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SELL YOUR JEWELRY

We are always buying beautiful antique and estate jewelry. We buy individual pieces or entire estates and collections. Our website gives you an idea of the variety and breadth of jewelry we buy.
Sell your jewelry

We can pay the highest prices because we market the jewelry directly to the end user, in our retail store and on our website, both of which attract serious buyers and collectors from all over the world.

Our dedication to professional service is reflected by our many satisfied clients. We guarantee a pleasant and successful jewelry selling experience and make every effort to find the perfect new home for your jewelry.

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WE BUY ALL TYPES OF JEWELRY INCLUDING:

Sell your jewelry

DIAMOND RINGS

We buy large and small diamond rings with an emphasis on original rings from the Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, and Mid-20th Century. We also buy modern diamonds, especially larger stones and those set into rings signed by prominent jewelers such as Tiffany & Co. and Cartier.

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GEMSTONE RINGS

Colored gemstones appear in every hue of the rainbow. We buy sapphires, rubies, emeralds, fine jade and pearls as well as virtually every other colored gemstone, providing they are of fine quality or an element of a fine piece of jewelry.

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SIGNED JEWELRY

We also seek out special vintage and estate signed peices by Tiffany & Co, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Bulgari, Buccellati, David Webb, Seamans Schepps, Marsh, Georg Jensen, Marcus & Co, Gumps, Oscar Heyman, Mikimoto, J.E. Caldwell. etc.

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OLD CUT DIAMONDS

European and Mine cuts, Asscher Cuts, Cushion Cuts, Pears, Marquise and Oval Cuts and Emerald Cuts. If you have the original mounting, we buy those too.

HOW IT WORKS

Email clear images of the back and front of your jewelry to jewelrybuyer@langantiques.com. Please make sure to include your contact details and all information you have about the piece. Appraisals and diamond certificates in particular are helpful. Please read the next sections on this page for additional details on the process, and for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Sell your jewelry Sell your jewelry Sell your jewelry

SENDING US IMAGES

Please tell us about your jewelry in your email. We would like to know the metal and the quality of diamonds and gems where applicable. Include pictures of any appraisals and lab reports you have. However, as the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Clear front and back close-up photos taken with a camera or phone will tell us a lot.

Most smart phones produce fairly clear photos, but if you want to get the best photos here are some helpful tips if using a standard camera. Use the macro feature (not zoom) and set the jewelry against a light background. Natural light is best, so try photographing your pieces near a window. Position the camera close to the jewelry to fill the screen as much as possible. Depress the shutter release halfway for auto focus, and then fully to take the picture. Use high resolution and send the pictures as JPG attachments.

If you provide clear photos and sufficient information, we can usually give you an offer estimate in advance of you sending the jewelry. If you do not have any documents, please provide a brief description including measurements.

SENDING YOUR JEWELRY

If you are interested in sending your piece(s) for an offer we recommend insured mail, priority or registered with the US Post Office. You can insure a package for up to $5,000 priority and up to $25,000 registered.*

Please address the box to LANG (no Antiques).

Please drop an email to jewelrybuyer@langantiques.com to let us know it is on the way. While your jewelry is at Lang it is fully insured by Lloyds of London.

Feel free to call if you have any questions or concerns (800) 924-2213.

* If we have determined your jewelry to have a value of greater than $25,000 we will get you a certificate of insurance (Lloyds of London) and give you instructions for shipping.

MORE DETAILS

HOW DO YOU RETURN THE PIECE IF YOU DO NOT MAKE AN OFFER?
If we need to return items to you that you had previously shipped to us for an offer, we will return fully insured via FedEx 2nd Day or FedEx Priority Overnight with a signature required. We will coordinate with you so that you are available to sign for the package upon arrival back to you.
HOW DO WE DETERMINE VALUE?
  • INTRINSIC VALUE:

    Diamonds, colored gemstones and precious metals have value based on the size, quality and rarity of the gems and the weight and purity of the gold or platinum. Intrinsic value generally represents the minimum a piece is worth and we generally pay much, much more.

