Why Sell Jewellery by Post with an Insured Service?
Our home-visit valuation service has served clients across Dorset and the South Coast for over two decades, but we recognised that many people further afield deserved access to the same professional expertise. That is why we developed a fully insured postal selling service, extending our trusted approach to every corner of the United Kingdom.
The biggest concern people have about selling jewellery by post is straightforward: what if something goes wrong? Our service addresses this directly with comprehensive insurance from the moment you post your items, combined with a no-risk guarantee that places every protection on your side. If you decide not to sell, your items come back free of charge. No questions, no fees.
Whether you are looking to sell gold, sell watches, sell gemstones and diamonds, or part with inherited pieces, our postal service provides the same meticulous valuation standards that have earned us thousands of satisfied customers across Dorset and Hampshire.
How the Insured Postal Service Works Step by Step
Step 1: Get in Touch for a Preliminary Assessment
Contact us by phone, WhatsApp, or through the contact form on our website. Our team will discuss your items, provide rough estimates based on your descriptions, and answer any questions about the process. If you send photographs via WhatsApp, we can give you estimated value ranges before you commit to posting anything.
Step 2: Receive Your Free Posting Pack
Once you decide to proceed, we send a comprehensive posting pack within 24 hours. This includes padded packaging with protective foam inserts, a tamper-evident sealing system, a pre-printed Royal Mail Special Delivery label (fully tracked and insured), and a valuation request form where you can describe each item and note any relevant history.
Step 3: Package and Post Your Items
Wrap each piece individually in the provided materials, complete the valuation form, and hand your sealed package directly to Post Office staff. Keep your Special Delivery receipt and tracking number. We will confirm receipt via text or email as soon as your items arrive at our secure facility.
Step 4: Professional Assessment and Valuation
Our expert team begins processing your items within one hour of receipt. Every piece is photographed, logged into our secure system, and assigned a unique tracking number. The assessment uses the same professional testing equipment we bring to home visits -- acid testing kits, electronic gold testers, and specialist tools. This includes electronic purity testing, precision weight measurements to 0.01 grams, gemstone evaluation where applicable, and market research for unusual or vintage pieces. Each item is assessed individually, and we look for maker, age, and condition premiums above scrap value.
Step 5: Your Offer and Decision
Within 24 hours of receiving your items, you will receive a detailed valuation with individual prices for each piece. You then have several options: accept the entire offer, accept for selected items only, request further information, or decline and request a free return. Offers remain valid throughout a comfortable consideration period, and you are welcome to call with additional questions at any time.
Step 6: Payment or Free Return
If you accept, we process an immediate bank transfer or arrange cash payment -- no waiting. Our pricing is transparent and based on live London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) prices, so you can be confident you are receiving a fair offer. To understand how we arrive at gold offers specifically, see our guide on how we calculate gold cash offers. Payment confirmation is sent before items are released from our secure facility, and you receive comprehensive documentation for your records.
If you decline for any reason, your items are repacked with the same care as when received and returned via Special Delivery at our expense, fully insured for the return journey.
Three-Tier Insurance Coverage Explained
The cornerstone of our postal service is a comprehensive insurance system that protects your items at every stage.
Transit insurance covers your items for their full declared value from the moment Royal Mail Special Delivery collects them until they arrive at our facility. This is not standard postal insurance — it is comprehensive coverage specifically designed for precious items.
Processing insurance protects your items while in our possession. Our professional indemnity insurance covers any handling, testing, or storage incidents, however unlikely.
Return insurance covers your items for their full value during the return journey if you choose not to sell, completely free of charge.
Who Benefits Most from the Postal Service?
Our insured postal service is particularly well suited to several groups of sellers.
People outside our home-visit area can access professional valuation standards regardless of location. Whether you live in Scotland, Wales, Northern England, or any region beyond the South Coast, you receive the same expert assessment.
Busy professionals whose schedules make daytime appointments difficult find the flexibility of postal selling convenient. You can package and post items whenever it suits you.
Privacy-conscious clients appreciate the discretion of postal transactions. Only you and our professional team need know about the sale, making this ideal for inheritances, relationship changes, or anyone who prefers confidentiality.
People with mobility challenges benefit from a service that removes the need to travel with valuable items. Everything is handled from your home, with Royal Mail collecting from your local Post Office.
Same Professional Standards, Wherever You Are
Despite the remote nature of postal assessment, we maintain identical professional standards to our acclaimed home-visit service. The same expert valuers who conduct home visits assess postal submissions using the same testing equipment and procedures. Electronic gold testing systems provide precise purity readings, professional gemological loupes and microscopes examine fine details, precision scales measure to 0.01 grams, and diamond testing equipment verifies authenticity.
Every item receives individual attention, professional photography, and detailed documentation. Our double-checking procedures include independent verification of weights and purity tests, second opinions on unusual or high-value pieces, and management review of significant transactions.
When a Home Visit Might Be Better
While our postal service suits many situations, our home-visit service remains the preferred option for certain circumstances. Complex estate situations where family dynamics benefit from personal guidance, very high-value collections requiring enhanced security, and cases where you want to observe testing in real time and ask questions as the valuation proceeds are all better served face-to-face.
Some clients successfully combine both approaches: an initial postal assessment for preliminary evaluation, followed by a home visit for final decisions on particularly valuable or sentimental pieces. Our home visit guide explains exactly what to expect when our team visits you.
Start Selling Jewellery by Post Today
Our insured postal service transforms idle jewellery into immediate value while ensuring you remain completely protected throughout. Whether you have a single piece or an entire collection, from simple gold chains to silver cutlery and silverware, diamond rings, luxury watches, or antique pieces, every item receives professional assessment with absolutely no risk on your part. Even broken or unwanted gold has value that our experts can unlock.
With precious metal prices at historically strong levels in 2026, there has never been a better time to discover what your unworn jewellery could be worth. Your free posting pack is just a phone call away.
Get in touch to request your free posting pack or learn more about how our process works. With over two decades of specialist experience and enhanced DBS-checked staff, South Coast Jewellers extends trusted expertise nationwide through a fully insured, zero-risk postal service. If you are within our areas we cover -- including Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, and the New Forest -- a free home visit may be even more convenient.