Antique Jewellery Appraisal Online
Upload photographs of your antique jewellery and receive a researched written appraisal covering its apparent age, period, materials, gemstones, hallmarks, construction, condition and estimated current market value.
How It Works
From Georgian and Victorian pieces through to Edwardian and Art Deco jewellery, each item is individually reviewed using the photographs and information you provide.
Upload Your Jewellery
Send clear photographs of the front, reverse and sides, together with close-ups of hallmarks, maker's marks, gemstones, clasps, settings and other important details.
We Research & Appraise
We assess the apparent period, style, materials, gemstones, construction, hallmarks and condition before researching relevant current market evidence.
Receive Your PDF
Your completed appraisal is supplied as a clear PDF report by email, normally within 48 hours once we have the information required to assess your piece.
What You'll Receive
Period, construction and historical jewellery characteristics are considered alongside the intrinsic materials.
Your jewellery is individually reviewed and researched rather than valued using a generic automated calculator.
Where a gemstone, metal or attribution requires physical testing, this limitation will be made clear.
Choose Your Appraisal Package
Select the package that matches the number of pieces you would like us to assess.
Selecting a package will open a short appraisal form below it. Tell us about your jewellery and upload clear photographs of the piece, hallmarks and any other relevant details. Once complete, select Continue to Checkout to securely purchase your appraisal.
Single Item Appraisal
Two Item Appraisal
3–5 Item Appraisal
Antique Jewellery Appraisal Online
An old ring discovered in a jewellery box can be difficult to understand from appearance alone. The same is true of an inherited brooch, a gold locket bearing unfamiliar hallmarks or a diamond piece that has been in a family for generations. Age is only one part of the picture. Identifying and valuing antique jewellery requires the piece to be considered as a complete object.
Our antique jewellery appraisal online service provides a researched assessment from detailed photographs and information supplied by you. We consider the apparent period and style, precious metal, gemstones, hallmarks, construction, condition and current market for comparable jewellery before preparing your written PDF appraisal.
The service can be used for antique rings, brooches, pendants, lockets, bracelets, bangles, necklaces, earrings and other period jewellery, from relatively simple gold pieces to more complicated gem-set examples.
What Is Considered Antique Jewellery?
The word antique is often used loosely in jewellery descriptions. A genuinely old piece should not be dated simply because it looks antique or has acquired surface wear.
Period attribution is better approached by considering several forms of evidence together: design, manufacturing methods, gemstone cuts, settings, precious metals, hallmarks, clasps and fittings.
This is particularly important because historic jewellery styles have repeatedly returned to fashion. A ring made in an Art Deco style, for example, is not necessarily an original Art Deco ring.
Periods of Antique Jewellery
Georgian Jewellery
Surviving Georgian jewellery can include closed-back settings, foiled gemstones, old diamond cuts, mourning jewellery and highly distinctive hand construction.
Victorian Jewellery
The long Victorian era produced an enormous range of jewellery, from sentimental and mourning pieces to diamond rings, lockets, brooches, snake jewellery and colourful gem-set designs.
Edwardian Jewellery
Fine Edwardian jewellery is particularly associated with delicate construction, platinum, diamonds, milgrain and light lace-like designs.
Art Deco Jewellery
Art Deco jewellery is known for geometry, symmetry and strong contrasts, with platinum, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies and onyx frequently encountered in fine examples.
How Antique Jewellery Is Appraised
An antique jewellery valuation should not begin and end with the weight of the gold or the estimated carat weight of the gemstones.
A period jewel is a combination of materials, craftsmanship, design and history. Two rings containing similar amounts of gold and diamonds can have substantially different market values if one is an original period piece of exceptional quality and the other is a later or heavily altered example.
Factors we may consider include:
- Apparent age and period
- Overall design and style
- Precious metal
- Hallmarks and maker's marks
- Gemstones
- Diamond cutting styles
- Construction techniques
- Originality
- Condition
- Repairs and alterations
- Maker or designer where identifiable
- Provenance where supported by evidence
- Rarity and collector appeal
- Relevant current market evidence
Dating Antique Jewellery
Dating old jewellery is often a process of assembling clues rather than finding one feature that gives an immediate answer.
A hallmark can sometimes provide unusually precise evidence. In other cases, a piece may be unmarked and its likely period has to be assessed from its construction, settings, fittings, gemstone cuts and design.
The more independent features that point towards the same period, the stronger the attribution can become.
Hallmarks on Antique Jewellery
Hallmarks are among the most useful details to photograph when requesting an antique jewellery appraisal online.