  • CRAFTSMANSHIP AND DESIGN

    Jewelry from the past is executed with many techniques, usually hand fabricated, with great attention to detail. The more unique and intricate the design the higher the value.

  • DESIRABILITY

    Signed jewelry, fine colored stone rings, exquisite examples of period jewelry and larger antique and estate diamond engagement rings are highly prized today. As always, ever changing fashion trends influence the demand for certain periods, materials and gemstones..

  • RARITY:

    Most high-quality antique, vintage and estate jewels are one-of-a-kind. In addition to being individually hand crafted, some antique and estate jewels are made by famous jewelers such as Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels and many others. We happily pay a large premium for fine signed pieces.Often rarity and collectability is predicated solely on the unique character of the piece.

  • LARGE DIAMONDS AND GEMS:

    If large diamonds and gemstones are highlighted in a fine piece of jewelry they make it even more rare and valuable.

  • CONDITION:

    We expect to see some signs of wear on antique and estate jewelry. Jewelry in pristine original condition is rare and commands a premium. Jewelry with apparent alterations, repairs and restoration can be devalued.

WHO PAYS FOR THE COST OF APPRAISALS, REPAIRS, AND LAB?
  • Part of the “Process” of evaluating a piece of jewelry for purchase or consignment is the identification of costs to prepare a piece for sale. We do our best to be as transparent as possible and keep you informed before and during the preparation process.

  • Lang pays for all the costs to prepare a piece for sale, including but not limited to: tightening loose stones, refinishing, repairs and restoration, re-polishing stones, laboratory reports, appraisal and professional photography.

  • If for any reason there are costs associated with the repair and restoration the piece(s) left on consignment and you take your piece(s) back you are responsible for those costs.

  • Your signature on the consignment agreement approves the first $150 worth of repairs and we will get your approval for any additional costs.

  • If you terminate the consignment agreement before the 120 days has passed we will charge you for an appraisal and photography fee for the work we have done to prepare your piece for sale.

  • If we need to do any repairs or restoration we start the 120 days when the work is completed.

DO I NEED AN APPRAISAL BEFORE I SEND MY JEWELRY?

No, it is not absolutely necessary, however if you know the identity, weight and quality of stones and the metal of the jewelry you are interested in selling we can usually give you a ballpark offer before you send the jewelry. This information is found in a good appraisal. When we receive the jewelry we perform a gemological evaluation and either establish this information from scratch or confirm documentation in an existing appraisal. We do not charge to do this so it is not necessary for you to have an appraisal before you send your jewelry. However, many customers feel comfortable having this information done before they send jewelry as it establishes a value for insurance (for shipping) as well as identifying quality.

WHY DO YOU KEEP IT FOR 120 DAYS?

In order to do our best job and have a possibility to sell your pieces we require 120 days for our consignment agreements. We catalog and appraise the jewelry in our state of the art gem lab, professional photographs are taken and the jewelry placed in our store and on our website. This is a time consuming process and it is done at a high professional level. We also need to give the piece(s) time to have exposure to the maximum amount of potential buyers.

WHAT ARE YOUR CREDENTIALS?
  • Credentials And Knowledge

    We invite you to compare our credentials and experience against any other jewelry buying concern in the world today. We have ten full-time Graduate Gemologists on staff with literally hundreds of years combined experience representing every facet of the jewelry industry.

  • Gemological Laboratory & Library:

    We are equipped with a state-of-the-art Certified Gemological Laboratory (certified by The Accredited Gemologists of America), as well as an extensive gemological and jewelry research library. Lang is also the main sponsor and content provider of AntiqueJewelryUniversity.org (A.J.U), the internet's foremost repository of jewelry knowledge and information.

  • Experience

    Lang Antique and Estate Jewelry is an historic jewelry institution, continuously in operation for over 50 years.

