Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Gemstone Jewelry in San Diego
Where can I sell gemstone jewelry in San Diego?
You can sell gemstone jewelry in person at any Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers & Jewelry Buyers location in San Diego County. Our buying offices are located on San Diego Avenue near the airport, in La Mesa, Oceanside, and Solana Beach.
What types of gemstone jewelry do you buy?
We purchase gemstone jewelry set in precious metals, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and estate jewelry. We evaluate pieces containing both precious and semi-precious gemstones.
What gemstones do you buy?
We may buy jewelry containing a wide variety of gemstones, including diamonds, colored diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, topaz, peridot, tourmaline, tanzanite, spinel, alexandrite, jade, opal, turquoise, onyx, coral, morganite, quartz, and more.
Do you buy estate and inherited gemstone jewelry?
Yes. We purchase estate jewelry, vintage pieces, inherited jewelry, and gemstone jewelry that you no longer wear or want to keep. Each item is evaluated individually by an experienced Jewelry Buyer.
Do you buy vintage gemstone jewelry?
Yes. Vintage gemstone jewelry can be evaluated when the gemstones are set in precious metals. The age, gemstones, precious metals, and overall characteristics of the jewelry are considered during the evaluation.
Do you buy broken or unwanted gemstone jewelry?
Gemstone jewelry does not necessarily need to be in perfect condition to be evaluated. If you have gemstone jewelry you no longer want, bring it in for an in-person evaluation to determine what it may be worth.
How much is my gemstone jewelry worth?
The value of gemstone jewelry depends on factors such as the gemstone, precious metal, and characteristics of the individual item. Our Jewelry Buyers evaluate your jewelry in person and provide an offer based on their assessment.
How do you determine the value of gemstone jewelry?
Our Jewelry Buyers evaluate the jewelry in person, considering the gemstones and precious metal setting along with the characteristics of the individual piece. Evaluations are completed transparently in front of you. We hope to restore gemstone jewelry to its best condition and add it to our showroom collections to find a new home.
Do you evaluate the gemstone separately from the jewelry?
Our evaluation considers the gemstone jewelry as a whole, including the gemstone and precious metal setting. For lab-grown gemstones, offers are typically based on the value of the precious metal setting rather than the gemstone itself.
Do you buy lab-grown gemstone jewelry?
Yes. We accept lab-grown diamond and gemstone jewelry. However, lab-grown gemstones generally do not retain value in the same way natural gemstones do. Offers on lab-grown pieces are typically based on the value of the precious metal setting.
Do lab-grown gemstones have resale value?
Lab-grown gemstones generally do not retain resale value in the same way natural gemstones do. As a result, the gemstone itself typically does not contribute to the offer in the same way a natural gemstone may.
Do you buy loose gemstones?
We evaluate loose gemstones only in select cases. We may purchase loose fine rubies, sapphires, and emeralds that are over 1.00 carat in weight. Gemstones that do not meet these criteria are typically evaluated only when they are set in jewelry.
What loose gemstones do you buy?
We can purchase loose fine rubies, sapphires, and emeralds that weigh more than 1.00 carat. Other loose gemstones are typically only evaluated when they are set in jewelry.
Do I need a GIA certificate to sell a loose gemstone?
No. A GIA certificate is not required to have an eligible loose ruby, sapphire, or emerald evaluated. However, a GIA certificate can assist with the evaluation process.
Can I sell gemstone jewelry without an appointment?
Yes. No appointment is necessary. You can walk into any of our San Diego County buying offices during office hours for a complimentary evaluation.
Is the gemstone jewelry evaluation free?
Yes. We provide complimentary evaluations of gemstone jewelry at our San Diego County buying offices.
Do I have to sell my gemstone jewelry after getting an offer?
No. There is no obligation to sell. Our evaluations are provided without pressure, allowing you to decide whether you want to accept the offer.
Is it safe to sell gemstone jewelry to a local buyer?
Our gemstone jewelry evaluations and transactions are conducted privately and securely at our San Diego County buying offices. Evaluations are completed transparently in front of you.
Can I sell several pieces of gemstone jewelry at once?
Yes. You can bring multiple pieces of gemstone jewelry to one of our buying offices. Our Jewelry Buyers can evaluate your items in person and explain the offer for the jewelry.
Can I sell gemstone jewelry that I inherited?
Yes. We purchase inherited gemstone jewelry and estate pieces. If you have jewelry from an estate or inherited collection that you are considering selling, you can bring it to one of our buying offices for a complimentary evaluation.
