What do you do when you inherit jewellery from your neighbour is it real or not?

Elizabeth27

Does it matter how much they are worth if you are going to donate them.

Yep - charity shops sometimes don’t know what they’ve got and could get far more if they know their value from the start.

If you don't want to keep them then I agree take to independent jeweller to value then you could donate to charity with a value attached which would mean they can sell for a bit more cash.

I think if you are given something as a memento then you can do what you like with it. My late MIL gave her valuable jewellery away whilst she was still alive but in her will she left two sapphires to my daughter (her grandchild) one had been set cheaply into an ugly ring and the other was wrapped up in a scrappy bit of tissue. tbh they both nearly got thrown away but my daughter wanted to use the jewellery that she'd already been given into something modern that she would wear and wondered if the sapphires were worth recutting and setting. she took the sapphires to one jeweler who told her they were worthless, fortunately she took them to another who suggested she had a proper valuation on them. They were both worth over £2K each and she has had one of them made into a beautiful ring which she loves to wear. It isn't always easy to tell if something is cheap tat or something of value.

Ive got to say, any jewellery I was bequeathed in this way, I still have. What a lovely gesture from your friend. I'd just put it in my jewellery box.

I was once given a very pretty little ring by the family of a neighbour. They knew we’d had an ongoing joke about if I go first you get……

I took it a jeweller to secure a couple of the side stones. He suggested I insure it for £30,000.

I couldn’t give it back fast enough. Too much responsibilty?

I have non precious jewellery I inherited from my mother and grandmother and which they wore in the mid 20th century. An individual unsigned brooch can bring £50 if you sell it right and signed classic pieces/matched sets a great deal more. Researching it can be a fascinating experience. To make best best money you need to sell internationally.

Keep any piece(s) you really like as a concrete memory but put the remainder to auction.

Some "costume jewellery" is highly collectable but you have to know the field.

You have to pay for a proper valuation, but most jewellers will give a collection a once over and divide it into two groups, 'worth valuing' and 'base metal costume jewellery'

Jewellers will not give valuations for free. You could ask a few jewellers if they buy in jewellery and what they would offer you if you decided to sell. They would look for hallmarks weigh the items and make an offer or not based on these details.

If you like them, wear them. If you don't like them, give them away – to a charity sounds like a good idea.

For me it would be that simple. Value isn't only in financial terms. If your neighbour valued you and you valued your neighbour, maybe you'd like to keep some of the jewellery in remembrance.

In that case I don’t really understand your question.

I’m not interested in any of the value of this inherited jewellery I’ll remember my neighbour with love in my heart she was a real stalwart who could entertain all ages on old years night with a wee dram in her hand. And outstay the liveliest of them all. She’s been a real trooper. Hope nice things are said about me when it’s my time to depart ????

What a lovely gesture from your neighbour’s family. Can’t you just wear it with the lovely sentiment that came with it.
If you don’t much like it you could make it into something else. An ornament perhaps that you could display in memory of a kind neighbour.

If my jewellery were given to a neighbour as a keepsake of me and they straightaway gave it to a charity shop because it wasn't valuable, I would come back and haunt them. Presumably it was given in memory of the late owner, not for its financial value.

Does it matter how much they are worth if you are going to donate them.

I would definitely find out if they have any value. Charities sometimes sell valuable items cheaply, having no idea of their worth. I’m sure we’ve all seen people proudly show items on Antiques Roadshow etc which they bought for next to nothing in a charity shop. If they are of value you could always sell them yourself and give the money to charity if you wish.

Take them to an independent jeweller who will able to advise about the value if anything.
You can then decide if you want to keep them.
If you like any of them, there is no problem in my mind that you could keep them, if not perhaps donate to a charity shop that your neighbour supported or sell or send to an auction.

Take them to a jeweller, explain your predicament and he will be able to tell you whether they have any value or not.

Experienced, not expected.

No I haven’t expected this. Did the neighbour leave them to you? I would get them valued, then decide if you want to keep them, sell them or donate them.

Look for any hallmarks, should be easy to find, or just get them valued? Even if you give them to Charity they would be pleased to have a valuation already done.