How to Get the Highest Price for Gold Jewelry

Determine the current spot price of gold. The spot price of gold is the current price, per ounce, at which gold is trading on either the London or New York market. It is easily found online at sites such as kitco.com, where the price is updated by the minute.

Identify the jewelry you are trying to sell. To get the most for your jewelry, you first must know what the jewelry is. Take note of the gold's fineness, or the karat, which typically ranges from 10K (41.7 percent gold) to 24 (100 percent gold). Also note if the piece is signed by a prominent design house such as Tiffany &Co. or Bulgari. Finally, take note of any gemstones.

Find a reputable dealer. Armed with the current price of gold and with the knowledge of what your jewelry is, find a reputable dealer by using a directory, such as a phone book. Call and let the dealer know what you have, and ask if he is buying jewelry and what price he pays by the gram for gold jewelry of your karat purity. Check with several dealers to compare.

See if you can sell retail yourself. Putting ads on Internet bulletin boards such as craigslist.org or listing an item on ebay.com is a way to attract retail buyers who will likely pay more than a dealer for your item. When listing, use plenty of pictures, and include the weight of the piece of gold jewelry in grams in your listing.