How to Sell Jewellery, Gold and Watches Safely: By Post and in Person
What to do before you sell, how to send jewellery by insured post, how to sell in person, and how to tell a legitimate buyer from a risky one.
How do I sell jewellery safely?
- Photograph each piece and its marks, keep boxes and papers, and do not clean it.
- Compare free valuations; check the buyer's address and independent reviews.
- Post only by insured, tracked and signed-for services, or sell in person by appointment.
- Get paid by bank transfer, never in cash or against a payment screenshot.
In this article
Before you sell: five steps
Most of what makes a sale safe happens before the piece leaves your hands. These steps take an evening and protect both the price and the piece.
- Photograph everything
Front, back, side, and every hallmark, signature or serial number close up, on a plain background in daylight. The photos are your record and what buyers value from.
- Gather the paperwork
Boxes, receipts, certificates, laboratory reports, service records and old valuations. For watches and signed jewellery they confirm the maker and the date of sale.
- Leave it as it is
Do not clean, polish, repair or take stones out. Cleaning can damage antique surfaces and old foil backs, and buyers want to see a piece as it is.
- Get more than one valuation
Free valuations from photographs cost nothing. Comparing them tells you what the piece is worth to the trade.
- Check the buyer
Read independent reviews, look for a real address you can visit, and ask how and when you will be paid before you send anything.
Know what you have before you sell. Send us a few photos and we will tell you what each piece is and what it is worth, free and with no obligation. Request a free valuation.
Where is the best place to sell jewellery?
The best place depends on what the piece is. Antique, signed and gem-set jewellery is worth most to a specialist who values the period, the maker and the stones. Rare high-end pieces can also go to auction, if you can wait for the sale. Private sales online can reach a retail price but carry the most risk.
| Where | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist jewellery buyer | Antique, vintage, signed and gem-set pieces; whole collections | Check reviews and how you are paid |
| Auction house | Rare and important pieces | Commission and fees, and weeks or months until the sale and payment |
| Online marketplace (eBay, Facebook Marketplace) | Sellers happy to photograph, list, post and handle buyers | Fake payments, disputes and meeting strangers |
| Etsy | Vintage pieces only: Etsy requires vintage items to be at least 20 years old (Etsy) | Fees, and the work of running a shop |
| High-street cash or pawn shop | Everyday gold you want to sell quickly | Antique and signed pieces priced on metal |
More comparisons: where to sell gold jewellery in the UK, where to sell a watch and dealer or auction?
Selling jewellery online
To sell online without listing it yourself, send photographs to a specialist buyer for a free valuation, then send the piece by insured post if you accept. It works from anywhere in the UK and suits second-hand jewellery of every kind, from a single ring to a whole collection.
Selling jewellery by post safely
Selling by post is safe when the parcel is insured, tracked and signed for, and when the buyer values it before you are committed. The risk lies in uninsured post and in buyers who pay what they like once the piece has arrived.
| Method | Tracked and signed for | Covers jewellery? |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's insured courier collection | Yes | Yes, by the buyer's insurance, if the buyer offers it |
| Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed | Yes | Yes, up to the compensation level bought (Royal Mail) |
| Royal Mail Signed For | Signed for only | No: valuables such as jewellery are excluded (Post Office) |
| Ordinary first or second class | No | No |
Packing a parcel of jewellery
Wrap each piece separately in tissue, put small boxes inside a larger box, and fill the gaps so nothing moves. Use a plain box with no mention of jewellery or the buyer's trade on the outside.
Keep the receipt and tracking number, photograph the parcel before you seal it, and include a note with your name and the reference you were given.
How our post service works
Book a free FedEx collection from your door: the label is emailed straight away and the parcel is insured in transit, at our cost. Or post it by Royal Mail Special Delivery and we refund the postage. We inspect it, confirm our offer, and pay the same day by bank transfer when you accept. If you decline, we return it at our cost. Full details: sell jewellery by post, sell gold by post and sell watches by post.
Request a free valuation
Selling in person safely
Book an appointment, do not walk in with it
Sell at a business address, by appointment, during working hours. Carry jewellery discreetly, and do not discuss what you are carrying in public.
Ask for the offer and each piece's description in writing, and do not be rushed: a fair offer will still stand tomorrow.
We see sellers by appointment at 47 Maddox Street in Mayfair and at our office in Braintree, Essex. London sellers can also read sell jewellery in London.
Selling privately or online
Selling directly to another person through an online marketplace can achieve a retail price, but it carries more risk: meeting strangers with valuable jewellery, fake payment confirmations, and buyers who dispute a payment after collection (Action Fraud). If you sell privately, wait until the money has cleared in your own account before handing anything over, and never meet at home.