Depending on the country and marking system, marks may provide information concerning precious-metal fineness, assay office, manufacturer or sponsor and sometimes date.
They can appear inside a ring shank, behind a brooch, around a pendant fitting, on a bracelet clasp or in another relatively discreet part of the jewel.
Marks should nevertheless be interpreted alongside the jewellery itself. Repairs, replacement components and later alterations can complicate the picture.
Maker's Marks and Signatures
A maker's mark can sometimes transform the importance of a piece, particularly where the jewellery can be securely attributed to a sought-after designer or jewellery house.
But a signature should never be treated in isolation. Its form, placement and apparent age should make sense in relation to the construction and quality of the jewellery.
Unsigned antique jewellery can also be highly valuable. Many beautifully made period pieces were never signed by a famous maker.
Antique Gold Jewellery Appraisal
Gold jewellery has been made in numerous finenesses and alloys. British antique pieces may carry traditional carat marks or full hallmark sequences, while jewellery made elsewhere may use different systems.
The metal value can provide a useful baseline for some pieces, but an antique jewel should not automatically be treated as scrap gold.
A well-made Victorian ring, rare locket, gem-set brooch or signed period jewel can derive a substantial part of its value from the complete object rather than its gold content alone.
Antique Platinum Jewellery
Platinum became particularly important in fine jewellery around the turn of the twentieth century and during the Edwardian and Art Deco periods.
Its strength allowed jewellers to create extremely fine settings and openwork structures while securely holding diamonds and gemstones.
Delicate platinum construction can therefore be an important characteristic when assessing some Edwardian and Art Deco jewellery.
Antique Silver Jewellery
Not all valuable antique jewellery is gold or platinum. Silver was used for a wide range of jewellery and was also historically employed in some diamond settings.
A silver jewel may therefore deserve assessment as an antique object rather than simply being valued according to its metal weight.
Gemstones in Antique Jewellery
Gemstones can account for a significant proportion of a jewel's value, but identifying and valuing old stones can be complicated.
Antique jewellery may contain diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, opals, garnets, amethysts, aquamarines, pearls, turquoise and many other materials.
Natural and synthetic stones can both occur in older jewellery, and treatments can have a substantial effect on value in certain gemstones.
Photographs can provide useful information about colour, visible characteristics, cut, setting and approximate dimensions, but they cannot reliably establish every gemstone's natural or synthetic origin, treatment history or geographic origin. Where those questions could materially affect value, physical gemmological or laboratory testing may be recommended.
Old-Cut Diamonds
Antique diamond jewellery can contain cuts that look noticeably different from the modern round brilliant.
Old mine cuts, old European cuts, rose cuts, single cuts and transitional diamonds may all be encountered depending on the age and nature of the piece.
These diamonds should not automatically be judged as poorly cut modern stones. Their proportions reflect different periods of diamond cutting and can form an important part of the character and collectability of antique jewellery.
Old Mine Cut Diamonds
Old mine cut diamonds are strongly associated with nineteenth-century jewellery, although dating an entire jewel from one diamond cut alone would be unreliable.
They commonly have a more cushion-like outline than later round cuts, together with proportions and facet arrangements characteristic of earlier cutting methods.
Large or particularly attractive old mine cut diamonds can contribute significantly to the value of an antique ring, brooch or pendant.
Old European Cut Diamonds
Old European cut diamonds represent an important stage in the development of the round brilliant.
They are frequently encountered in jewellery from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and are especially relevant when appraising Victorian, Edwardian and early twentieth-century diamond pieces.
Rose-Cut Diamonds
Rose cuts have a very different structure from brilliant-cut diamonds, with a faceted domed upper surface rather than the familiar modern brilliant arrangement.
They can occur in Georgian, Victorian and other historic jewellery and should be assessed in the context of the setting and period in which they were used.
Antique Sapphire Jewellery
Sapphires feature prominently in antique jewellery, particularly in rings and sapphire-and-diamond combinations.
Colour, size, clarity, cut and apparent quality can all influence value. However, two particularly important questions — treatment and geographic origin — generally require more than photographs to establish reliably.
Claims such as Kashmir, Burmese or Ceylon origin should therefore not be made from appearance alone where no appropriate supporting evidence exists.
Antique Ruby Jewellery
Rubies occur in everything from small Victorian accent stones to important centre stones in fine period jewellery.
Natural versus synthetic origin and treatment can make a substantial difference to the value of a significant ruby, meaning laboratory testing can become worthwhile for potentially important stones.
Antique Emerald Jewellery
Emeralds require particularly careful consideration because visible inclusions are common and treatment is widespread.
