How Much Is My Gold Worth? A Chichester Jeweller's Honest Guide

That drawer of odd earrings, the broken chain, the ring that no longer suits you. Most homes in Chichester have one — a little hoard of gold that nobody wears but nobody quite knows what to do with. And sooner or later, most of us ask the same thing: is this actually worth anything?

It's a fair question, and one we answer every week in our showroom at 64 South Street. The honest answer is that it comes down to a few simple, knowable things: the carat, the weight, and the condition. None of it is a mystery, and none of it should be. This guide is written so you can understand it too — before you ever book an appointment.

In this post, we will walk you through exactly what decides the value of your gold, how to tell a carat from a hallmark, why gold coins are valued a little differently, and when it might be better to sell your gold — or give it new life instead. By the end, you'll know enough to have an informed, unhurried conversation with us, and no surprises.

What Decides What Your Gold Is Worth

Three things, mostly, and we'll take each in turn.

• Carat — how pure the gold is. The higher the carat, the more actual gold is in the piece, and the more it's worth by weight.
• Weight — measured in grams, on calibrated scales, always weighed in front of you.
• Condition — and this matters less than you'd think. Broken, tangled or missing a stone, the gold itself still holds its value.

There's also the live gold price, which moves daily. It's why the value of your gold today isn't the same as it was six months ago — and why the market right now is worth a look.

Gold prices have risen by around 72% year on year to early 2026, reaching roughly $4,934 per troy ounce by that point. What that means in practice is simple: unworn gold sitting in a drawer is worth more today than it was this time last year. For many people, now is a genuinely good time to find out.

Understanding Carats

"Carat" here is about purity, not diamond weight — it tells you how much of a piece is pure gold out of 24 parts. The rest is alloy, added to give the metal strength and colour.

• 9ct gold — 37.5% pure gold. The most common in everyday British jewellery; hard-wearing and designed for daily wear.
• 18ct gold — 75% pure gold. Richer in colour and noticeably more valuable, used in finer jewellery.
• 22ct gold — 91.7% pure gold. The traditional choice for wedding bands in some cultures, and some coins.
• 24ct gold — essentially pure gold. Rare in jewellery because it's soft; more common in bullion.

If you're holding something and you're simply not sure what it is, don't worry. We'll test it for you, free and with no obligation, and tell you honestly what you've got.

Hallmarks: How to Read Them

A hallmark is the small set of marks stamped into a piece of gold, and it's its own proof of what it is. It's worth learning to read the three main marks.

• The maker's mark — who made the piece.
• The fineness mark — the carat, shown as a number such as 375 (9ct), 750 (18ct) or 916 (22ct).
• The assay office mark — where it was independently tested and stamped.

No hallmark doesn't mean the piece isn't gold. Older jewellery, foreign pieces and many coins often don't carry one, and plenty of perfectly good pieces were never hallmarked at all. That's exactly why we test the metal itself rather than trusting the stamps — so you get a true answer either way.

Selling Gold Coins and Bullion

Coins are a little different from jewellery, and they're worth their own section because they're valued on different terms. A sovereign, a Krugerrand or a Britannia is bought and sold on its gold content — its weight and its purity — rather than on a design or its sentimental history.

Many recognised coins carry a small premium on top of their pure gold value, simply because they're well-known, liquid and easy to verify. So if you've inherited a collection of coins or bought bullion as an investment, it's worth understanding that your valuation will reflect that recognised status.

We value coins on their weight and purity, and we'll talk you through the difference between the metal value and any premium the piece may carry. Whether it's a full or half sovereign, a Krugerrand, a Britannia or a gold bar, we'll give you a clear picture before you decide anything.

Sell It, or Give It New Life?

Sometimes the better answer isn't selling at all — and that's a conversation we're glad to have.

If a piece carries memories — a ring from someone you loved, a chain you've worn for years, an inherited heirloom with a story — ask us about our jewellery remodelling service before you part with it. We can reimagine old gold into something you'll actually wear and treasure, rather than hand it over for melting. At your visit we'll help you decide what's right for you, with no pressure either way. The gold is yours; the choice should be too.

How to Sell Your Gold With Us

We're a family fine jeweller on South Street, not a pawnbroker and not a postal service. That distinction matters. We value gold as craftspeople, not just by the gram, and much of what we're offered finds a second life at our own bench.

Selling your gold with us is straightforward, by appointment, seven days a week:

1. Book your appointment. Choose any day that suits you and tell us roughly what you're bringing, so we set aside the right time. Every appointment is private and unhurried.
2. Bring your gold and a photo ID. We keep proper records for every purchase, so ID is required to complete a sale.
3. We assess it together. In the showroom we test and weigh every piece in front of you and explain what affects its value.
4. We make a clear offer. A fair, transparent figure on the spot — with no obligation to accept. You're welcome to take your time and consider it.
5. Settle simply. If you're happy, we complete everything properly and settle there and then.

It's a low-pressure, face-to-face conversation with jewellers who understand the metal and who'll still be here on the same street long after the transaction is done.

If you'd like a straight answer on what your gold is worth, come and see us. The showroom at 64 South Street, Chichester is yours by appointment, seven days a week, and every valuation is unhurried and face to face.

Book a Sell Your Gold appointment

Conclusion

Your gold's value comes down to a handful of honest, knowable things: the carat, the weight, the condition, and the live price of the metal. With hallmarks to read and coins valued on their content, none of it needs to feel mysterious — and with prices having risen so sharply over the last year, there's rarely been a better time to simply find out what you have.

And if a piece means something to you, remember that selling is only one of two doors. We'd be just as glad to help you keep that gold and give it new life at the bench.

To find out what your gold is worth — or to talk through whether to sell it or reimagine it — book an appointment at our Chichester showroom, any day of the week. Bring your gold and a form of photo ID, and we'll weigh it, test it and talk it through with you, face to face and at your pace. There's never any obligation, and never any pressure — just an honest answer from a family jeweller who treats your gold the way we'd treat our own.