Where to Sell Gemstones (Loose, Jewelry, or Collections): 18 Options

If you have a high-value gemstone or gemstone collection, you can sell it to a professional gemstone/jewelry buyer like Pampillonia or through an auction house like Christie’s or Sotheby’s. For lower-value items, you can sell gemstones and gemstone jewelry to pawnshops or through peer-to-peer marketplaces like Loupe Troop.

The general process for selling gemstones includes either an in-person or by-mail evaluation of the item(s) you want to sell. The buyer may either pay you for your gemstone collection directly or facilitate an auction. You’ll receive a final offer or price estimate, which you can either accept or decline; if you decline, you’ll get your gemstones back.

Below, we list the places that buy or auction gemstones, gemstone jewelry, and gemstone collections.

What We Recommend

The best option for you to sell your gemstones will vary depending on how many you want to sell, how much they’re worth, and whether they’re loose or set in jewelry. Consider the following:

• Best for loose gems: Peer-to-peer marketplaces, which offer the most listing flexibility; specialized sites like DiamondBistro and Loupe Troop can connect you with collectors of gemstones specifically, though eBay and Etsy are also good options for selling loose gems.
• Best for gemstone jewelry: Pampillonia, a jeweler with over 100 years of experience that purchases both single items and collections of precious gemstone jewelry
• Best for high-value items or collections: Sotheby’s, which allows in-person or insured-mail sales, offers expert appraisals, and specializes in fine-quality, luxury items

Comparison Table

See your options for selling gemstones in the table below, including what you can sell through each method, whether you can sell online or in-person, how you’ll be paid, and how long it takes. Click each company name or scroll to the list below for more details. Note that you can also sort this table by any column using the arrow buttons at the top of the column.

The List

Below, we list the places that buy gemstones, gemstone jewelry, and gemstone collections. We gathered this information by contacting each company’s customer service department. The list is ordered with the overall best pick first within each category — professional buyers, auction houses, peer-to-peer marketplaces, and pawnshops. We include what each company buys, the ease of the sale process, payment options, and processing times.

Note that our list does not include pay scale information. Representatives at all of the companies we contacted told us that prices vary on a case-by-case basis depending on the weight, color, clarity, certification, and inspection of your gemstones/jewelry. In the case of peer-to-peer marketplaces, you are responsible for setting the price of your item(s).

Professional Gemstone Buyers

The following professional jewelers and gemstone buyers purchase gemstones in their stores or by mail:

Pampillonia

• What it accepts: Gemstone jewelry (single items or collections), including emerald, ruby, and sapphire
• By mail or in-person? Both; in-person buyers are available at Pampillonia’s store in Bethesda, MD, or you can send your item(s) in using registered and insured mail. Note that you are responsible for mailing costs, though the company can help you arrange shipping and insurance.
• Payment options: Cash or check
• Time required: Varies; payment is available the same day if you sell your item(s) in person.
• Find out more

Farewell Diamond

• What it accepts: Single, loose gemstones and gemstone rings including sapphires, rubies, emeralds, alexandrite, jade, opal, tourmaline, and more
• By mail or in-person? By mail; shipments are through FedEx and insured by G4S.
• Payment options: Check
• Time required: Around 14 days; you’ll have five days to accept the final offer.
• Find out more

WP Diamonds

• What it accepts: Single diamonds (including non-round and colored) and diamond jewelry, plus designer jewelry set with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, opals, and other gemstones
• By mail or in-person? Both; in-person appointments are available in New York City, or you can use WP Diamonds’ free, insured FedEx mail-in service.
• Payment options: Wire transfer or check if selling by mail; cash or check if selling in person
• Time required: Up to about a week, depending on whether you sell in-person or by-mail and which payment option you choose
• Find out more

Diamond Buyers

• What it accepts: Diamonds of at least 1 carat; ruby, sapphire, or emerald jewelry with stones of at least 3 carats; does not buy semi-precious stones like citrine or topaz
• By mail or in-person? Both; in-person appointments are available in Houston, TX, and mail-in sales include prepaid, insured FedEx mailing.
• Payment options: Bank transfer or check
• Time required: In-person, you’ll receive an offer the same day (usually within 20 minutes); by mail, you’ll often receive an estimate within about two business days and complete the process within a week or two, but response times vary.
• Find out more

SellYourGold.com

• What it accepts: Gemstones set in precious metal; may accept loose gemstones; prefers AAA-rated precious stones, such as rubies, emeralds, and sapphires
• By mail or in-person? By mail; includes a free, FedEx shipping label insured up to $1,000; additional coverage (up to $25,000) is available by request.
• Payment options: Bank transfer, check, or PayPal
• Time required: You’ll receive an offer the day SellYourGold.com receives your package; you have 48 hours to respond. The entire process, including mailing, usually takes around 8 to 12 days.
• Find out more

Local Jewelers and Gemologists

If you don’t live near one of the jewelers listed above and don’t feel comfortable sending your jewelry in for appraisal by mail, you can find a local, independently-owned jeweler or gemologist that can appraise and purchase your item(s). The following organizations offer directories to help you find a qualified appraiser in your area:

• American Gem Society
• Gemological Institute of America
• National Association of Jewelry Appraisers

See our previous research on whether you can sell jewelry or stones to Kay Jewelers and Zales, plus the places that specifically buy broken jewelry.