Colour, transparency, size, cut, condition and the quality of the complete jewel all contribute to value. Important origin or treatment conclusions may require a recognised gemmological laboratory.
Antique Opal Jewellery
Opals were particularly popular during parts of the Victorian and Edwardian periods and can appear in rings, brooches, pendants and other jewellery.
The type of opal, play-of-colour, body colour, pattern, condition and whether the stone is solid or assembled can all be relevant when assessing the piece.
Pearls in Antique Jewellery
Pearls frequently appear in antique jewellery, including delicate Edwardian pieces and Victorian brooches, rings and pendants.
The distinction between natural, cultured and imitation pearls can be extremely important. Photographs alone cannot always establish this reliably, particularly for significant pearls where specialist testing may be justified.
Condition and Originality
Antique jewellery has survived decades or even centuries of wear, repair and changing fashion. Expecting every piece to remain untouched is unrealistic.
What matters is the nature and extent of any alteration.
Condition issues can include:
- Worn claws or settings
- Missing gemstones
- Replacement stones
- Chips and abrasions
- Old solder repairs
- Replacement clasps
- Resized ring shanks
- Later rhodium plating
- Converted brooches or pendants
- Missing components
- Heavy polishing
Some repairs have little effect on the desirability of an otherwise excellent jewel. Extensive alteration can have a much greater impact, particularly where an important piece has lost much of its original construction.
Converted Antique Jewellery
Conversion is common in antique jewellery. Brooches become pendants, earrings are made from larger jewels, stick pins become rings and redundant components are incorporated into new settings.
A conversion does not automatically make a piece undesirable. In some cases it has been carried out sympathetically and allows an otherwise unworn antique element to remain usable.
For valuation purposes, however, understanding what appears original and what appears later can be important.
Provenance and Family History
Family history can provide useful context, particularly if it helps establish when a jewel entered a collection.
There is nevertheless an important distinction between a family story and documented provenance.
Original receipts, fitted boxes, historic photographs, wills, letters, earlier appraisals and other documentation can strengthen provenance. An unsupported story should not be presented as established fact.
Fitted Boxes
An original fitted box can be a useful addition to an antique jewel, especially when it bears the name of a retailer or maker associated with the piece.
A box by itself does not prove that the jewellery originally belonged in it, but a convincing original pairing can add historical context and sometimes desirability.
Signed and Designer Antique Jewellery
Some of the largest differences in value occur when jewellery can be confidently attributed to an important maker.
Design, workmanship, signatures, serial numbers and provenance may all become relevant when researching such a piece.
Particularly important signed jewellery may justify specialist authentication or physical examination before a definitive commercial decision is made.
What Makes Antique Jewellery Valuable?
There is no single formula.
Age alone does not guarantee value, just as a heavy gold weight does not guarantee that a piece is merely worth its scrap value.
A valuable antique jewel may combine:
- Fine gemstones
- Desirable old-cut diamonds
- High-quality craftsmanship
- A sought-after historical period
- Strong original design
- A recognised maker
- Good condition
- High originality
- Rarity
- Provenance
- Current collector demand
Is Antique Jewellery Worth More Than Scrap?
It certainly can be.
Scrap value considers the recoverable precious metal. It does not adequately account for period design, diamonds, coloured gemstones, craftsmanship, rarity or collector demand.
An antique jewel should therefore be assessed as a complete piece before anyone considers dismantling or scrapping it.
How Is the Market Value Researched?
Valuation requires context. A useful comparison should resemble the jewellery being assessed in meaningful ways rather than simply sharing one characteristic.
Relevant market evidence may be considered alongside period, materials, gemstones, condition, maker, design and the type of market in which comparable jewellery is being offered or sold.
Dealer retail prices, auction results and private-sale expectations can differ because they represent different markets and levels of service.
Why Online Prices Can Be Misleading
Searching for a similar-looking ring or brooch can produce prices ranging from very little to many thousands of pounds.
The visual resemblance may hide substantial differences in gemstone quality, diamond weight, precious metal, age, maker, condition or authenticity.
An asking price also tells you what a seller hopes to receive; it does not necessarily demonstrate what an equivalent item has actually sold for.
Inherited Antique Jewellery Appraisal
Inherited jewellery is one of the most common reasons for seeking an appraisal.
The original owner may have known exactly what the piece was, but that information can disappear as jewellery passes through generations.
An appraisal can help establish what the piece appears to be, approximately when it was made, which characteristics are important and how it fits into the current market.
Antique Jewellery Appraisal Before Selling
Understanding a piece before selling can prevent valuable period jewellery from being treated purely as gold and gemstones.
