No pressure to begin with
Nothing is committed at the start. WhatsApp a photo and you will get an honest read on whether testing is worth it for that item, what the cost would be, and what the report will say.
GoldPaid has no branches. The testing service is run by post, UK-wide, with a single number for calls and WhatsApp and a full evening window so you can ask outside work hours.
Your 14-day cancellation right
What an insurance valuation is, and why it matters
Most jewellery insurance is reinstatement cover: the insurer agrees to replace a lost or damaged item like-for-like, up to the sum stated on the schedule. If the schedule undervalues the piece, the customer is underinsured and the insurer is not on the hook for the gap. A written reinstatement valuation puts the right number on the schedule.
The XRF report on its own shows composition: the metals present and the fine-metal content of the piece. The insurance valuation is different: it states the retail replacement cost of the piece as a comparable jewellery item, which is what reinstatement cover needs, especially for branded, designer or antique pieces.
What you receive
- The standard XRF report with full elemental table, plating screen, hallmark cross-check and fine-metal content.
- An insurance valuation page stating the retail reinstatement value of each selected item, the methodology used, and a comparable-market reference.
- Insurer-friendly formatting: schedule-style item descriptions and identifying photographs.
- Plain-English summary linking the composition findings to the reinstatement value so the customer can see how the figure was reached.
When the valuation is the right add-on
For an engagement ring, an heirloom watch or an antique brooch, ask your insurer what replacement-value evidence it requires and whether it specifies a particular valuer. For pieces you would simply sell as scrap if you parted with them, the standard XRF report on its own is enough.
Per-item pricing means you can add the valuation to selected items rather than a whole pack, typically one or two stand-out pieces inside a wider family or estate pack.
How testing works
- Ask first. WhatsApp a photo of the item. You get a quick read on which testing pack to order and an honest answer on whether the test is worth the money for that item.
- Confirm the pack. Agree the testing tier that fits and pay by bank transfer. You get a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, tracked and signed for. No printer needed, a QR code works at the Post Office counter.
- Post when ready. Wrap the item in any padded envelope. There is no deadline. Drop it at any Post Office.
- Test and report. We weigh, photograph and XRF-scan each item across multiple points. You receive a written report inside 24 to 48 hours plus one working day for the valuation page of receipt.
- Item returned, free. Your item is sent back the same day the report is issued, by tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery. Return postage is included in the testing fee.
How items travel
Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used, and if a parcel may be worth more than that we split it across more than one prepaid label at no charge, each with its own tracking number and cover.
Special Delivery is signed for at every handover. We send a confirmation by WhatsApp when the parcel reaches us, and the same again on the return leg once the report has been issued.
Return policy
Every item is returned by tracked, signed-for Special Delivery the same day the report is finalised. The return is included in what you have already paid. Nothing else is added at the end.
If we cannot complete a test for any reason (for example, the surface is too contaminated, or the item is a non-metallic composite), you are refunded in full and the item goes back the same day.
Testing is testing
Plenty of gold buyers will offer a "free test" if you send your item in. That is a sales tool, not a testing service. This page is the other way round: you pay for the test and the report stands on its own. Whether you sell anything afterwards is a separate decision, and one we do not get involved in unless you ask.
The full reasoning is on the testing pledge page.
What this report is, and what it is not
The report identifies the elemental composition of an item to the accuracy of the analyser. The composition report does not replace a UK hallmark, an Assay Office fire assay, or an insurance reinstatement valuation. Any separately ordered replacement-value assessment is a different document: check your insurer’s valuer and report requirements before ordering. We say so in plain English on the front page of every report.
If a report leaves any doubt, we will tell you what the next step would be, typically a UK Assay Office fire assay (destructive but definitive) for high-value disputes, or a written insurance valuation from a qualified independent valuer for reinstatement cover.
What you see before you decide
GoldPaid makes no price-beating claims. You get the XRF reading, the weight and the figure for every piece in writing, and you decide at home.
Common questions
Will my insurer accept this valuation?
Insurers set their own requirements. Check with your insurer before ordering, especially for items insured under a specialist policy, in case the insurer requires a named-scheme valuer.
Is this the same as an Assay Office or NAJ-registered valuer report?
No. NAJ and the Assay Offices run their own valuation services. For specialist-scheme requirements, an NAJ valuer is the right route and we will tell you straight if your insurer needs one.
How long does it add to the testing turnaround?
One working day, typically. The XRF scan and composition reporting happen the same day as receipt; the valuation page is added the following day.
Can I add it to a probate pack?
Yes, for any piece the family plans to keep and insure. Tell us which items in the probate pack need the add-on and we will price each one at +£25. An insurance valuation is not a probate valuation: for inheritance tax, jewellery is valued at its open market value at the date of death, and form IHT407 asks for any item of jewellery valued at £1,500 or more to be listed on its own, with a copy of any professional valuation you have.
How is the reinstatement value worked out?
Comparable retail evidence for similar pieces (style, age, materials, condition), benchmarked against current trade and dealer pricing, with the methodology footnoted on the valuation page so any insurer can audit the working.
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.