The direct answer
Stone-set gold jewellery needs two valuations at once: metal content and jewellery value. Diamonds, coloured stones, old cuts, certificates, damage and setting quality all affect the offer. Gold prices change daily. Fair Vintage uses current market references when preparing a written offer rather than hard-coding a fixed gold price into evergreen content.
Stones are not all valued the same
Diamond certificates, coloured stone identity, size, treatment and condition can affect value materially.
Settings matter
Worn claws, replacement stones and damaged mounts should be disclosed and photographed rather than hidden.
When certificates help
GIA, IGI, old insurance valuations and receipts are useful context, but physical inspection still matters.
How Fair Vintage assesses this page topic
We separate the metal floor from the jewellery value. That means checking gold fineness and tested metal content, weight and construction, hallmarks, sponsor marks, assay office marks and maker signatures, age, period style and originality, gemstones, pearls, enamel and condition, designer, antique or collector demand beyond melt value, boxes, receipts, certificates and family notes. If a piece is mainly scrap, we say so; if it deserves antique, designer, gemstone or collector review, the written offer explains why.
Photographs to send
- stone close-ups
- side profile of setting
- hallmarks
- certificates
- damage to claws or stones
What jewellery owners ask on Reddit
Reddit is not used as valuation evidence. It is useful because public conversations reveal recurring seller worries: missing marks, changed fittings, whether to clean pieces, how to compare scrap and antique value, and whether a postal buyer can be trusted.
Official references used
These sources support hallmarking, gold-fineness and market-reference statements. They do not set the final Fair Vintage offer for an individual item.