Fancy Colored Diamonds

With so many stones out in the market, we mostly associate diamonds with the clear and sparkly nature that they are most known for. In fact, when determining the quality and value of a diamond, it is graded on a color scale, where less color generally equals a better quality. (of course there are other factors including cut, clarity and carat to consider as well) .

And while colorless diamonds may be the most well known, they are just one type of diamonds exist. Fancy Color diamonds are another category.  Although these color-filled diamonds are out there, they are very rare and thus usually fetch much higher prices.

Unlike the clear diamonds, colored ones are graded on a different scale. No longer does "colorless" mean better quality. The value of natural colored diamonds is determined by the vivid nature and light from the stones. The more intense color, the more valuable a stone will be.

So, what is the difference between these fancy colored diamonds and other precious gemstones such as emeralds, ruby's and saphires?  The colored diamonds contain carbon. That is the determining factor.

Here is a look at some of colors you can find in natural colored diamond.

Red Diamond: The rarest of them all. Most jewelers will never even come across these treasures in their lifetime.

Orange Diamonds: Another rare breed of diamonds. The one pictured below was worn by Halle Berry at the 2002 academy awards.

photo credit: Sotheby's

Green Diamonds: Check out this scale that show's the varying range of green colors you can find.

Pink Diamonds: Today, the brightest pink natural diamonds come from Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia.  There are a variety of shades but no matter what you choose, the price is going to be high for these beauties. 

Yellow Diamonds: These are slightly more common than some of the other fancy colored diamonds. 

http://www.gia.edu/fancycoloreddiamond-quality-factor

Blue Diamonds: Natural blue diamonds are formed by the concentration of boron in the bonding of the atoms.  Click here to see some amazing creations made with the fancy colored-diamonds.

We hope you enjoyed this colorful and sparkling post!

5 Outrageous Things Made of Gold

Check out our list of 5  OUTRAGEOUS things made of gold !

Bathtub with White Gold Tiles

Brownie with Gold Leaf - $35,000

Gold Casket for a Golden Funeral

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Million Dollar Bra- This treasure has 750 grams of 18K gold!

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Golden Money Monopoly Set for $2Million

Mother's Tea Set, Father's Gold Watch: Here's What To Do

Frequently asked questions at Atlanta Gold & Silver.  

As a family-owned and operated gold and silver buying business, we certainly understand and value the sentiment and memories that some jewelry may have for you. Often times, our customers tell us they feel guilty for selling the jewelry that belonged to their late mother or father. And we pride our business on trust and that trust begins the moment you walk through our door.

While we can’t decide for you whether or not you should liquidate an old jewelry collection, wipe the dust off of the old jewelry and turn that into cash, we can offer some suggestions and advice to consider when you are making the decision what to do with your old valuables.  Here we address some frequently asked questions that our customers want to know.

I have a box of jewelry from my ex-husband in my drawer, what should I do I with it? We recommend you bring it in to sell. If you are not emotionally attached to the pieces, such as your diamond engagement ring or wedding band, then get cash for the diamonds, gold and platinum and start looking ahead to a new future.

I have jewelry that I don’t wear, but I don’t need cash. Why sell?  When you get rid of the excess things in life you are able to concentrate on the true valuables. Get rid of the clutter and earn money while you do.

My ring was appraised at 2,000. Why are you only offering me $500? Based on the carat and the weight of the metal and the ring, we offer you the highest percentage around. Because we smelt our metals in our refinery, we do not have to deal with middle men. However, appraisals are meant to for retail market and for insurance reasons. If you think you can sell the piece on your own and make more money, we encourage it.

 I have a lot of 14k gold chains and rings. Can you give me an estimate on what you would offer for them? Without seeing them, we can’t make an offer. We have to test the purity of the metal and weigh the item first. However, we do offer a calculator on our website, where you can estimate the amount you have and see the total  If you have not sold jewelry before, it can be hard to estimate the scrap value you may have in your jewelry box. We invite you to bring in your jewelry with no obligation to sell it.

My mother left me a sterling silver tea set when she passed away. Should I feel guilty for selling it? No.While sterling silver tea sets may have been important to your mother, they may not be something you use. Times have changed, jewelry styles change and people change. If it is not your style, then why keep it?

