Short answer
GoldPaid buys broken gold chains by post UK-wide: snapped clasps, missing links, kinked or knotted chains, single broken half-chains, fragments. Damage does not reduce the gold value, every gram of 9ct, 18ct or 22ct gold is paid at the same per-gram rate as an intact chain. Free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, bank transfer on acceptance, free return if declined.
Why broken chains are worth exactly the same per gram
A snapped clasp, a missing link, a tangled rope chain, none of these affect the fine-gold content of the piece. A 5-gram 18ct broken chain contains 3.75 grams of fine gold, exactly the same as a 5-gram 18ct intact chain. The difference between the two when sold to a jeweller would be that the intact chain can be resold whole and the broken chain has to be melted; both are valued at the gold content when sold to a refiner.
Because we are a precious-metal buyer rather than a second-hand jewellery shop, the route from your parcel is the same in both cases: the chain is XRF-tested for carat, weighed on a calibrated scale, and the per-gram rate is applied directly. The broken status appears as a description on the written offer, not as a deduction.
Tangled chains, knotted chains and the "do not pre-untangle" rule
If you have a chain that is so tangled or knotted that you cannot lay it flat, leave it as it is. Do not spend an hour trying to untangle it before posting. Tangle does not affect weight, and the weighing process is done on the chain in whatever physical state it arrives in.
Pre-untangling a delicate chain often introduces new breaks (because fine chains are more fragile under torsion than under normal wear), and the new breaks do not change the offer figure but they do add to the time you have spent. Post the chain as it is and let the scale do its job.
Half-chains, fragments and odd lengths
Many of the parcels we receive contain fragments rather than whole chains: a 4-inch length of broken rope chain, two pieces of a Figaro chain that came apart at the join, a single curb-chain link that bent and snapped off. All of these are weighed and paid for at the per-gram rate for the relevant carat. There is no minimum length and no minimum weight to attract a payment.
If you have a drawer of fragments combined with intact pieces, the offer is split line by line: each carat is grouped separately (because 9ct, 18ct and 22ct fragments are valued at different per-gram rates) and the totals are shown. This way you see exactly which fragments produced which figures.
Posting broken chains, packaging and cover
Place each broken chain in its own small zip-lock bag (sandwich bag) inside the parcel so fragments cannot intermingle. A single small jiffy bag is usually enough; the total weight of a typical broken-chain parcel is under 50 grams.
For most broken-chain parcels the standard £2,500 Special Delivery cover is more than enough, even 80 grams of 18ct gold (a substantial pile of fragments) sits below that figure at recent rates. If you are sending a larger parcel that combines many heavy broken chains, message us first with a rough total weight and we will check whether a higher cover level is needed.
How it works
- Ask first and send photos. Message us on WhatsApp with photos of your broken gold chains for a quick indicative figure. Ask anything; there is no charge and no obligation.
- Request a prepaid Royal Mail label. We send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery label, tracked and signed for. No printer? We send a QR code for the Post Office counter.
- Post it when you are ready. Use any padded envelope. There is no deadline and no pressure.
- Receive a no-obligation valuation. Every item is weighed on calibrated scales and tested by XRF spectrometry. You get a written, itemised offer: purity, weight, the rate used and the figure.
- Accept or decline. Accept and you are paid by bank transfer via Faster Payments. Decline and everything is returned free of charge by tracked, insured post.
Cover in transit
Royal Mail Special Delivery cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. The prepaid label is Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: full tracking, a signature on delivery, arranged with that cover per parcel. Higher-value items are no problem, but please message us first so the cover and the packing approach match the value. Postage and insurance explains it fully.
If you decide not to sell
There is never any obligation to accept. If the offer is not for you, simply decline, and we return everything free of charge by tracked, insured post, with no fee and no follow-up pressure. The full return process is on what happens if I decline the offer.
Payment, once you accept
When you say yes to the written offer, GoldPaid pays by Faster Payments bank transfer to your nominated account. You give those details only at the point you accept, never as a condition of getting an offer.
Why this is a calmer way to sell
Three things make GoldPaid a steadier route than a counter sale. You see a measured valuation in writing, not a verbal estimate. You decide at home, with nobody waiting. And if you decline, the return is free, tracked and insured, so obtaining the valuation costs you nothing.
Common questions
Do you buy chains where the carat marking is missing?
Yes. XRF testing on arrival reads the actual carat directly and the offer is calculated on that result.
Should I try to untangle a knotted chain before posting?
No. Tangle does not affect weight and pre-untangling often creates new breaks without adding value.
Can I send fragments from several different chains in one parcel?
Yes. The offer is split by carat so each fragment group is shown at the correct per-gram rate.
Do you buy single missing links or very small fragments?
Yes. There is no minimum weight. A single 0.5g 18ct link is paid at the per-gram rate.
How are broken chains returned if I decline?
Each chain or fragment group is returned in its own zip-lock bag inside the original padded packaging, fully tracked, at our cost.