Auction Houses

If your collection includes unique, rare, or high-value items, you might want to sell them at auction to get the best price. The following auction houses can facilitate the sale of your luxury gemstone jewelry or collection.

Sotheby’s

• What it accepts: Fine gemstone jewelry collections and single items
• By mail or in-person? Both; in-person appointments are available in California, New York, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Milan.
• Payment options: Bank transfer or check
• Time required: You’ll receive an estimate in around five to seven business days; the total process will take at least a few weeks.
• Find out more

Christie’s

• What it accepts: High-value gemstone jewelry (single items and collections)
• By mail or in-person? Both; in-person appointments are available in New York and London.
• Payment options: Bank transfer
• Time required: You’ll receive an estimate within four to six weeks; the time for the entire process will vary depending on when Christie’s can schedule your auction or private sale.
• Find out more

Worthy

• What it accepts: Single rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and collections; will not take single, loose gems alone but will buy them if you are also selling jewelry items
• By mail or in-person? By mail; shipments are through FedEx and insured by Lloyd’s of London.
• Payment options: PayPal, bank transfer, or check
• Time required: Up to 14 business days
• Find out more

Peer-to-Peer Auctions and Marketplaces

Online auction sites and marketplaces allow you to sell single gemstones or your gemstone collection directly to a buyer.

Note that if you are an inheritor of gems rather than a collector or you do not have an in-depth knowledge of gemstones, it can be difficult to price and describe your items appropriately for peer-to-peer sales. If this is the case, consider one of the professional appraisal options listed above.

DiamondBistro

• What it accepts: Loose stones and gemstone jewelry
• By mail or in-person? By mail
• Payment options: Negotiable between buyer and seller
• Time required: Varies depending on how long it takes to find an interested buyer and how you ship the item(s)
• Find out more

Loupe Troop

• What it accepts: Loose gemstones and jewelry
• By mail or in-person? By mail
• Payment options: Negotiable between buyer and seller
• Time required: Varies depending on how long it takes for a buyer to find your item(s) and how you ship the item(s)
• Find out more

eBay

• What it accepts: Any loose gemstone, jewelry, or gemstone collection as long as it is not looted, stolen, from protected land, from a historical gravesite, or from a shipwreck
• By mail or in-person? Either, depending on how you set up your listing
• Payment options: PayPal or cash payment upon pickup (if selling locally)
• Time required: Varies depending on whether you choose to auction the item(s) or use “Buy It Now,” how long it takes a buyer to find your listing, and the shipping method you choose
• Find out more

Etsy

• What it accepts: Handmade or vintage gemstone jewelry and loose gemstones (individual or lot)
• By mail or in-person? By mail
• Payment options: Bank transfer
• Time required: Varies depending on how long it takes a buyer to find your item and depending on the shipping method you choose
• Find out more

Pawnshops

Pawnshops do not always accept loose stones or large collections, but they can be good places to sell lower-value gemstone jewelry that places like Christie’s or WP Diamonds won’t accept. You aren’t required to take a pawn loan; you will have the option to pawn your item or sell it directly to the shop.

Our list includes only chain pawnshops; you can find many other locally-owned pawn shops near you, and you may want to get quotes from several different shops to be sure you’re getting the best price.

Pawn America

• What it accepts: Single items or small collections of jewelry (preferably set in gold)
• By mail or in-person? In-person, but you can get a quote online
• Payment options: Cash
• Time required: Pawn America doesn’t provide a set timeline for online quotes; in-person sales receive an offer and payment the same day.
• Find out more

Cash America Pawn

• What it accepts: Jewelry (single items or small lots)
• By mail or in-person? In-person
• Payment options: Cash
• Time required: You’ll receive your offer and payment the same day.
• Find out more

EZPAWN

• What it accepts: Jewelry (rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc.) and loose stones
• By mail or in-person? In-person
• Payment options: Cash
• Time required: You’ll receive your offer the same day and be paid immediately.
• Find out more

Value Pawn & Jewelry

• What it accepts: Jewelry and loose stones
• By mail or in-person? In-person
• Payment options: Cash
• Time required: You’ll receive an offer the same day you visit and will receive payment immediately if you accept the offer.
• Find out more

USA Pawn & Jewelry

• What it accepts: Jewelry
• By mail or in-person? In-person
• Payment options: Cash
• Time required: You’ll receive an offer and payment the same day.
• Find out more