 Why should we trust you? We have heard some terrible things about gold-buying places.  When the price of gold went down, the market was flooded with gold-buying businesses. Most of them did not make it because they were not giving fair prices to customers. We are a family-owned and operated gold and silver buying company in Atlanta with over 30 years of experience in the industry. We are here to stay and we want to have you as a long-term customer.

I need the money, but this necklace is the last thing of my mother I have left. I never take it off. What should I do? While we can’t tell you what to do here, we can offer some advice. This jewelry has more value to you than any amount of money will. Therefore, if possible, don’t sell this. We hate to see you regret your decision.
Do you buy silver plate?  No, we do not. Many tea sets and bowls that are marked silverplate may have value but the value is not in the metal.  We only buy sterling pieces at AGS.

To learn more about Atlanta Gold & Silver, visit our website.

Make Extra Cash for the Holidays. Here's What to Sell

Holidays are the best time of year. Unfortunately, they can also be the most expensive time of year.  Buying gifts for your friends, your loved ones, and your co-workers...that can get expensive.

But the gifts don't have to break the bank. Here is a list of some things you may have to sell. Who knows, you may even have enough left over to buy yourself something nice. 

• GOLD- Sell those gold earrings, gold rings, gold chains or anything marked 10k or above that you don't wear anymore. Just open your jewelry chest and you could have a gold mine. 

• STERLING SILVER: Sterling flatware and other items marked 925 may not be gold, but the more you have the more money you can get. 

• DIAMONDS:  Have any diamond rings, loose diamonds, cushion cut, marquis cut, round, pear shaped, diamond pendants or diamond watches?  If you don't wear the piece of jewelry any more than your diamond can fetch a lot of money. Of course it depends on the size, color, quality and cut of the stone, but diamonds are valuable. 

• COINS: Gold, Silver, platinum and palladium coins can hold very high values. Whether its a Silver Dollar (made 1964 or earlier) or a $50 1 oz gold coin there is cash to be made. 
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For more information on the value of your treasures, visit our website, www.atlantagoldsilver.com

Have a gift-filled Holiday Season, 

From your Friends at Atlanta Gold & Silver

Is Your Gold Fake?

Many times people will bring in heavy gold chains, usually marked 14K, to sell at Atlanta Gold and Silver. Even with a mark, we always test the metals in one or two ways to ensure its authenticity.  First, we do a scratch test with acids for the various Karats.  However, sometimes this may not be fool-proof method, especially when their is heavy metal plating involved. Second, we put the jewelry in our x-ray machine and it gives us a full report of the metal composition.

Here's the bad news...sometimes a chain or piece of jewelry that someone has purchased is not what it appears to be.  Just like counterfeit Louis Vuitton or Gucci handbags, jewelry counterfeiting with hallmarks is a serious problem.  We always feel badly when we have to tell our customer that we can't buy the piece from them, especially when they tell us how much they originally paid for the item.

So, we always try to tell our clients to be very wary before purchasing jewelry (precious jewelry such as gold, silver and diamonds) from an unauthorized source or person via eBay, craigslist or even a flea market.  Many times if a deal is too good to be true, it generally is.  Not to say that you won't find some hidden treasures around town, but when you are investing in something like gold to resell, make sure to look for a few factors. 

- Is it magnetic?  Magnets, unlike acid testing, are an easy thing to bring around with you.  They are also the easiest way to rule out fake metals (ones that are not pure gold or sterling).  If the piece is drawn to the magnet (and it says 14k or even 18k), it is fake. 

-The hallmark: Look closely at the Hallmark on the item and where it is placed. If it looks like the mark is cut off or says something else, that is also a tell tale sign to walk away. 

It's fake!  How do we know?  The acid test created a green color. 

-Another easy way to spot a fake is to look closely at the metal. This is especially true when it comes to used jewelry such as pendants and rings that are marked 14k. If closely and see peeling of any sort, like the gold is fading off, then it is not correctly marked. 

In this industry sometimes, taking risks can end up making you a fortune, but beware because there are a lot of counterfeit pieces of jewelry floating around. 

Diamond Due Diligence

Diamonds are on our mind today. Here is some info, resources, and a crazy story (and lesson) ) for you to explore. 

