Prepare the evidence
Collect the original invoice, certificate and packaging if available. Clean documentation does not guarantee a particular price, but it can make the item easier to identify and compare.
Ask how the offer was built
A useful offer states tested purity, net gold weight, rate used, deductions and final payable amount. If the article includes stones, ask how their weight and value are treated.
- Observe the weighing and note the unit
- Understand whether testing is destructive
- Ask for each deduction separately
- Compare more than one written offer when practical
- Do not compare offers recorded at very different market times
Separate market movement from spread
The published market reference and a dealer’s buying quote are not the same thing. The gap can reflect testing risk, operating cost, liquidity, product condition and dealer margin. Compare the quoted spread, not only the headline rate.