It can also help determine what type of selling route may be appropriate. An ordinary gold ring and a rare signed Art Deco jewel are unlikely to be best served by exactly the same market.
How to Photograph Antique Jewellery for an Online Appraisal
Good photographs make a considerable difference to the amount of information that can be extracted remotely.
For most pieces, provide:
- A clear photograph of the entire front
- A photograph of the complete reverse
- Side views
- Close-ups of all gemstones
- Every hallmark
- Maker's marks or signatures
- Clasp, hinge or pin mechanisms
- The underside of gemstone settings
- Any visible damage or repairs
- A photograph showing scale where useful
Measurements and weight should also be supplied where possible.
A hallmark hidden inside a ring, the construction of a brooch hinge or a clear view beneath a gemstone may provide more dating information than another photograph of the front of the piece. Photograph the jewellery as an object, not just as something decorative.
Should I Clean Antique Jewellery Before Appraisal?
Avoid aggressive cleaning or polishing before the piece has been properly assessed.
Old settings can be delicate, some gemstones are sensitive to particular cleaning methods, and heavy polishing can remove surface detail that forms part of the jewellery's character.
If you are unsure, submit photographs in its existing condition first.
Can Antique Jewellery Be Accurately Appraised Online?
A great deal can be learned remotely when detailed photographs, measurements, marks and background information are available.
Online assessment is particularly useful for period attribution, design, construction, visible condition, hallmark research and market research.
There are nevertheless questions that photographs cannot answer with certainty.
Precious-metal composition may require testing when marks are absent. Important gemstones may require gemmological examination to establish identity or treatment, while claims concerning geographic origin can require specialist laboratory analysis.
A responsible online appraisal should identify these limitations rather than pretending they do not exist.
When Is Laboratory Testing Worthwhile?
Laboratory testing is not necessary for every piece of antique jewellery.
For an important sapphire, ruby, emerald, diamond or pearl, however, information that cannot be established remotely may have a substantial effect on value.
In these circumstances, the appraisal may recommend further testing rather than making an unsupported assumption.
Antique Jewellery Appraisal FAQs
Can you appraise antique jewellery online?
Yes. Clear photographs and supporting information can allow a detailed assessment of the apparent period, design, hallmarks, construction, gemstones, condition and current market context. Where physical testing is required, this will be stated.
How do I know how old my jewellery is?
Age can be investigated using hallmarks, maker's marks, construction, settings, fittings, gemstone cuts and design. The strongest dating conclusions normally come from several characteristics supporting the same period.
Can you appraise jewellery with no hallmarks?
Yes. The absence of hallmarks does not prevent an appraisal. Construction, style, fittings, gemstone cuts and other details can still provide useful evidence, although the exact precious-metal composition may require physical testing.
Can you identify gemstones from photographs?
Photographs can provide useful information about visible characteristics, colour, cut and setting, but some gemstone identifications and important questions concerning treatment, natural or synthetic origin and geographic origin require physical or laboratory testing.
Can you appraise inherited jewellery?
Yes. Inherited rings, brooches, necklaces, lockets, bracelets, earrings and other jewellery can all be submitted, even where little or nothing is known about their history.
Can you value Victorian jewellery?
Yes. Victorian jewellery can be assessed for its apparent period, materials, gemstones, hallmarks, construction, condition and market value.
Can you value Edwardian jewellery?
Yes. Edwardian diamond, platinum, gold and gem-set jewellery can be assessed remotely where suitable photographs and information are available.
Can you appraise Art Deco jewellery?
Yes. Art Deco rings, brooches, bracelets, earrings, necklaces and other pieces can be assessed, including examples containing diamonds and coloured gemstones.
Does old jewellery always have hallmarks?
No. Antique jewellery can be unmarked, marks can become worn, and hallmarking practices vary by country and period. Lack of a visible hallmark does not by itself mean a piece is not antique or not made from precious metal.
Are old-cut diamonds valuable?
They can be. Value depends on factors including size, quality, cut, condition and the jewellery in which the diamond is mounted. Old mine, old European and other historic cuts can also have specific collector appeal.
Should I have antique jewellery appraised before selling it?
Understanding the age, materials and market context of a piece can be useful before selling, particularly where its value may extend well beyond its precious-metal content.
Do I need to post my jewellery to you?
No. The standard online appraisal is completed using the photographs, measurements and information you submit.
How quickly will I receive my appraisal?
Your completed PDF appraisal is normally supplied within 48 hours once all photographs and information required for the assessment have been received.