Selling to Dealers

We buy a lot of jewelry, watches, and diamonds from our customers. We buy many of the same items repetitively, and our estate processors know how to price those usual items to be sold to the store for retail, scrapped, or sold to dealers. We occasionally get interesting, unique, and antique pieces that take more research before a price can be determined. These pieces must be shown to the Estate Manager, the COO, and one or two dealers so that a proper evaluation can be done. You can even ask Leo to take a look.

It is imperative to establish true value by asking as many people as possible rather than make a mistake that could cost a lot of money. Do not just show items to one dealer and accept their offer as final. This is especially true when selling sterling silver and fine art to a dealer. There can be items mixed in with the silver that are worth thousands and they could be accidentally sold for only the scrap value. Therefore, when the silver is sold to a dealer, it must be laid out and thoroughly looked over hours before the appointment. The Estate Manager is to bring the COO or Leo to look over what is to be sold in case they spot any items that should be further researched. The salespeople can also be brought in to look in case they have a customer for a particular piece or recognize an unusual item.

Never let the dealer talk you into selling them something that seems like it could have more value before you have thoroughly researched it. Dealers can be very persuasive when they know there is something rare they might be able to get dirt-cheap. It is perfectly ok to wait to sell something until you feel confident in the price you have found, and never hesitate to just ask for help.

No matter how busy we are, it’s important to take the time and do the research before selling to dealers.