Short answer
GoldPaid buys gold charm bracelets by post and assays every charm separately, so 9ct, 14ct, 18ct and 22ct charms on the same bracelet are paid at their own per-gram rates rather than the lowest. Free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, written itemised offer the same working day, bank payment on acceptance, free return if declined.
Why per-charm assay matters more than people realise
A typical inherited British charm bracelet accumulated across three or four decades carries charms in a mix of carats: 9ct from UK high-street retailers, 18ct from holiday-souvenir purchases in the Mediterranean, 22ct from items brought back from India or the Middle East, occasional 14ct from American purchases. The carats are not visually distinguishable; they all look gold. The XRF reading is the only reliable way to tell what each charm actually is.
The economic difference is substantial. A single 22ct gold charm of two grams is worth almost two and a half times what the same charm would be worth if it were 9ct. Across a bracelet of fifteen charms, the cumulative difference between per-charm assay and lowest-carat-blended assay can run into hundreds of pounds.
How each charm gets detached, weighed and assayed
Most charms on a UK charm bracelet are held on by their own small jump rings. On arrival each jump ring is opened, the charm is detached, the charm is weighed on calibrated scales, and the XRF reading is taken on a clean surface of the charm. The carat reading and the weight go into the written offer as a single line per charm.
Where a charm cannot be detached cleanly (occasionally a charm is soldered directly onto a link rather than held on a jump ring), the XRF reading is taken in situ. The charm is weighed with its anchor link and the anchor weight is subtracted at the link's own measured purity.
Enamelled, stone-set and movement charms
Enamelled charms (a small football enamelled in club colours, a teddy bear in coloured glass enamel, a flower in petal enamel) carry the same gold weight as the underlying metal. The enamel contributes no precious-metal value but does not subtract from it. The XRF reading is taken on a non-enamelled section of the charm.
Stone-set charms (a tiny stone set into the top of a charm) are assessed for the stone and the metal separately; most decorative stones on charms have low market value. Movement charms (small mechanisms that open, spin or click) are usually solid gold throughout the visible parts; we note any non-gold mechanism on the written offer.
The bracelet itself and the cumulative total
The base bracelet is a separate line on the written offer. A typical bracelet body is 6 to 12 grams of 9ct, 14ct or 18ct gold depending on style and weight. Add fifteen charms and the cumulative weight is often 25 to 40 grams of mixed-carat gold; the per-carat segments add up to a materially higher total than the bracelet alone.
Where a customer wants to sell only some charms and keep others, the written offer lets you accept charm-by-charm. The base bracelet and any kept charms are returned at no cost; payment for accepted charms goes out by Faster Payments.
Four moving parts, all visible
- You ask, we steer. WhatsApp us photos of your charm bracelets; you get an honest indicative figure and no pressure to go further.
- We send the label. A free Royal Mail Special Delivery label arrives, tracked and signed for, with a QR-code option if you cannot print.
- You post when ready. No countdown. Use whatever padded packaging you already have.
- We test, you decide. Items are weighed and XRF-assayed, the written offer is sent, and you either accept for a Faster Payments transfer or decline for a free insured return.
Postage and cover
Royal Mail Special Delivery cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. The label we send is Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: tracked end to end, signed for on delivery, and arranged with that compensation cover per parcel. If you believe your items are worth more, message us before posting and we will arrange the right approach, whether that is additional cover or splitting items across more than one parcel. Full detail is on postage and insurance, and is it safe to post gold? walks through posting valuables safely.
If the offer is not for you
Then nothing happens except a free return. We send your items back by tracked, insured post at our cost, with no fee for declining and no follow-up. A valuation is only worth having if you can turn it down freely, so you can. See what happens if I decline the offer.
The payment step
Acceptance triggers payment: a direct bank transfer by Faster Payments, to the account you give us. Nothing to bank and nothing to chase.
Built to be trusted, not just believed
- Owner-run, with a named founder accountable for the service
- Every item XRF-assayed, the result shown to you in writing
- Free insured postage both ways, so a valuation is genuinely no-obligation
- Honest about its limits, including when a specialist would suit you better
- No fabricated reviews and no invented numbers, anywhere on the site
Common questions
Can I keep some charms and sell the rest?
Yes. The written offer is itemised per charm. You can reply accepting specific charms and the bracelet, any kept charms are returned to you at no cost, and payment for accepted charms goes out by bank transfer.
Are there charms you will not buy?
Plated charms (where the XRF reading shows base metal under a thin gold layer) cannot be bought economically and are returned at no cost. Solid gold charms in any carat from 8ct (used in some European countries) upwards are bought as standard.
Will the bracelet be damaged when charms are detached?
No. The jump rings are opened gently with the same tools used to attach them originally and the bracelet body comes back undamaged. Where a charm is soldered rather than jump-ringed, it is assayed in situ rather than forced.
How long does a per-charm assay take to write up?
Most charm bracelets are fully assayed and itemised the working day they arrive, and the written offer is emailed to you the same evening or the following morning.
Do you buy charm bracelets with hollow charms?
Yes. Hollow charms (often Italian 9ct or 18ct from the 1980s) are valued at their actual weight and measured purity, the same way solid charms are. Hollow construction does not change the rate per gram.