Sell Estate & Inherited Jewellery

Selling Estate & Inherited Jewellery With Care

Settling an estate or sorting through inherited jewellery is rarely just a financial task. Often it follows a loss, and the pieces in front of you carry decades of family history alongside their material worth. We understand that, and our approach to estate and inherited jewellery is built around it: unhurried, itemised, and entirely without pressure. Our role is to help you understand what a collection is genuinely worth, so that whatever you decide — keep, sell, or a bit of both — you decide it with clear information.

Inherited collections are also different from a single item you have chosen to sell. They are mixed. A typical jewellery box holds a few genuinely valuable pieces, some pleasant but modest gold, a scattering of broken oddments, and a fair amount of costume jewellery with little resale value. The skill is in telling them apart fairly — and that is exactly what an experienced valuer brings to an estate.

Period Pieces: Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco

Antique and period jewellery is valued on more than its metal weight. A Victorian seed-pearl brooch, an Edwardian garnet ring, or an Art Deco diamond clip can carry significant premium for its age, craftsmanship, and design — well above the scrap value of its gold or platinum. Equally, much "antique-looking" jewellery is modest in reality. We assess each period piece on its materials, its condition, and its genuine collectability, and we will tell you honestly where the value lies. For the history behind these eras, our guide to antique and Georgian jewellery and the provenance that drives antique value are worth a read before you sell.

Mixed Lots and Unhallmarked Heirlooms

Most estates are not neat. You may have high-carat Victorian gold next to a broken modern chain, a loose old-cut diamond rolling around the bottom of the box, and a watch nobody can date. None of this is a problem. We sort the lot, test the metals by acid or XRF where hallmarks are worn or absent, examine loose and set stones, and value each piece on its own terms. Old-mine and old-European-cut diamonds, in particular, are frequently undervalued by people who do not realise they have them — we identify and price them properly.

Estate, Probate, or Both

If you are an executor, you may need two different things: a formal valuation for inheritance-tax purposes, and an eventual sale. These are separate services. For a written market valuation suitable for HMRC, see our probate jewellery valuation page; if you simply want the best resale price for inherited pieces, this is the right service. Many families use both — a probate valuation first, then a sale of the items the family does not wish to keep. To talk through your situation, get in touch and we will guide you through the next step.