How every item is measured
Each piece is inspected and XRF-tested rather than valued from its stamp alone. A worn, foreign or missing mark does not prevent assessment; the limits of a surface reading still matter to how the item is valued. Items are sorted by carat, weighed to 0.01g and valued on that confirmed content against the live precious-metal market on the day they are tested. For the wider picture, recycled gold vs mined gold sets out the published World Gold Council supply data and the environmental evidence, and what happens to your gold after you sell it describes the refining route itself.
What is measured, and how
| What is measured | How it is established | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Purity of each item | Composition at the points tested, interpreted alongside the item and its components; surface plating can hide a different core | XRF reading and inspection |
| Worn or absent hallmarks | An absent mark does not establish purity either way; the item still needs inspection and testing | Inspection and in-house XRF testing |
| Weight | Separated by carat group, then weighed to 0.01g, less stones and other non-precious parts | Scales reading to 0.01g |
| Figure for each item | Worked out from the confirmed purity, payable weight and the live precious-metal market on the day of testing, shown on the written offer | Itemised written offer |
| Declined offers | Everything returned free, tracked and signed for | Royal Mail Special Delivery |
Three things to check on your written offer
- Which item? Match each line to the piece you sent. A mixed parcel can contain different carats, plated pieces and non-metal parts; a single combined weight does not describe them all.
- Which weight? Distinguish the weight of the whole object from the payable precious-metal weight. Ask how stones, springs, filled handles or other components were treated if the difference is not clear.
- Which result? Read the tested purity alongside the description and offer. A hallmark, a surface test and a whole-item valuation answer different questions; ask us to explain any result that does not match what you expected.
What this method can and cannot show
XRF is useful for identifying metals at the points examined, but a surface reading alone cannot establish what is inside every object. The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office describes XRF and other assaying methods, including cases where the surface must be removed to establish the alloy underneath. See our plating-check explanation for why this distinction matters. Source checked 9 October 2026.
This page explains our measurement method. It is not an annual statistical report, an independent laboratory certification or evidence of a typical customer payout. The worked valuation examples are illustrations, not records of customer transactions. Our written verification method sets out the scope in one place.
Common questions
How does GoldPaid establish what an item actually is?
By non-destructive XRF assay on every piece, using a Thermo Scientific Niton XL2 analyser. The purity, the weight and the figure all appear on your written offer. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Not the question you had? The full GoldPaid FAQ covers the rest, from postal cover and ID checks to what happens if you decline the offer.
Speak to us before you post
Please send us photos on WhatsApp, and we will help you. We give an instant estimate where possible and arrange postage with you after our conversation. Your final offer follows inspection.