Selling 22K gold jewelry: what Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian gold is worth (and how to get a fair price)
A lot of the gold that comes across our counter in San Francisco and Houston doesn’t look like the 14K chains you find at an American mall jewelry store. It’s deeper in color, softer to the touch, and often handmade. Bangles from India. A heavy necklace from a wedding in Pakistan or Bangladesh. A bracelet […]
Platinum or white gold? How to tell what your ring is made of (and why platinum isn’t always worth more)
Here’s a fact that surprises almost everyone who sits down at our counter with a platinum ring: right now, an ounce of platinum is worth far less than an ounce of gold. As I write this in late September 2026, gold is around $4,380 an ounce. Platinum is around $1,800. That’s less than half. Most […]
Selling a luxury watch: when it’s worth more as a watch, and when it’s worth more as gold
A watch is the one thing we buy where the metal can be the least important part of the price. With a gold chain, the math is simple. Karat, weight, spot price. With a watch, you’re dealing with two completely separate kinds of value that sometimes point in opposite directions. A stainless steel Rolex has […]
Sterling silver or silver-plated? How to tell what’s in your flatware drawer (and what it’s worth right now)
Every fall, a certain kind of question starts showing up at our counter. Someone is getting ready to host Thanksgiving. They open the dining room buffet for the first time in a year, and there it is: the wooden chest with the silverware their mother or grandmother pulled out for every holiday. Nobody has polished […]
Dental gold: the valuable metal most people throw in the trash
Somewhere in a bathroom drawer, a sandwich bag, or a small envelope tucked inside a nightstand, there’s a good chance you have money sitting around that you don’t know about. Maybe your dentist handed you an old crown after replacing it. Maybe a family member passed away and you found some dental work in their […]
How to tell if your jewelry is real gold or gold-plated (and why it matters more than you think)
You’re standing over your dresser, holding a necklace your aunt gave you in 1997. It looks gold. It feels heavy enough. But is it actually gold, or is it a $4 chain with a thin yellow coating? This question matters a lot more now than it did five years ago. Gold is trading around $4,300 […]
Buyers of Gold and Silver Near Me: How to Get the Best Deal in 2025
Look, I've been in this business for over 15 years, and I can tell you right now – 2025 is absolutely the time to be thinking about selling your gold and silver. With prices hitting levels we haven't seen in decades, your old jewelry box might be sitting on a goldmine (pun totally intended). But […]
Estate Gold vs. Modern Jewelry vs. Scrap Metal: Which Pays More in Today's Market?
Look, after 15+ years of buying precious metals in the Bay Area, I can't tell you how many times someone walks into our shop with a mixed bag of items and asks, "What's going to get me the most money?" It's honestly one of the smartest questions you can ask , because not all gold […]
Estate Gold vs. Modern Jewelry vs. Scrap Metal: Which Pays More in Today's Market?
Look, after 15+ years of buying precious metals in the Bay Area, I can't tell you how many times someone walks into our shop with a mixed bag of items and asks, "What's going to get me the most money?" It's honestly one of the smartest questions you can ask , because not all gold […]
7 Wealth Protection Mistakes You're Making with Precious Metals (And How to Fix Them)
Look, I've been in this business for over 15 years, and honestly? I still see smart people making the same costly mistakes with their precious metals investments. It breaks my heart when someone comes to us after getting burned because they thought they were protecting their wealth, but instead they were actually putting it at […]