Practical answers before you buy, sell, repair or redesign.
Explore clear explanations of metal value, jewellery care and the decisions that deserve an in-person assessment. These guides are educational; they are not appraisals, binding quotes or investment advice.
Gold Hallmarks & Karats: What a Stamp Can Tell You
Learn how to read gold hallmarks and karat marks (10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750), what Canadian marking rules say and how purity affects the value of gold jewellery in Ottawa.
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Metal Value, Retail Price & Resale: Three Different Figures
Why the metal value, the retail price and the resale offer for the same piece of jewellery are different numbers, and which one matters when you insure, sell, keep or buy in Ottawa.
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Sterling Silver or Silver Plate? Details That Matter
How to tell sterling silver from silver plate: what 925, 800, EPNS and other marks mean, signs of plating, weighted pieces, the magnet test and how to prepare silver for assessment in Ottawa.
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Seven Precious-Metal Myths Worth Questioning
Seven common gold and silver myths, from the magnet and bite tests to stamps, polishing and news prices, and what really tells you the purity and value of your jewellery.
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