Updated
Most inherited jewelry boxes hold a mix: a few items worth real money and many worth little. You can sort a box in an afternoon, then spend appraisal money only on the items that matter.
| Jewelry | Median first read | Scans |
|---|---|---|
| Rings | $850 | 1,660 |
| Necklaces and pendants | $150 | 680 |
| Earrings | $200 | 290 |
| Bracelets | $100 | 340 |
Median fair market first read: half of the scans read above it and half below. From about 6,400 scans by about 2,100 people in the GemstoneAI app, January 21 to October 31, 2026, with test and staff accounts left out. Values are first-read estimates from photos, not appraisals.
Look for the stamp inside rings, on clasps and on the backs of pendants. Make three groups: gold (10K, 14K, 18K or 585, 750), silver and platinum (925, PT950), and plated or unmarked. Gold jewelry is where most of the value sits: in our scans its median first read is about $1,050. Older and foreign jewelry may carry UK hallmarks or 22K and 916 marks.
Weigh each one in grams on a kitchen or jewelry scale. The metal alone sets a floor:
| Metal | Per gram | 3 gram ring | 6 gram ring |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K gold | $54.37 | $163.12 | $326.23 |
| 14K gold | $76.28 | $228.83 | $457.67 |
| 18K gold | $97.79 | $293.38 | $586.75 |
| Platinum 950 | $46.85 | $140.56 | $281.12 |
| Sterling silver | $1.54 | $4.61 | $9.21 |
Melt values as of 2026-11-09, from spot prices of gold $4,055.57, silver $51.62 and platinum $1,533.98 per troy ounce.
Set stones add weight, so the true metal figure is a little lower. The melt value calculator works it out exactly.
Photograph each one with GemstoneAI. You get a first read on the stone, the metal and what it is likely worth, and you can save each to a collection, so the family has one list with photos and values in one place.
For anything that reads in the thousands, and for insurance, a sale or an estate, see a credentialed appraiser. Find one in the free appraiser directory. If the jewelry is part of an estate, ask the executor or the estate's lawyer what kind of appraisal they need: estates usually work from fair market value as of the date of death.
An appraisal states one kind of value, and the right one depends on why you need it.
Tell the appraiser which one you need before they start. An insurance appraisal is the wrong number for dividing an estate or setting a sale price.
Fine jewelry is gold, silver or platinum, often set with natural or lab-grown gems. Costume jewelry is base metal, often plated, set with glass, crystal or plastic. The signs:
Costume does not mean worthless. Signed costume jewelry by Miriam Haskell, Trifari, Eisenberg, Schiaparelli, Weiss, Coro and Kramer has a collector market, so look for a name on the backs of brooches, on clasps and on earring backs. In fine jewelry, a signature from Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari or David Webb can be worth well beyond the gold and stones. More checks: how to tell if jewelry is real.
For federal income tax, inherited jewelry takes a basis equal to its fair market value on the date of death, often called a stepped-up basis. Sell it for about that value and there is little or no gain to tax. A gain above it counts as long-term however soon you sell, and because jewelry is a collectible, it is taxed at a top federal rate of 28%.
A date-of-death appraisal documents that basis, so keep it with the estate papers. State rules vary, and the executor or a tax professional can confirm how they apply to you.
Sources: IRS Publication 551, Basis of Assets and IRS Topic 409, Capital gains and losses.
| Where | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Gold buyer or pawn shop | Plain gold and broken jewelry | Fast, but pays below melt |
| Jeweler that buys estate jewelry | Diamond and gemstone jewelry, signed fine jewelry | Pays for stones and makers, below what it will resell for |
| Consignment with an estate jeweler | Fine jewelry in good condition, if you can wait | A higher price minus a commission, paid when it sells |
| Auction house | Signed, antique or high-value jewelry | Reaches collectors, but takes a seller's commission and weeks or months |
| Online marketplace | Signed costume and vintage jewelry | Often the best price for costume, but you photograph, ship and handle returns |
The free directory lists appraisers and gem and jewelry buyers near you.
Photograph any ring, necklace or loose stone and GemstoneAI identifies it and gives a first read on what it is worth. Your first scan is free.
Featured in National Jeweler
The middle first-read value from GemstoneAI scans of each kind. All jewelry values.
Sort it by stamp, weigh the gold and silver for its metal value, and photograph each item with GemstoneAI for a first read. Your first scan is free. Pay for an appraisal only on the items that read high.
Not before checking it. Stones, a maker's mark or antique design can make jewelry worth far more than its gold. Plain gold is worth close to its metal value, and buyers pay less than melt, so get more than one quote.
For the few items worth real money, yes, especially for insurance, a sale or an estate. For the rest, a first read and the metal value are usually enough to decide.
In the US, inherited jewelry takes a basis equal to its fair market value on the date of death, so selling it for about that value leaves little or no taxable gain. A gain above it is taxed as a long-term collectibles gain, at a top federal rate of 28%.
Look for a purity stamp such as 14K, 925 or PT950, stones held by prongs or a bezel, and no base metal showing at worn edges. Glued or foil-backed stones and plated marks such as GP or HGE point to costume jewelry.
Fair market value is what a willing buyer would pay, and estates, taxes and sales use it. Replacement value is the retail cost of buying a similar item new, and insurers use it. Replacement value is the higher of the two.