National Watch and Diamond is a twenty five year old business with a major retail store located on Jewelers’ Row in Philadelphia. We also have a large web presence.
Many online gold, silver and diamond buyers are nothing more than people in an office looking to make a quick profit.
Our store employs individuals with experience in the jewelry industry, both buying and selling.
We are able to maximize the price we pay for your valuables, whether it is a simple gold chain or large diamond.
Our worldwide customer base is generated from our existing retail jewelry and watch business and enables us to pay more for your items. We are not like other online buyers who want to make a fast profit.
Our physical store in Philadelphia, allows us to stock much of what we buy and our extensive connections in the jewelry business for almost three decades enable us to know who pays the most for items we cannot use.
We also offer higher prices for scrap gold and silver because of our existing retail business. We do not need to make low offers to turn a larger profit.
National Watch and Diamond offers Honesty, Integrity, Low profit margins and Excellent customer service. Ship your items to our secure location today for a free no obligation price quote.
The price you paid for an item is irrelevant. Worth is determined by how much value the item holds AND how much profit the seller wants to make. Many people receive appraisals that are usually inflated to unrealistic amounts.
In almost all cases, appraisals make owners happy. These days, most insurance companies pay on replacement value versus appraisals.
Whenever you get an appraisal, ask the appraiser, “What do you think my item can realize?” or “What would YOU pay for it?”
Many times a store or vendor will tell you, “I do not buy this type of item, or “We have enough of these in stock”. This is nonsense. The store could never have enough of anything if they buy it at the right price.
Vendors tell you these things so they do not insult you with an offer that is probably far less than you are expecting. If an auto dealer has three dark brown, high mileage Cadillacs, he will still buy the fourth at a price if he can make a profit.
Many times sellers are very surprised by the first offer they receive from us or others. We know this from our many years of experience.
Sellers often have unrealistic expectations about the value of their items. This is due to what they paid or what a relative told them the item was worth. Because of this, we suggest that you contact three vendors you believe are honest buyers. Their appraisals should all be within 15% of the other.
Our company is very aggressive on certain items because we have a large customer base for them. These include high-end silver jewelry, Rolex Sport Models, larger diamonds and antique jewelry.
One way is if you can sell to the end user. This is not easy but certainly possible if you can overcome issues often associated with direct end sales.
What we pay is usually dependent on how fast we believe we can sell the item. If we can sell it right away, we are willing to work at approximately a 10% profit. If we have to inventory the item, then, obviously, we need to earn more.
Pins, Brooches, Stick Pins, and belt buckles are very hard to sell compared to other items. While many are beautiful, most take far longer to sell. Consequently, they have less value. For example, a pin with three carats of diamonds in it is usually worth less than a bracelet with the SAME diamond weight.
1920’s: Emerald & Asscher Cut
The Art Deco period favored geometric shapes and multi-stone rings, leading to a resurgence in sharp lined cuts like Emerald and Asscher. Diamond halo settings also became popular in the 1920’s.
1930’s: Round Cut
Trying to evolve from the prominence of Art Deco, settings began to feature curving designs like ribbons and bows which brought a popularity to round stones. During the Depression, solitaire stones became more frequent given their simplicity and lower cost.
1940’s: Round Cut
Thanks to De Beer’s “A Diamond is Forever” campaign in 1947, diamonds as center stones became more widespread with a focus on the current classic, the round cut. As platinum became scarce during World War II, yellow gold and rose gold were more widely used and rings began to show some diversity.
1950’s: Pear Cut
With an increased focus on detail, settings featured engravings and braided elements. Sizeable center stones with baguettes become popular. Audrey Hepburn’s engagement ring made stackable engagement rings of various metals popular.
1960’s: Asscher Cut
The return of Art Deco brought back the beloved Asscher, as seen with Elizabeth Taylor’s remarkable Asscher engagement ring. Jackie Kennedy’s emerald and diamond ring made colored gemstones very popular as well.
1970’s: Emerald Cut
Brides began to create matching ring sets, coordinating their engagement rings with their wedding. This led to a more frequent use of yellow gold and rose gold across the board. The emerald cut emerged as a favorite again.
1980’s: Round Cut
Princess Diana’s sapphire ring popularized colored gemstones and many replicas of her ring were made. Yellow gold was widely used for settings while round center stones with baguettes became extremely common.
1990’s: Marquise Cut
During the grunge period, marquise diamonds rose in popularity for their sharp edges and bold look. White gold and platinum bands were on trend as yellow gold were on trend as yellow gold began to disappear for some time.
2000’s: Princess Cut
The 2000’s embraced classic solitaire rings and 3 stone rings with large center stones. Although created in the 1906’s, the princess cut rose to prominence in the 1900’s thanks to their modern and geometric shape.
2010’s: Cushion Cut
Diamond halo settings saw a revival and were used to enhance the size of the center stone. While this setting can be seen used in a variety of diamond cuts, a pairing with the cushion was favored due to its multi-faceted shone and the ability to appear even more brilliant when surrounded by additional stones.
Currently: Oval Cut
Skinny pave bands and custom made rings currently top the charts as brides chose to show their individuality through engagement rings. The oval, set both vertically and sometimes even horizontally, allows for a wide range of overall ring styles.
© 2001 - 2024 National Watch & Diamond Exchange
We are a member of: National Pawnbrokers' Association, Philadelphia Jewelers' Row Association, ICTA, ANA & the BBB. We are always looking to buy valuables. We are especially interested in estate jewelry, watches, diamonds, antique jewelry and coins.Loans are done by Jewelers’ Row Money Loan, owner of National Watch and Diamond.