
A: To the unaided eye and to someone who is not an experienced gold dealer, it can be extremely difficult to determine what quality your jewelry is. Solid gold jewelry will usually have stampings or hallmarks that would indicate if it is 10karat, 14-karat, etc. up to 24-karat. But the presence of markings does not always guarantee that it is what it states as there are many fake pieces out in the world that is marked with all karat qualities. If you don’t see any markings after you inspect your jewelry, and just want to know the value of your items whether it’s one piece or 100 you can bring them to our professionals and we can give you the definitive accurate answer.
Q: What is rose gold?
A: As pure gold is naturally yellow in color, you may wonder what makes up rose gold jewelry. Unlike traditional gold or silver jewelry, rose gold is made by adding copper to pure gold to make the light pink color. In 2015, rose gold engagement rings hit their peak and are still popular today.
Q: Is my gold jewelry hypoallergenic?
A: It depends on the material with which it is made! Jewelry made with 24-karat gold is hypoallergenic and will last a lifetime. If your gold is mixed with other metals or alloys, especially nickel, chances are high that it is not hypoallergenic.
Q: Where can I buy gold jewelry in Chicago?
A: Gold jewelry from retail stores can be extremely expensive and always marked up from 3 to 10 times and more. We highly recommend visiting our Gold buyers in Chicago Cook County buyers to see what we have in stock! Since buying and selling jewelry is our passion, we always have options for you for buying or selling gold in Chicago.
Feel free to reach out to our team at Chicago Gold Gallery with any questions! From gold coins to diamond rings, vintage and modern jewelry we are extremely easy to work with and will always give you the best price for your items.