Articles
Background to the market: why rates move, what regulation means and how to translate that to your own situation.
Troy ounce, gram and carat: the units side by side
The world market reckons in troy ounces, your scales in grams and your jewellery in carats. With these three conversions you can check any offer yourself.
Krugerrand, Maple Leaf or Philharmonic: which one sells fastest?
All three contain exactly one troy ounce of fine gold. What you get for them still differs – that lies in how well known they are, the fineness and how easily they scratch.
How does a buyer check whether gold is real?
Magnet, acid test, specific gravity and X-ray. What each method does and does not prove – and why a stamp alone is never enough.
Selling a diamond without a certificate: what does it cost you?
Without a GIA or HRD report a buyer has to judge for himself, and uncertainty translates into a lower offer. How much that differs, and when applying for a certificate pays off.
Precious metal in an estate: how to go about it
Several heirs, a civil-law notary and an inventory of the estate. What is needed, and in which order.
Spot price, premium and spread – the three figures you should know
Why the price you see is never the price you get, and how large that difference ought to be.
Do you pay tax when you sell gold?
For private individuals, selling your own jewellery is usually untaxed. When that is different, you read here.
Why the gold price moves differently in euros than in dollars
Gold is quoted worldwide in dollars. The exchange rate helps decide what you receive in euros – sometimes more than the gold price itself.
Silver price corrects 4% within 24 hours – what does that mean?
A sharp fall says little about the longer line. What happened, and what it means if you were about to sell.
Questions about our articles
How often do new articles appear?
Weekly to fortnightly, and always straight away when something out of the ordinary happens in the market. A sharp movement in the gold or silver rate is usually covered within a day, because that is when the question comes up.
Do you give investment advice?
No. We explain how the market works and how prices come about, but we do not advise on buying or selling as an investment. For that you need someone who knows your financial situation, and that is not us.
Can I suggest a subject?
Please do. Send your suggestion through the contact form and our specialists will pick up the questions they can use. Many of the pieces here started as a question someone asked at the counter.
Is your question not listed? Ask it below, call 085 060 3009 or go to contact.
A question about articles?
Ask it here. You will receive a personal reply by email, usually within one working day – no automated message and no phone call you did not ask for.
- An answer from a valuer, not from a template
- We keep your question so that you need not repeat anything
- No sales pitch afterwards
Rather talk it over first?
Our specialists look at it with you free of charge, at the table or by telephone.