How to check a jewellery buyer is legitimate
| Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|
| A real address and a named team you can meet | A website or kiosk with no address |
| Independent reviews on Google | Reviews only on the buyer's own site |
| A written valuation for each piece | One lump-sum offer with no description |
| Payment by bank transfer on a stated day | Cash only, or payment 'when it clears' |
| Your piece returned free if you decline | Return charges, or pressure to accept on the spot |
| Photo ID asked for, as the law expects | No questions asked about who you are |
Why buyers ask for ID
Legitimate buyers check who they are buying from. The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require any business taking cash payments of 10,000 euros or more to register with HMRC as a high value dealer and check the customer's identity (GOV.UK). Responsible buyers ask for ID on every purchase anyway. See how much gold can I sell without ID?
Getting paid safely
Bank transfer is the safest way to be paid: it is traceable, arrives the same day by Faster Payments, and means you never carry cash home. We pay by bank transfer only, the same day after inspection.
Watches, gold and antique jewellery
Signed jewellery and watches
Keep the box, papers, receipts and any spare links together: they confirm the maker and help the price. Do not have a watch serviced or polished just to sell it.
Read where is it best to sell a watch? and our watch buying service.
- Gold jewellery: compare the options in where to sell gold jewellery, and see sell gold jewellery.
- Antique and vintage pieces: sell to a specialist who values the period and maker, not only the metal: sell antique jewellery.
- Broken and odd pieces: sell broken gold jewellery.
- Inherited jewellery: selling inherited jewellery and selling a whole collection.
Every piece is different. Send us a few photos and we will tell you what yours is worth, free and with no obligation. Request a free valuation.
Send us photos for a valuation
- Prepare: photos, paperwork, no cleaning, more than one valuation.
- Post: insured, tracked and signed for, with free return if you decline.
- In person: a business address, by appointment, offer in writing.
- Payment: bank transfer, the same day; ID checks are a good sign.
Questions we are asked
How do I sell jewellery safely?
Photograph each piece and its marks, keep the boxes and papers, and get free valuations from more than one buyer. Choose a buyer with a real address and independent reviews, send by insured, tracked post or sell in person by appointment, and get paid by bank transfer rather than cash.
Where is the best place to sell jewellery?
For antique, vintage, signed or gem-set jewellery, a specialist buyer who values the period, maker and stones usually pays most and pays quickly. Auction suits rare, important pieces if you can wait for the sale. Online marketplaces can reach a retail price but carry the most risk and work.
How do I sell jewellery online?
Photograph each piece and its marks and send the photos to a specialist buyer for a free valuation. If you accept, send the jewellery by insured courier collection or Royal Mail Special Delivery, and you are paid by bank transfer after inspection. Listing it yourself on a marketplace means handling buyers and postage.
What is the best website or app to sell jewellery?
It depends on the piece. eBay and Facebook Marketplace suit private sales if you will handle buyers, payment and postage. Etsy accepts vintage pieces at least 20 years old. For antique, signed or gem-set jewellery, a specialist buyer's website gives a free valuation from photographs and buys outright.
Can I sell jewellery for cash?
Some shops pay cash, but bank transfer is safer: it is traceable, usually arrives the same day and means you do not carry money home. Businesses taking large cash payments must register under the Money Laundering Regulations, so many buyers, Mozeris included, pay by bank transfer only, the same day.
Is it safe to sell jewellery by post?
Yes, when the parcel is insured, tracked and signed for and the buyer values it before you commit. Use the buyer's insured courier collection or Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, not ordinary or Signed For post, and choose a buyer who returns the piece free if you decline the offer.
How do I post jewellery safely?
Wrap each piece separately, pack small boxes inside a larger plain box and fill the gaps. Send it by an insured courier collection or Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, keep the receipt and tracking number, and photograph the parcel before sealing it. Do not write jewellery on the outside.
How can I tell if a jewellery buyer is legitimate?
Look for a real address you can visit, a named team, independent reviews on Google, a written valuation for each piece and payment by bank transfer on a stated day. Be wary of cash-only offers, lump sums with no description, return charges and pressure to accept straight away.
What ID do I need to sell jewellery or gold?
Legitimate buyers usually ask for photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, and sometimes proof of address. Businesses taking large cash payments must check identity under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, and responsible buyers check ID on every purchase. Being asked is a good sign.
Is it better to sell jewellery in person or online?
Both can be safe. Selling online or by post to a specialist suits anyone far from a buyer, provided the parcel is insured. Selling in person suits sellers who want to hand the piece over themselves, at a business address and by appointment. Selling privately to strangers carries the most risk.
How do I sell a watch safely?
Keep the box, papers, receipts and spare links together, photograph the dial, case back and serial, and do not service or polish the watch first. Get free valuations from specialist buyers, send it by insured and tracked post or sell by appointment, and take payment by bank transfer.
What is the safest way to get paid for jewellery?
Bank transfer. It is traceable, usually arrives the same day by Faster Payments, and means you never carry cash. If you sell privately, wait until the money has cleared in your own account before you hand the jewellery over, and never accept a payment screenshot as proof.
Sell safely with Mozeris
Free valuation from photos, free insured collection, paid the same day after inspection. Rated 5.0 on Google, buying since 2015.
- Free valuation from photos, within one working day
- Paid the same day after inspection
- Insured in transit, at our cost
- Mayfair and Braintree by appointment
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