Published 2 June 2026
Why single earrings still pay
Most people lose one of a pair at some point: a stud falls out, a hoop catches on a scarf. The orphan earring sits in a drawer for years because "you cannot do anything with one". For a scrap offer, that does not matter. A single 9ct hoop pays for the gold inside it, full stop.
Many of our postal parcels are 70% singles and broken pieces. There is no penalty for incompleteness.
Butterfly backs and the karat catch
Earring backs (butterflies, screws, lever fittings) are sometimes a different metal from the main earring. Common pattern: a 9ct stud with a 9ct butterfly (no issue). Less common but real: an 18ct stud with a gold-plated steel butterfly (the butterfly is deducted from the weight). On screw-back studs the screw itself can be a third metal.
If you have lost the backs entirely, that is fine. We weigh and pay on what is in the parcel.
Stones in earrings
Stud earrings with a single stone (diamond, sapphire, ruby, emerald) can be valued intact and separately on the same written offer. Cubic zirconia and paste are removed with your permission and have no separate value. Pearl studs are returned intact: cultured pearls are not gold and are not paid as such, but they can be repurposed.
For drop and chandelier earrings, each component (post, drop chain, central pendant section, decorative dangle) is tested separately because they often differ in karat.
Posting earrings safely
- Group earrings by pair or single in small zip-bags so backs are not lost in transit.
- Photograph each pair or single in daylight, including any hallmark.
- WhatsApp 07763 741067 with the photos.
- We email a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label.
- Pad the box and drop it at the Post Office counter.
- Once tested, we email a written per-piece offer.
Small earring parcels are routine on the postal-gold service. There is no minimum parcel value.
Hoops, sleepers and creoles
Plain gold hoops range from delicate 9ct sleepers (under 1g) up to heavy 18ct creoles (15g or more). Most are solid wire. Some, particularly Italian-made creoles, are hollow tube. Both are real gold. The offer reflects the gram weight on the scale.
A hinge mechanism that no longer closes does not lower the offer. We pay for the metal, not the function.
When earrings are gold-plated, not gold
Costume and fashion earrings, even from high-street brands, are often gold-plated brass or plated silver. XRF identifies these in seconds. We say so on the written offer and return them at our cost if you would rather keep them. There is no charge for testing a piece that turns out to be plated.
Common questions
Are single earrings worth posting?
Yes. Singles are valued the same way as pairs: by gold weight per piece. The other half of a pair is not required.
My butterfly backs are gone. Does that matter?
No. We weigh what is in the parcel. Missing backs do not lower the offer.
Are diamond studs worth more intact?
Often yes, especially above 0.3ct each with a clear colour and clarity. Tell us on WhatsApp first and we quote intact and as-scrap on the same offer.
Will you buy earrings with broken hooks?
Yes. Broken hooks do not lower a scrap offer.
How is the parcel insured?
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery.
When am I paid?
Same UK working day you accept the written offer, by bank transfer.
Do you buy pearls?
We do not pay for pearls as gold. We return them with the offer so you can repurpose them.
What if my earrings turn out to be plated?
We tell you on the written offer. Plated pieces are returned tracked at our cost if you would like them back.