Ring / Hallmark Help

sgx.saint

Hi All,

Apologies in advance if this is the wrong forum, but I am looking at uping my income by selling off a ring I inhereted last year.

I was going to take the ring into a local jewellers to have it valued, but most want in excess of £30 to value it, and I'm just concerned that if the ring is only worth £50, then I will have spent just as much to have it valued.

The ring is gold, and has emerald stones, and as far as I am aware it is quite old, and was purchashed abroad.

I was wondering whether anyone could help identify the hallmarks, as I might just go to list it straight on eBay.

Appreciate any help!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/337010/Ring%20-Hallmark.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/337010/Ring%20Resize.jpg

Kimitatsu

From those pictures those are not emeralds but possibly aquamarines!

You need to get some sort of valuation (if you are going to ebay it then a rough guide will be half of the insurance valuation you can expect for it) because otherwise you may be selling paste stones - a common thing in antique rings.

The marks do not look like hallmarks to me, more those made by a pawnbroker to be honest. If it is foreign then they do not need to be hallmarked as they do in this country so you would do best to get it tested, so that you know what you are selling. If you dont you could either sell it massively undervalue or you could leave yourself open to an item significantly not as described case after the event.

sgx.saint

Kimitatsu wrote: »

From those pictures those are not emeralds but possibly aquamarines!

You need to get some sort of valuation (if you are going to ebay it then a rough guide will be half of the insurance valuation you can expect for it) because otherwise you may be selling paste stones - a common thing in antique rings.

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I think the flash may have made the stones look bluer than they actually are, in real life, they've very much green, and I was told when I inhereted the ring that it was emerald.

I take it aquamarines aren't worth much?

Kimitatsu

Its difficult to say, good aquamarines are worth just as much as poor emeralds if you see what I mean! Good emeralds should be a clear mossy green colour but it also depends on the carat weight of the stone, as to how much you will get for them.

Google laurelle antique jewellery, they do a lot of art deco jewellery and that will give you some ideas as to how much your ring may be worth. Their prices are pretty good and their valuations are what I term "proper market value" rather than insurance valuations.

Dont however sell the ring for scrap - you will only get the gold weight not the carat weight of the stones!

soolin

They don't look like hallmarks to me either and without a hallmark the ring cannot be sold as gold in the UK and must be described only as 'gold colour metal'.

I've been dabbling in a very minor way with jewellery, and my only other observation is the mounting of the stones suggest a low value stone as it is not a secure mount more of a costume mount.

It is however a very pretty ring and although old it is quite up to date in a retro style. It migh tbe worth finding a local Bricks and mortar auction house to give you an idea as to worth and then selling it through them. I think trying to sell this ring with no real idea what it is would be very problematic on ebay or any other venue where a buyer cannot handle and assess the ring first. A buyer handling it may well decide it is gold and pay gold prices for it, but selling online they will just see the metal description and not take a chance.

sgx.saint

Kimitatsu wrote: »

Its difficult to say, good aquamarines are worth just as much as poor emeralds if you see what I mean! Good emeralds should be a clear mossy green colour but it also depends on the carat weight of the stone, as to how much you will get for them.

Google laurelle antique jewellery, they do a lot of art deco jewellery and that will give you some ideas as to how much your ring may be worth. Their prices are pretty good and their valuations are what I term "proper market value" rather than insurance valuations.

Dont however sell the ring for scrap - you will only get the gold weight not the carat weight of the stones!

I see what you mean!

Not sure if these emeralds are that clear to be honest, but I was assured they are emeralds.

Very interested in the hallmarks, might help identify the age and carat. If anyone could perhaps help?

Had a look at the Jewellers website, not sure if I see something similar, so not sure of the value.

I suppose I could pay for a valuation, and take the risk.

soolin

sgx.saint wrote: »

I Very interested in the hallmarks, might help identify the age and carat. If anyone could perhaps help?

.

As per previous posts what can be seen from your photo suggests these are not hallmarks. To see what a real hallmark looks like see here:

http://www.gold-traders.co.uk/blog/simple-gold-hallmark-guide/

Even if you pay a jeweller to give you a valuation if he is unable to see a clear hallmark that confirms it is gold it will do you no good as it still cannot be sold as gold.
The auction house I use have a specialist jewellery auction several times a year, they will catalogue something as 'gold colour metal' but suggest to people that it may be worth having it properly assessed as in their opinion it is gold. The buyer can then take the chance if they wish but would still then need to pay for a proper metal evaluation and to have a hallmark added (where possible) before they can sell it on as gold.

Even a hallmark is unlikely to help at all with the stones.

The only thing I would add is that the guide above shows a modern ring , I don't recall ever having seen a ring with a jewellersmark (the h Samuel one) as I only look at vintage pieces.

sgx.saint

Hey,

Thanks for the replies.

So what do you all think is the best route to selling this item?

sgx.saint

Hey.

Just a wee update, I emailed one of the local jewellers, who will charge £50 to value the ring, and I asked if they could identify the hallmarks, and this is the reply I received.

"Hi sgx.saint,

The hallmark appears to be just a marking showing that it’s a 10 carat ring. Only 9 and 18 carat are usually marked in Britain so it suggests that the ring was originally made abroad or may have been purchased abroad.

I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you and hope its helpful.

Regards

J"

Still debating on the best way to sell the ring.

soolin

sgx.saint wrote: »

Hey.

Just a wee update, I emailed one of the local jewellers, who will charge £50 to value the ring, and I asked if they could identify the hallmarks, and this is the reply I received.

"Hi sgx.saint,

The hallmark appears to be just a marking showing that it’s a 10 carat ring. Only 9 and 18 carat are usually marked in Britain so it suggests that the ring was originally made abroad or may have been purchased abroad.

I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you and hope its helpful.

Regards

J"

Still debating on the best way to sell the ring.

Have you discounted my idea of a bricks and mortar auction house? If it is as pretty as it looks you may get some emotive bidding, but don't forget to check sellers fees (which will be high) before you allow them to offer the ring.

sgx.saint

soolin wrote: »

Have you discounted my idea of a bricks and mortar auction house? If it is as pretty as it looks you may get some emotive bidding, but don't forget to check sellers fees (which will be high) before you allow them to offer the ring.

Hi Soolin,

No, not discounted it all, but as I'm flying blind, the ring may only be worth £50, so I just worry whether it is worth visiting a local auction house to have it entered.

It is quite pretty, but I think is more suited to an older person, as opposed to a younger person. The ring came from my grandmother after all, and I believe was purchased abroad.

I'll have a google of some of the local auction houses in Glasgow.

I wonder how the jeweller new it was 10c gold?