How the WhatsApp valuation runs, step by step
- Lay items flat in daylight. Lay everything you want valued flat on a plain surface, in daylight if possible, so the count and shapes are clear.
- Photograph each piece and any hallmarks close up. One photo per piece, plus a close-up of any hallmark or carat stamp with a coin or ruler in shot for scale.
- Note any home-scale weight. Kitchen-scale weights in whole grams are useful for a rough estimate. Not required.
- Send to 07944 014111 on WhatsApp. Message the photos with a short note of what you have.
- Get a rough estimate back. Usually within the hour during working hours. No obligation, no charge, no follow-up sales pressure.
What can a WhatsApp photo actually tell us?
| What a good photo settles | What has to wait for XRF |
|---|---|
| Carat, if the hallmark is legible (375, 585, 750, 916) | Whether the assayed alloy actually matches the stamp |
| Rough weight against a coin or ruler in shot | Weight to 0.01g on our scales |
| Solid vs plated vs rolled gold (usually) | Any plating that visually mimics solid gold |
| Whether stones, clasps or hollow fill are going to reduce payable weight | The exact deduction, item by item |
| Whether a piece looks worth posting at all | The firm figure |
The five-photo recipe that actually helps
One overall shot is a start. Five short, targeted shots do the whole job. Take these on your phone before you send anything:
Mixed parcels are welcome: chains, rings, coins, watches, a locket, an odd earring, all together in one message. The reply flags which pieces look worth more than their metal (a full sovereign, a signed piece, a decent watch) so you can decide whether to send the lot to us or route the specialist pieces elsewhere first.
- The group shot. Everything you might sell, laid out flat on a plain surface (a tea towel is fine) in daylight if you can. It settles the count.
- One shot per piece. Close-up of each item, front and back if there is wear or damage worth showing. Chains laid flat in an S-shape rather than balled up.
- Hallmark close-ups. Get the phone as close as it will focus on any tiny stamps inside a ring shank or on a chain clasp. Include a coin, ruler or 20p in shot so we can judge scale of both the mark and the piece.
- Kitchen-scale weights, if you have scales. Photograph the reading with the item on the scale. Whole-gram scales are imprecise but the picture shows what you have.
- Anything you are unsure about. A cufflink that looks lighter than it should, a chain that might be gold-filled, a locket you are not sure has anything gold in it. Photograph it and say so: that is what the photo-first step is for.
Send the batch on WhatsApp to 07944 014111 with a short note of what you have. Anything you can add ("these were my mother’s", "the ring has '750' inside", "one earring only") helps the reply be specific rather than generic.
What the reply will look like
The reply is a message, not a template. It covers four things: an indicative per-piece figure or a range for the parcel, any items that look plated or not worth posting (so you keep them out of the parcel), any items that might be worth more than metal at a specialist (so you route them there instead), and a next step: either "yes, worth posting, want a free label?" or "the metal figure is too small to justify the postage, keep them or bring to a local jeweller".
- Indicative figure or range. Per item on small parcels, as a total range on larger mixed ones. Named as indicative because that is what it is.
- Plated / low-value flags. If a piece looks plated or not worth posting, we say so and keep it out of the label. No point paying for cover on nothing.
- Specialist flags. Signed pieces (Cartier, Tiffany, Boodles), antique work, full sovereigns and vintage watches can be worth more at auction or with a specialist dealer than as scrap. We say so honestly.
- Next step. If the figure is in a range you would consider, a free tracked Royal Mail label is issued and posted to you. If it is not, we say that too.
Nothing about the reply commits you to sending anything. Ask as many questions as you want: hallmark meanings, what a specific piece looks like, whether an unmarked piece is worth XRF-testing before deciding, how the postal cover works. See how we value gold for the full method the eventual firm offer uses.
How honest is the rough estimate?
- Clean hallmarked pieces. The main gap is kitchen-scale rounding, which cuts both ways.
- Unmarked or worn-hallmark pieces. A wider range: they could test at the carat you assumed, above it, or below.
- Possible plated items. Flagged in the reply when the photo shows it. If it is plated, the eventual offer on that piece is close to nil, and we say so upfront.
- Stone-set pieces. The metal indicative is closer than the total, because stones need in-person inspection.
- Market movement. Fine gold can move a couple of per cent day to day. See why an offer differs from an estimate.
Data, privacy and what happens to the photos
The photos you send stay on our WhatsApp Business inbox and are kept only as long as needed to help you decide, which is normally the length of the enquiry. They are not published anywhere without your written permission, they are never used for marketing, and they are not shared with any third party. If you ask us to delete the thread and photos after the conversation, we do. The full detail is in the privacy policy. WhatsApp itself operates under its own end-to-end encryption and terms; the message stays between you and us.
One honest limit worth stating: photos on WhatsApp are not a probate valuation. GOV.UK asks executors to work out what each item would have sold for, and HMRC does not insist on a professional valuation; where you want one for a higher-value piece, a registered valuer is the right route. See probate and inheritance for how the two roles differ.
What if you do not use WhatsApp?
Photos are welcome by email to goldpaiduk@gmail.com, and the same reply lands there instead. The phone line is 07944 014111 if you would rather talk before sending photos. There is no requirement to use any specific channel: the point of the photo-first step is to answer your questions before a parcel moves, not to funnel you into a particular app.
Common questions
Is the WhatsApp photo valuation actually free?
Yes. There is no charge for the message, the reply, the rough estimate, or any follow-up questions. If you then request a Royal Mail label it is also free and prepaid; and if you post, receive the written offer and decline, the return is free too. The whole route to a decision costs you nothing.
How quickly do you reply?
Usually within the hour during working hours, which are 8am to 9pm every day of the week including evenings and weekends. A message sent at 10pm on a Sunday normally has a reply first thing Monday morning; sooner if we are still on that evening.
What if the photos are not great?
Send what you have and we will tell you what would help. A blurry hallmark just means we ask for a re-take on that piece; a group photo that is dark is fine to work with if the individual close-ups are clearer. Nothing about this step needs to be perfect.
Will you keep chasing me if I do not reply?
No. If we send the rough estimate and do not hear back, that is the end of the conversation from our side. There is no follow-up sequence, no chaser email, no phone call. If you come back a month or a year later, the same photo-first step still applies.
Can I send photos on behalf of someone else?
Yes, for a parent, an older relative or an estate. If the eventual sale is by someone else, we will ask them to confirm the offer directly before payment leaves for their bank account. Photos and questions from a family member up front are fine.
What if my item is not gold or silver at all?
We will say so, and suggest what to do. Plated pieces come back to you unposted; costume jewellery is not worth mailing at all. For watches, coins, medals and stamps, send a photo first and we will tell you how we would value them; see the also-buy hub. If it is not for us, we say so and often point you at the right specialist.
Is a photo enough for a firm offer?
No, and we will not pretend otherwise. A firm offer needs the piece in front of the XRF analyser and the scale. The photo step exists to help you decide whether posting is worth doing at all, and to give an honest indicative range so nothing about the final written offer is a surprise.
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 a rough estimate where possible and arrange postage with you after our conversation. Your final offer follows inspection.