Sell Indian gold jewellery by post across the UK

Most Indian wedding and family gold is struck at 22 carat purity, which is 91.6% pure gold by mass, written as "916" inside the piece, often alongside a Bureau of Indian Standards mark or a maker's stamp. That 22ct standard is materially purer than the 9ct or 18ct jewellery commonly sold in UK high-street shops, and it carries directly through to the bullion calculation: every gram of 22ct jewellery contains 0.916 grams of fine gold.

On arrival at our workshop, the XRF analyser reads the surface composition non-destructively to confirm the 916 marking is accurate. Counterfeit Indian-style jewellery does exist, usually 9ct or 14ct gold-plated brass passing as 22ct, and the XRF reading separates real from plated within seconds without scratching the piece or removing any stones.

Indian jewellery is often heavily stone-set: kundan (uncut polki diamonds set in 24ct gold foil), meenakari enamel on the reverse, pearls, rubies, emeralds and coloured stones. The fairness of the offer turns entirely on how the stone and enamel weight is separated from the gold weight.

Two methods are used. For lightly-set pieces, the stones are carefully removed before weighing and returned to you in a small bag alongside the offer. For heavily-set kundan and polki, where stone removal would damage the setting, the gold mass is calculated by subtracting an estimated stone weight from the gross weight, a published method, with the deduction shown line by line on the written offer so you can see exactly how the figure was reached.

Kundan stones themselves (the uncut diamonds set in foil) do hold value separately and we will note this on the offer if relevant; we are primarily a precious-metal buyer and we will say openly when a piece would do better at a specialist Indian-jewellery valuer.

Indian gold jewellery often carries family weight that does not show in the carat marking. Wedding sets, mangalsutra, a grandmother's bangles, christening pieces: not all of it should go to the melt, and the no-obligation route exists so you can look at the figure without committing to anything.

If the written offer arrives and the figure is not what the piece is worth to you, the answer is "no, please return it" and the parcel comes back at our cost, fully tracked, by Royal Mail Special Delivery. There is no fee for the valuation, no fee for the return label, no pressure to accept. The XRF photograph, the weight log and the written offer remain yours to keep as a reference of what the gold content is worth at today's rate.

Indian gold sets often combine into substantial parcels. A full bridal set of bangles, mangalsutra, jhumka earrings and matching neckpieces can weigh 200 grams or more of 22ct gold, which at recent rates puts the bullion value well above the £2,500 Special Delivery cover.

For any parcel that may exceed £2,500, message us beforehand with a rough photograph and a rough weight. We will split the consignment across two or more parcels posted on consecutive days, each with its own prepaid label, its own tracking number and its own cover, so no parcel exceeds the cover it travels under.

Pack each piece in its original box where possible, or wrap individually in tissue inside a padded Jiffy bag inside an outer cardboard carton. Do not write "gold" or "jewellery" on the outside of the parcel; the Royal Mail label uses a neutral routing code that does not advertise contents.