Ring hallmark lost - help!

Cazziemojo1975

Hi all
I bought a white gold diamond ring (11 diamonds) from Walton's of Chester around 14 years ago for around £500 . I now want to sell it, but when I took it for valuation at a local jewellers was told it was only worth scrap value (maybe around £40!) as there is no hallmark. I had it resized a few years back and can only assume that the hallmark was removed at the time - I wouldn't have noticed as I knew nothing about them then.
Anyway, my question is - is there a method by which I can have the true value of the ring assessed or get the hallmark back? Or any other ideas? I want to let go of the ring for personal reasons but it really grieves me to make such a loss .

Cheers for any help :beer:

chris_n_tj

You can send it back to have it restamped at the assay office x

Cazziemojo1975

Thanks Chris - do you mean send it back to the jewellers where I got it resized (it was a few years back now and I have no record/ receipt) or actually take it to an assay office and they will be able to analyse it independently and re hallmark? Sorry - have no idea about all this.

System

The Assay Office will restamp the hallmark in this item, you can arrange this direct or you can speak to any local jewellers about this. I know that Ernest Jones, Leslie Davis & H Samuels can all help with this.

soolin

Having it re assayed though can be very expensive- and if it is likely to be scapped you may not end up with more money at the end of it anyway.

Cybi-Ping

If you're sure it is genuine then its worth paying to have it re-hallmarked. You send it off and they test the quality, then hallmark it accordingly.

http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/send_hallmarking.html

Cazziemojo1975

thanks for all the advice. I've just been looking on ebay at a similar ring and it is priced at only £280! I think it might not be worth my while having it assayed - looks like it costs at least £140 +VAT. Not sure if the diamond quality may be different and that could be the reason for the lower price of the ebay ring, but that doesn't seem to be covered by the assay office anyway. I know the jewellers in my local town said the market is a bit flooded with similar rings at the mo - may be the reason.

Anyway, I think I will just keep hold of it and my old wedding ring and when the gold price goes back up sell for scrap. Ho hum!

xx