How to Sell Inherited Jewelry: A Dealer's Honest Guide

Inheriting jewelry is emotional; selling it is practical. Most people face both at once, with no map. Having sat across the table from families in this position for four generations, here is the advice we give friends — including the parts that cost us business.

First: slow down

The most expensive mistakes happen in the first two weeks — the drawer emptied into a "we buy gold" shop, the signed brooch sold at scrap value because nobody turned it over to look for a signature. Nothing about jewelry spoils. Take your time.

Learn what you have before anyone makes an offer

• Look for signatures. A mark from Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, David Webb, Tiffany & Co. or another great house can multiply a piece's value far beyond its materials. Our guide to what "signed" means explains why.
• Keep everything together. Boxes, papers, receipts, old appraisals — provenance is value. Never discard the paperwork.
• Don't clean, polish or repair anything yet. Well-meant polishing can erase marks and originality that collectors pay for.

Know the ways to sell — and what each really costs

Auction offers reach, but between seller's commission, fees and time-to-payment, the realized net often surprises people — and results are not guaranteed. Online marketplaces put the work of photography, authentication questions and buyer risk on you. Scrap and gold buyers pay for metal weight and destroy everything else a piece is worth — never send anything signed or old down this path before an expert has seen it. A specialist dealer pays directly, immediately and discreetly — the trade-off is that you should choose one with the expertise to recognize what you have and the reputation to pay for it honestly.

Questions to ask any buyer

• How long have you been in the trade, and in whose hands is the expertise?
• Will you explain why a piece is or isn't valuable — signature, period, condition, stones?
• Is the conversation confidential, and am I under any obligation?

Any buyer who rushes you, quotes only "gold weight," or discourages you from seeking a second opinion has answered your questions already.

When you're ready

We acquire signed pieces, estates and inherited collections at our Rockefeller Center gallery — quietly, respectfully, and with four generations of expertise behind every offer. Tell us about your pieces, WhatsApp photos to +1 (212) 347-0891, or bring the drawer as it is. Confidential, and never any obligation.