So what about Italian gold?
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Commenter Marlene on my post on how to value gold jewelry asked this:
Is 14k Italian gold different in price than gold in the USA?
The answer depends on which gold price we’re talking about.
On the one hand, there is the retail price of the gold jewelry. This is what you’d pay at a jewelry store, secondhand store, or pawn shop. I’m by no means an expert on Italian-made gold jewelry, but from what I gather on the internet it’s of good quality. Given exactly the same type of chain, same weight, and same gold content, but one is Italian-made and the other is made elsewhere, it’s not unreasonable to see a difference in price based solely on the workmanship of the jewelry. A well-made chain, or one that has a reputation for being well-made, should command a premium over a lesser-quality chain.
On the other hand, there is the scrap price of the gold jewelry, which is the price a melter will pay. Chains, bracelets, rings, etc., are thrown into a fire, melted, poured, and cast into a bar mold. At this point, all of the workmanship is melted away. Nothing remains of what the items were. It’s just gold, refined to some purity. To a melter, a 20-gram, 14-karat solid gold Italian chain is worth exactly the same as a 20-gram, 14-karat solid gold chain from somewhere else. A gold atom from a fine Italian gold chain is no more rare than a gold atom from a knockoff. They’re all the same atoms, and can’t be told apart. 
By the way, it’s usually better to try to sell a gold chain you own directly to someone who wants it as a gold chain — especially to someone who knows what it would cost to buy it elsewhere. Selling a gold chain to a Ca$h4UrGold place is easy, but you won’t get near the value you could for the chain. Selling to a pawn shop may be a little better, but even this varies from shop to shop. If you have an Italian gold chain, it’s best to sell it to someone who’s looking for an Italian gold chain. (Or give it as a gift to someone who will appreciate it.)
One Response to “So what about Italian gold?”
By Peggy on Jul 25, 2011 | Reply
I bought a bracelet stamped 14K iTALY. tOOK IT TO MY JEWLER AND HE PUT A MANET TO IT AND IT TOOK. sAID IT WAS STEEL WITH AN OVERLAY OF GOLD. wORTH ABOUT 40 INSTEAD OF 6 HUNDRED