The short answer
The three things that can happen to a stone
There are only three possible outcomes for a stone you send us, and you choose which one before anything is touched.
- The stone is priced into the offer. The usual route. We buy the piece complete. Diamonds are assessed in-house on carat weight, cut, colour and clarity; coloured stones on species, size, colour and condition. The stone appears as its own line alongside the XRF-confirmed metal.
- The stone is removed and returned to you. If you would rather keep the stone and sell only the metal, say so. We unset it at our own bench, return it loose by tracked post, and offer on the metal alone. You see the metal-only figure in writing before anyone touches the setting.
- Nothing happens and the whole piece comes back. If you decline, the piece is returned intact and complete, free of charge, by tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery.
Who removes stones, and what it does to the setting
Unsetting is done in-house at our own bench. It is not sent out to a third party and it is not done by whoever opens the parcel.
You should also know the honest downside. Opening claws weakens them, and on a rub-over or channel setting the metal has to be worked back and frequently will not sit true again. Removing a stone changes the ring and may damage the setting or reduce its resale options. Some mounts can be reused or repaired by an appropriate jeweller, but GoldPaid does not offer that restoration service. That is fine once you have decided to sell the metal, and a poor idea if there is any chance you want the piece back as jewellery. We will not unset anything speculatively, and we will say so plainly if we think you are about to spoil something worth keeping.
Stones too small to return, said plainly
Not every stone can be got out of a setting in one piece. Melee describes small diamonds, often used as accents around a centre stone or along a band. Their sizes and settings vary; small stones may be held in close grain or pavé work. Removing it intact is often not possible, and stones that size have little resale value loose in any case.
What a stone is actually worth, honestly
- The four factors. Diamonds are valued on carat weight, cut, colour and clarity. A laboratory certificate from GIA, IGI or HRD firms the figure up. Stones without paperwork are still assessed and still bought.
- Size beats total weight. Half a carat spread across twenty accent stones is not worth what a half-carat solitaire is worth, and no honest buyer will pretend otherwise.
- Damage counts. Chipped girdles, abraded facet junctions and stones knocked about in a past workshop repair value below expectation.
- Lab-grown stones are bought. They are worth materially less than natural diamonds of the same size. The metal is read by XRF; the stone is assessed for type and priced for what it is.
- Coloured stones vary enormously. A good sapphire or emerald can carry real value. A synthetic stone or a garnet should not be assumed worthless from its name alone: size, quality, condition and the complete jewel can all affect the relevant selling route.
- Stones are not metal weight. Nothing that is not gold is paid as gold, which is exactly why the stone gets its own line rather than being quietly absorbed into a weight.
What we cannot do
- We cannot give a firm figure for a stone from a photograph. A photo tells us whether posting is worthwhile. The offer follows inspection and depends on item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-precious-metal components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
- We cannot issue laboratory certificates, and our written offer is a purchase offer, not an independent valuation. We are a buyer, not a laboratory. Separate paid reports are available: the insurance valuation add-on adds a written reinstatement value to an XRF report for £25 per item, and the XRF probate pack tests up to 20 items for £195 and records their metal content in the IHT407 schedule format, but it is not an open market valuation. If you need a certificate, obtain it before selling.
- We cannot re-set a stone once it has been removed, or restore a setting to its original condition.
- We cannot buy anything where ownership is not clear. We ask about provenance on stone-set, estate and inherited pieces as a matter of routine.
Sending a stone-set piece, step by step
- Ask first. Send a photograph on WhatsApp, top-down and from the side, with any certificate or receipt you have. Tell us at this stage if you want the stones back.
- Free label. We send a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, usually within 30 minutes during working hours. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used.
- Assessment. Your instruction about the stones is recorded against the parcel on arrival. The metal is weighed and XRF-assayed; the stones are assessed at the bench.
- Written offer. Metal and stones itemised on separate lines, with the assumptions behind each stone set out. No countdown and no pressure.
- Your decision. Accept and we aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance. Decline and the piece is returned complete, free of charge, by tracked post.
Decide what you want to keep before discussing removal
There are two separate decisions: whether to sell the piece, and whether you want a stone retained. Start with the object as it is. A family ring may matter as a complete item even if you initially thought you wanted only its centre stone. Before asking for removal, consider whether keeping the whole piece or seeking a jewellery resale opinion would better suit your intention.
Identify the stone precisely. “Keep the diamond” can be unclear on a ring with a centre stone and several accent stones, or in a parcel containing multiple rings. Use the item reference and describe the position of the stone. If you want every stone back, say that explicitly and ask whether that is feasible before agreeing to any work. An instruction should not depend on somebody guessing which stone has sentimental importance.
Ask what the proposed work means for the mount and what would happen if removal cannot be completed as intended. The answer is specific to the setting and its condition. The fact that one claw-set stone can be removed does not establish that the same approach is suitable for a fragile antique or a closely set cluster. GoldPaid does not promise to restore a setting or reset a removed stone; consider that before choosing a metal-only sale.
