Selling Jewelry in the Downtown LA Jewelry District: A Seller's Guide

Sellers in the Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District can have gold, natural diamonds and luxury watches examined in person and compare final offers for the same items. Know where you are going, bring the complete pieces and records, and confirm the net amount and payment method before you accept.

The Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District brings many jewelry buyers, manufacturers and dealers together within a few blocks. For a seller, that is an advantage: you can have gold, natural diamonds or a luxury watch evaluated by people who handle these items every day, and you can compare final offers in person.

This guide explains how the district works for sellers, what to bring and how to read an offer before you accept it. It is written by Navid, owner of Cash 4 Gold & Diamonds at 617 S. Hill Street, who has been buying gold, natural diamonds and luxury watches in Downtown Los Angeles since 2007.

Where the district is and how to get here

The Jewelry District sits in the historic core of Downtown Los Angeles, centered on Hill Street and Broadway between roughly 5th and 8th Streets. Many businesses operate inside multi-story jewelry buildings rather than at street level, so note the building and suite before you set out.

Cash 4 Gold & Diamonds is inside the California Jewelry Mart at 617 S. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014.

• Hours: Monday–Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
• Phone: 310-663-1340. Call before you come to describe your items and confirm availability.
• Appointments: Book an appointment if you prefer a set time.
• Parking: Our designated customer parking is Joe's Parking, 618 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014.
• Transit: Pershing Square station, listed on Metro's B and D Lines timetable, is on Hill Street near 5th Street, a short walk north of the store. Check Metro for current service and station access before you travel.

What we buy

• Gold jewelry, broken and scrap gold, and heavy Cuban chains and bracelets
• Gold and silver coins, gold bars and platinum
• Natural, cut and polished diamonds of any size or shape, loose or set in rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets
• Rolex and other luxury watches, with or without the original box and papers
• Estate, inherited, antique and signed jewelry

We buy only large, high-quality green Colombian emeralds, Burmese rubies and Ceylon blue sapphires. Certificates are welcome but not required.

We do not buy laboratory-grown, uncut or rough diamonds, and we do not make loans.

Before you come: what to bring

1. The complete items. Bring the whole piece, including broken parts, clasps and loose stones in a bag. Do not remove stones from settings yourself.
2. Any records you already have. Receipts, grading reports, appraisals, watch boxes, papers and service records can all help an evaluation. You do not need to order new reports before visiting.
3. Identification. Call to confirm current identification and ownership requirements before your visit.
4. A short list. Note anything you want to keep, such as a piece with family significance, so it can be set aside before evaluation.

Avoid polishing or cleaning older or collectible pieces. Original surfaces and markings can matter.

How an offer is put together

Every offer depends on the actual item, so a phone or online estimate can differ from the final offer.

• Gold is valued on verified weight and purity (karat), based on that day's gold market price; our guide to how gold buyers test purity and weight explains each step. For gold jewelry, Cash 4 Gold & Diamonds pays 90–95% based on daily market value, depending on the specific jewelry item and evaluation. This is not a guarantee, and it does not apply automatically to diamonds, watches, coins, gold bars or platinum. The final amount reflects verified karat, net gold weight and the complete item.
• Diamonds are evaluated on their own characteristics — size, shape, color, clarity, cut and any existing grading report, such as the GIA natural diamond reports sellers often bring — separately from the metal they are set in.
• Watches depend on the model, reference, condition, originality of parts and whether box, papers and service history are present.
• Signed and estate pieces may be worth more as a complete piece than for their materials, which is why we evaluate them before discussing any offer.

How to compare offers safely

The district makes comparison easy, and comparing is sensible. To compare fairly:

• Compare final, item-specific offers, not preliminary phone quotes. The highest phone quote is not necessarily the highest final offer.
• Ask what the number includes. Confirm the final net amount, with nothing deducted afterward.
• Ask how items were tested and how stones were considered. Karat and plating marks are explained in the FTC's guide to jewelry markings.
• Confirm the payment method and timing before you accept. We offer cash, bank wire and business check.
• You are never obligated to sell just because you asked for an evaluation.

Selling inherited or estate jewelry

Inherited collections often mix fine pieces, costume jewelry, watches and coins. Bring everything together and let each item be evaluated on its own merits before deciding what to sell. Keep paperwork with the items it belongs to. If several family members are involved, decide in advance who will approve a sale.