Short answer
GoldPaid buys Edwardian (1901-1910) gold jewellery by post UK-wide. Each piece is dated from the hallmark, assayed at its measured carat (commonly 9ct, 15ct or 18ct), and flagged for the antique market on the written offer where the designed-piece value is likely to exceed scrap. Free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, bank payment on acceptance.
What separates an Edwardian piece from a late-Victorian one
The Edwardian era is the brief reign of Edward VII, January 1901 to May 1910. Stylistically it overlaps heavily with the late Victorian period (similar materials, similar maker marks) and the design distinction is mostly about lightness, Edwardian pieces are typically more delicate than the heavier Victorian style, with greater use of fine pierced work, milgrain edges and platinum-and-gold combinations.
The hallmark date letter is the definitive test. A piece dated 1901-1910 is Edwardian regardless of style; a piece dated 1898 is Victorian even if the style looks similar.
Platinum-and-gold combinations on Edwardian pieces
Edwardian jewellery is the first widespread UK use of platinum, which began entering British fine jewellery in the late 1890s and was widespread by 1905. A characteristic Edwardian piece is a platinum or platinum-and-gold setting holding diamonds (often old European or old mine cut), with the gold parts typically 15ct or 18ct.
The XRF reading distinguishes platinum from gold directly. On Edwardian mixed-metal pieces, the platinum content is valued at its own current rate and the gold content at its measured carat. Older platinum (pre-1975) is often unmarked because UK platinum hallmarking became compulsory only in 1975; the XRF reading confirms the metal regardless.
Common Edwardian pieces and the typical carat distribution
Bar brooches (very common, typically 9ct or 15ct), pendant necklaces with seed pearls, lavalier-style drop pendants, lily-of-the-valley brooches, Negligée necklaces (two pendants on chains of different lengths), wedding bands, fine watch chains and small lockets.
The decorative pieces are most often 9ct or 15ct gold; the platinum-and-diamond pieces have gold backing or chain in 15ct or 18ct. The 15ct standard is particularly common on Edwardian work because it had been introduced in 1854 and was at the peak of its popularity in the Edwardian decade before being withdrawn in 1932.
The condition question on Edwardian pieces
Edwardian jewellery is now over 115 years old. Pieces that have been worn regularly through that span often show wear at clasp joints, at the tips of pierced settings, and on the inside of bands. Wear does not change the metal value (XRF and weight handle worn metal identically), but on antique-market pieces wear can reduce the designed-piece premium materially.
We flag any Edwardian piece where the antique market is likely to pay above scrap on the written offer, and the metal-only valuation is shown alongside. The decision between scrap and antique route is yours.
How selling works here
- Start on WhatsApp. A couple of clear photos of your edwardian jewellery are enough for us to give you a quick indicative figure at no charge.
- Claim your free postage. We issue a prepaid, tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery label, or a QR code for the Post Office.
- Post in your own time. Any padded envelope works, and there is no deadline to meet.
- Get a written valuation. Each item is weighed on calibrated scales and read by XRF spectrometry, and the itemised offer is sent to you in writing.
- Accept or walk away. Acceptance means payment by Faster Payments; declining means a free, fully tracked 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.
Changing your mind is free
Declining costs you nothing. If the written offer does not suit you, say so, and your items come straight back by tracked, insured Royal Mail post at our expense. No fee, no questions, no chasing. See what happens if I decline the offer for the step by step.
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
Are Edwardian platinum pieces worth more than the gold ones?
Often yes, particularly if they carry diamonds. Platinum content is valued at its current rate (which is typically below gold per gram by weight at recent rates, but the platinum carries the diamonds in the most valuable pieces).
Do Edwardian pieces always have hallmarks?
Most British-made ones do. Imported Edwardian pieces may have foreign marks instead. Either way, the XRF reading measures the metal directly so unmarked pieces still value cleanly.
Is 15ct gold scarce in modern jewellery?
Yes, 15ct was withdrawn in 1932 and has not been struck since. Any 15ct piece you have is at least 92 years old. The metal is still 62.5% fine gold and is paid at the appropriate rate.
What is a Negligée necklace and is it worth more than scrap?
A two-pendant necklace where the two pendants hang at different lengths from a common chain. Edwardian Negligée necklaces with seed pearls or small diamonds can carry antique-market value above scrap; we flag those on the offer.
How fragile are Edwardian fine-work pieces?
Very fine pierced work is delicate. We pack any fragile Edwardian piece in a small rigid box with tissue support and never apply pressure to thin settings during assay.