Start with the seven-photo jewelry checklist to capture the complete piece, marks, construction, stones, and condition. Then use the jewelry value factors guide to build stronger comparisons from material, maker, condition, provenance, and sold evidence.
Looking at a piece right now? Choose the matching ring, necklace, bracelet, earring, or watch identifier guide, then scan your clearest photo with GemPeek to turn those visible clues into useful search terms and an estimated value range.
Find the clue that unlocks your search
Jewelry identification rarely depends on one dramatic detail. The useful clue may be a number inside a ring, the shape of a bracelet clasp, a signature behind a pendant, the fastening on an earring, or a reference on a watch case. Our guides show where to look, how to photograph it, what vocabulary to use, and how to compare pieces that are actually similar. Each article links its sources and connects you to the next relevant guide, so your research can move from a broad visual match to a focused answer.
Latest articles
- September 9, 2026 How much do pawn shops pay for gold? What the offer is based on How much do pawn shops pay for gold? Offers are built from melt value, not retail: learn the karat-times-weight arithmetic and what to ask at the counter.
- September 7, 2026 How to tell if opal is real: solid, doublet, triplet, or synthetic How to tell if opal is real is a four-way question: viewed edge-on, a ruler-flat join line means a doublet or triplet rather than a solid opal.
- September 5, 2026 How to tell if silver is real: the checks that actually settle it How to tell if silver is real: read the mark first, because EPNS, EPBM and A1 are plating codes, then confirm with a magnet, ice, or an acid or XRF test.
- September 4, 2026 What is estate jewelry? Estate vs vintage vs antique, settled What is estate jewelry? It means previously owned, at any age. Estate is a sales category, not a claim about a piece's age, quality, or value.
- September 2, 2026 How much is sterling silver worth per gram? The melt math How much is sterling silver worth per gram? The melt math is grams x 0.925 x the live silver price, plus why scrapping a designed piece loses money.
- August 31, 2026 How to tell if an emerald is real: the treatment nobody mentions How to tell if an emerald is real: read the jardin inclusions, expect oil or resin fracture filling, and rule out peridot, garnet, and green glass.
- August 29, 2026 What is gold vermeil? The sterling silver base that changes its value What is gold vermeil: 10K or finer gold over a sterling silver base, at least 2.5 microns thick. The silver core is why it has a real melt floor.
- August 28, 2026 What to do with old jewelry: a keep, sell, or repurpose guide What to do with old jewelry: a simple identify, value, then decide framework, why you should never scrap before ID, and what each sale channel pays.
- August 26, 2026 How to tell if a ruby is real: composites, synthetics, and fakes How to tell if a ruby is real: spot lead-glass composites, flame-fusion synthetics, and look-alikes like garnet, spinel, and glass at home.
- August 24, 2026 What does 585 mean on jewelry? The 14K gold mark explained What does 585 mean on jewelry? It marks 14K gold, 58.5 percent pure. See the full fineness table and what the stamp does and does not prove.
- August 22, 2026 How to identify vintage jewelry: clasps, marks, and era tells How to identify vintage jewelry using clasp type, findings, hallmarks, and design period, with the concrete era tells that date a piece.
- August 21, 2026 Is costume jewelry worth anything? When the signature beats the materials Is costume jewelry worth anything? Often the maker's mark matters more than the materials. Signed designer pieces can command a premium, so find the mark first.
- August 19, 2026 How to tell if turquoise is real (and why stabilized still counts) How to tell if turquoise is real: separate natural, stabilized, and reconstituted from howlite and plastic fakes, and why stabilized turquoise is still real.
- August 17, 2026 Rose gold vs yellow gold: does the color change the value? Rose gold vs yellow gold: the color comes from the copper alloy, not the purity. At equal karat, both hold the same gold content and the same melt value.
- August 15, 2026 How to identify a gemstone: what you can read at home and what you can't How to identify a gemstone: read color, cut, and luster to narrow the type, why hardness and refractive index need tools, and what a photo can never prove.
- August 14, 2026 How much is 14k gold worth per gram? The melt-value formula How much is 14k gold worth per gram? Use the melt formula (grams x 0.585 x spot), a worked example, and why buyers pay below melt.
- August 12, 2026 How to tell if jade is real: jadeite, nephrite, and fakes How to tell if jade is real: the cold-touch and heft checks, jadeite vs nephrite, and the A, B, and C treatment grades only a lab confirms.
- August 10, 2026 Platinum vs white gold: stamps, weight, and real cost Platinum vs white gold: how to read the stamps, why white gold yellows and needs replating, and how weight and cost really compare.
- August 8, 2026 Moissanite vs diamond: how to tell them apart at home Moissanite vs diamond: spot the facet doubling, the extra fire, and why a thermal diamond tester passes moissanite as the real thing.
- August 7, 2026 Inherited jewelry: what to do before you sell anything Inherited jewelry and unsure what to do? A calm five-step triage: photograph everything first, skip the polishing cloth, find the paperwork, then decide.
- August 5, 2026 Old mine cut diamonds: how to recognize one in inherited jewelry How to recognize an old mine cut diamond: the squarish outline, high crown, small table, and visible culet that mark a hand-cut antique stone worth keeping.
- August 3, 2026 How to tell if gold is real: marks, magnets, and proper tests How to tell if gold is real: read karat and fineness marks first, know what the magnet test can and cannot catch, and when to escalate to professional testing.
- July 31, 2026 How much does a jewelry appraisal cost, and when is it worth paying? How much does a jewelry appraisal cost? How hourly and per-item fees work, why percentage-of-value pricing is a red flag, and when you can skip the appointment.
- July 29, 2026 How to tell if pearls are real: simple checks before you sell or insure How to tell if pearls are real with the friction test, drill-hole inspection, and surface checks, plus why cultured pearls count as real.
- July 27, 2026 Gold filled vs gold plated vs solid gold: how to tell the difference Gold filled vs gold plated vs solid gold: decode GF, RGP, and HGE stamps, what the FTC standards require, and which pieces hold real value.
- July 24, 2026 Can a jewelry identifier app tell you what your jewelry is worth? What a jewelry identifier app can really read from photos: type, style, marks, and condition, plus why value estimates still need confirmation.
- July 22, 2026 How to tell if a diamond is real: checks that work at home How to tell if a diamond is real at home: which checks actually work, why the fog and scratch tests fail, and the tells for CZ and moissanite.
- July 20, 2026 What does 925 mean on jewelry? Silver marks explained What does 925 mean on jewelry? Sterling silver, 92.5 percent pure. Learn what the stamp proves, what it does not, and how to spot fakes.
- July 15, 2026 How to photograph jewelry for better identification results A practical photo checklist for jewelry scans: lighting, angles, marks, clasps, stones, and backgrounds that help GemPeek read a piece more clearly.
- July 15, 2026 What makes jewelry worth more? The clues to check first The practical value drivers behind jewelry: materials, gemstones, marks, condition, maker, provenance, and comparable sales.