Do not loosen a stone yourself to make it easier to assess. A loose stone can be lost, and a damaged mount may affect your options even if you later decide against selling. Send photographs showing the top, side and underside of the setting and describe any existing movement, missing stones or damage you know about. Leave the physical assessment to the agreed process.
Read the stone description separately from the metal calculation
The written description should let you tell which stone or group of stones is being discussed. Check whether the figure relates to a single centre stone, all stones in the item, or the complete piece. If the offer gives separate metal and stone figures, make sure you understand how they combine into the total rather than adding a component twice.
A stone assessment and an XRF reading do different jobs. XRF provides information about detectable elements at tested metal points; it does not supply a diamond’s colour or clarity grade. The stone assessment may also have limitations while the stone remains mounted. Ask what was observed, what was estimated and whether a characteristic could not be established without further work.
If you have a laboratory report, send its details with photographs of the item and keep the original safely. A report concerns the stone examined by that laboratory. The practical question is whether the presented stone can be matched to it and whether later damage or alteration affects the current assessment. Do not assume that any certificate found in the same jewellery box necessarily belongs to the piece being sold.
Carat has a different meaning for stones and gold. A diamond’s carat weight measures mass, while a description such as 18ct gold describes alloy fineness. Total carat weight for several stones is also different from the weight of one stone. When reading an offer or older paperwork, check which meaning is being used before comparing numbers.
When another report or opinion would help
A purchase offer tells you what a buyer is prepared to pay on the stated basis. It is not automatically an independent valuation, an insurance replacement figure or a laboratory grading report. If you need paperwork for another purpose, ask the person or organisation receiving it what they require before paying for a report or agreeing to sell.
For an estate, the relevant valuation date may differ from the date of a current offer. For insurance, the insurer may specify the type of description or valuation it needs. A technically detailed report can still be the wrong document for the purpose. Keep the distinction visible rather than assuming that adding photographs or laboratory terminology turns a buying figure into an independent valuation.
If the stone or whole jewel may have significant specialist value, obtaining another opinion before acceptance can be sensible. Explain what you already know and what remains uncertain. For example, a question about whether a stone is natural, treated or laboratory-grown may call for different expertise from a question about the resale market for a signed ring. An opinion should answer the question you actually need resolved.
If you ultimately decline, compare the returned complete item with your photographs and the agreed instructions. If you agreed to sell the metal and retain a removed stone, keep the written description of that arrangement with the sale record. Those are different outcomes, and a clear record of which you chose is more useful than a general statement that “the jewellery was dealt with”.
Why this page exists
Whether your stones are safe is a fair question to ask out loud. Ask us anything about it before your parcel goes anywhere, and if the answer does not satisfy you, do not send it. See also how we handle your parcel and security and safety.
Common questions
Will they steal my diamonds if I send a ring off to sell the gold?
It is a fair worry, and worth putting to any postal gold buyer directly. At GoldPaid your parcel is checked against the description you gave when you requested the label, your items stay identifiable as yours throughout assessment, and nothing is removed from a setting without your written instruction. Decline and the piece comes back complete by tracked post at our cost. The full chain of custody is set out on how we handle your parcel.
Do you remove stones from jewellery?
Only when you have asked us to in writing. If you want to keep the stones and sell just the metal, we unset the piece at our own bench, return the stones to you loose and offer on the metal alone. Otherwise the piece is assessed and offered on complete, with the stones still in place.
Can I have my gemstones returned?
Yes. Tell us before you post. If a stone cannot be removed intact, and small melee often cannot, we will not remove it. We tell you, and you choose between selling the piece complete or having the whole thing back. Returns go by tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost.
Are diamonds worth anything in scrap jewellery?
It depends on the stones. A single decent centre stone is usually worth something and is priced as its own line. Tiny accent melee in a worn cluster ring often adds very little, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise. Either way the stones are looked at rather than ignored, and the metal is XRF-assayed separately. See sell diamond jewellery for how a full piece is handled.
I am selling a gold ring with a diamond in it. Do I need to take the diamond out first?
No, and please do not try. Send it as it is. Removing a stone at home damages the setting and risks losing the stone down a sink. The metal and the stone are assessed separately here without you having to unmount anything.
What if you tell me the stone is worth very little and it is not?
Get a second opinion before you accept, which is what a no-obligation written offer is for. Our breakdown states what we think each stone is and the assumptions behind the figure, so you have something specific to check against. If a stone looks likely to do better with a specialist or at auction than we would pay, we say so rather than buy it under its worth.
Not the question you had? The full GoldPaid FAQ covers the rest, from postal cover and ID checks to what happens if you decline the offer.
Speak to us before you post
Please send us photos on WhatsApp, and we will help you. We give an instant estimate where possible and arrange postage with you after our conversation. Your final offer follows inspection.