  • LANG CREDENTIALS INCLUDE:

    • Graduate Gemologists, Gemological Institute of America
    • Distinguished (FGA) Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain
    • National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, Senior and Certified Members
    • Accredited Gemologists Association, Accredited Senior Gemologists
    • Accredited Gemologists Association, Certified Laboratory
    • Graduate Gemologist, Deutsche Gemmologische Gesselschaft (German Institute for Advanced Professional Training in Gemmology), FGG
    • Double Check Diamond Grader, GIA New York Laboratory
  • WE ARE MEMBERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS:

    • The American Society of Jewelry Historians, Members
    • Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, Members
    • American Gem Trade Association, Members
    • Diamond Development Initiative
    • International Colored Stone Association, Member
    • Associate of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain
    • Association of Independent Jewellery Valuers, AIJV
    • Associate of the Scottish Gemmological Association, SGA
    • Candidate Member of the American Society of Appraisers
  • WE HAVE DEGREES IN:

    • Art History
    • Geology emphasis: mineralogy of gemstones
    • Fine Art
    • Art and Design
    • Cross-Cultural Communication
    • Communication
    • Education
    • Finance & Marketing
    • Business Administration
  • WE CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY:

    • Antique Jewelry University, Founders
    • Mentor for the GG program
    • President of the Global GIA Alumni Association Executive Council (1995 - 2013)
    • Co- presidents of the San Francisco chapter of the GIA Alumni Association, 22 years
    • Active members in our local GIA Alumni Chapter
    • Gemstone pricing advisor/researcher for an industry publication
    • Media adviser for historical jewelry articles
    • Speakers on Antique & Period Jewlery
    • GemologyOnline.com
  • WE HAVE SPECIAL INTERESTS IN:

    • Travel to Gem Mining Locations
    • Gems and Gemology
    • Gemological Education of our selves, peers and customers
    • History & Fine Arts relating to jewelry
  • We affiliate ourselves with numerous professional organizations.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN OFFER ONCE YOU HAVE MY JEWELRY?

Usually it takes 24 – 48 hours for us to give you an offer. It can also take longer if your collection is large and complicated or we need to get restoration estimates and watchmaker consultations.

GENERAL FAQ

DIRECT SALES OR CONSIGNMENT?
Direct Sale:

Simple. Once you accept our offer we will email you a document to sign and have notarized (as required by law). As soon as you email or mail it back we will pay you as per your payment preference either a check or bank ACH transfer, whichever you prefer.

CONSIGNMENT

We consider jewelry for consignment as well as outright purchase. If your jewelry is a candidate for consignment you will get a higher offer than for an outright purchase.

HOW DOES CONSIGNMENT WORK?

We take pieces on consignment that we believe are a match for our store and have a good chance of selling. Our consignment agreements are for a minimum of 120 days. We agree to a consignment price as part of the agreement prior to our selling it. This price is your net. On most consignment pieces we also make a buy anytime offer in case you should decide to sell your piece instead of keeping it on consignment. If the 120 days passes and the piece has not sold you are welcome to keep it on consignment until it sells, sell it for the buy anytime price or have it returned to you.

DO YOU BUY JEWELRY THAT NEEDS REPAIR?

We will always consider jewelry that needs repairs. If we consider a piece too worn to have another life with a new owner we will consider it for it’s intrinsic value or pass on the opportunity to buy it. We do not buy scrap gold.

I SEE MY PIECE HAS SOLD ONLINE. WHEN DO I GET PAID?

There are many reasons why your piece says sold online.

  • It is sold. You will be paid 30 days after it has been sold (we have a 30 day exchange policy). We normally send a check unless you have made other arrangements for payment.

  • A deposit has been taken and a sale is pending.

  • It is on courtesy hold.

CAN YOU SEND PAYMENT TO MY BANK DIRECTLY?

Yes, we can pay directly to your bank account.

I AM NOT SELLING MY JEWELRY. CAN YOU GIVE ME A VALUE FOR IT?

Sorry, we can only value items we have seen in person. We recommend that you take your jewelry to a professional appraiser to have your jewelry evaluated. If you do not get your appraisal in writing it is only an opinion.

We do not offer appraisal services at this time.

IF MY JEWELRY IS NOT A MATCH FOR LANG WHERE SHOULD I SELL IT?

There are many venues to sell your jewelry through. If we can recommend one we will.

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