If you are looking to sell valuable diamond jewelry, such as heirloom pieces, estate diamonds or even a diamond ring, make sure to do your research first.  At Atlanta Gold & Silver, we have many clients who bring us very expensive pieces they want to sell.  In order to make sure we can give them the price they want from their diamond jewelry, we take our time and work with all of our resources to make this possible.  That does not mean, however,  that we can guarantee you will get the amount of money you think your diamond is worth, but we will get you an amount that will make you happy. Most importantly, we do not pressure our clients to settle. 

If you do have some jewelry that has been in the vault for years and the value is over $8 thousand, or maybe an old engagement ring that you don't want, make sure to get the jewelry certified.  Whether it is a diamond ring, an antique diamond pin or a diamond necklace, it is essential to get it certified and graded by the GIA (Gem Institute of America) every 10 years.   There is a small cost involved, but it will net you a lot more money when you sell. The website is very informational and provides all the information you need to submit your gem for grading.  They even have a page updated weekly that tells you the turnaround time for your diamond.

Note:  An appraisal, from a jewelry store or insurance company, is not the same as GIA certification. In fact, you may notice a large difference between the appraised price and the actual amount you are offered. That is because, appraisals are based on replacement value and the retail price of a similar piece. 

Even if you don't send your stone to the GIA, the site still provides a wealth of information about diamonds and other gem stones, including all the factors and varieties that can increase or decrease the value. Remember, the bigger the size does not always mean the bigger the value. Value is based on the quality of the stone.

If you are in the market to buy a diamond ring, or invest in a diamond, make sure to do your research on the GIA website. With the knowledge about all factors including slight differences in color and cut, you will be a much more informed and smarter buyer. Also, when making a large investment in a stone or diamond jewelry, always insist on the certification of the piece to ensure that you are getting exactly what you pay for.


Now for the lesson:  Always check your pockets.  One Huntington Beach woman made this terrible mistake when she sold a jean jacket in a garage sale for $20.  Later, she realized that her diamond earrings, worth $18,000 were still in the pockets. Read the full story here.

Old Coins Can Be Worth More Than You Think

 For years, people have been saving up there up their coins for a rainy day. Whether or not you ever cash them in, it feels good to know that they are there if you ever need them.  

But what you may not realize, especially if you have inherited a family members old coins, or you yourself have a jar stashed somewhere that you started collecting many years ago, is that there may be a lot more value in that old jar of coins than meets the eye. 

In fact, at Atlanta Gold and Silver, we have been seeing a lot of people coming in with old coin collections and walking out the door with a large check in hand. Of course, not every old jar of coins is valuable (in terms of silver, you want to look for dimes and quarters pre 1965), but there is no harm in looking. 

So, how do you know if your bag of dimes is worth more than, well, a bag of dimes? Here are some things to look for and some tips that may help you find some substantial money laying around the house.

Note: these values are not absolute and they are based on the price of silver in May 2013.  These are based the melt value, and do not consider condition or possible collector's value. 

• 1916-1945 Mercury dimes.  These are 90% silver (10 percent copper) and each dime can fetch a price of around $1.50 
  
• 1946-1964 Roosevelt Dime: Despite the year, these dimes are the same weight (2.5 grams) as the Mercury dimes and are worth the exact same as the earlier dimes. 

• The rest of your dimes (beginning in 1965), are simply dimes worth 10 cents each. 
• 1916-1930 Standing Lady Liberty Quarter.  If you happen to have these in your old stash, you are in luck. At 6.25 grams, you have a little over $4 in silver value. 

• 1932-`1964 Quarter.  Any quarters during this period (before 1965) are worth the same as the Lady Liberty Quarters and weigh the same 6.25 grams.
• While you are less likely to have half dollars just collecting dust in the house, it's still worth looking.  Any half dollar minted in 1964 or earlier can be worth about 12 dollars. 
• Even the ones that are made between 1965-1970 still have a little value in them (they are composed of 40% silver, compared to the pre-1964 90% silver ones)

Here are a few more coins that may bring you some extra cash..

• Morgan Dollar (1878-1921).  Based on the price of silver, you could have about 17 dollars in just one of those. 
  
• Peace Dollar (1921-1935) Same as above

To find out more about the different types of coins and mintage of the coins, visit http://www.usmint.gov/