Why a Ring with a Big Cheap Stone Could Be Well Worth Recycling Anyway

Recycle and Refine GoldRecycle Precious Metals
Written By Barry Lenson

If you like to hunt for old gold jewelry that’s worth recycling, chances are you have seen some items that match this description . . .

“It’s an old ring that’s just a piece of costume jewelry. It’s got a big fake stone in it that’s probably just made of glass. Why should I pay attention to it, when it’s probably worthless?”

But not so fast. Before you ignore that ring, here are some reasons why it just might contain gold that’s worth recycling . . . in fact, you might be able to buy that ring for just a dollar or less and double or triple your investment.

Why Is Old Gold-Plated Costume Jewelry Worth Buying?

One reason is that times have changed. If you come across an inexpensive gold-toned or gold-plated piece of costume jewelry that was made in the last few years, chances are it contains a tiny quantity of gold that is not worth recycling at all.

But if that item you are looking at was made 20, 30 or more years ago, that might not be the case. Gold was cheaper back then, and it was not uncommon for manufacturers of costume jewelry to mount cheap stones in rings that were plated with real gold. They wouldn’t do that today but back then, they did.

Please note that you will rarely find fake stones mounted in gold rings that are made of solid 14, 28, or 24-karat gold – even older rings. That just didn’t make sense, even in earlier years when gold was less costly. But you can find old gold-plated rings today that contain enough gold to recycle profitably.

If You Want to Make Money in Old Gold-Plated Costume Jewelry, Here’s What to Look For . .

  • Look for stampings that say something like, “14K Gold Plated.” Not all gold-plated pieces of costume jewelry have markings like that, but some do.

  • Look at original boxes and packaging if they are present. In years past, some jewelry manufacturers’ packing materials indicated the metallic content of their products. You might find a tag in a packaging box, for example, that says. “Plated with 14K Gold,” even though there is no marking on the piece of jewelry itself.

  • Try to buy in quantity. One gold-plated ring (or tie tack, tie bar, or another item) might contain only, say, half a dollar’s worth of gold. But obviously, the more items you can buy, the more money you stand to make by recycling. Plus, you stand a better chance of bargaining on price if you offer to buy a whole tray of old gold-plated rings.

How Do You Know the Value of Your Purchases?

Simple answer! Call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners at 800-426-2344. We’re here to test the precious metal items you find and to quickly issue a report of what they contain and of their value.

So our message to you in today’s post is, don’t let big fake gemstones keep you from investing in costume jewelry that you could profit from. Call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners to learn more!

Barry Lenson
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