One of the most common questions Sri Lankan gold sellers ask is: "Does my broken or damaged gold get a lower price?" The short answer is no — and understanding why can save you from accepting a lower offer out of misunderstanding.
How Gold Buyers Price Scrap Gold
A legitimate gold buyer in Sri Lanka values your gold based on one thing only: the pure gold content. This means:
- A broken 22K gold chain is valued the same as an intact 22K chain of equal weight.
- A bent 18K ring is worth the same as a perfectly round 18K ring of equal weight.
- Old-fashioned, out-of-style jewellery gets the same price as modern designs.
The gold content (karat purity × weight in grams) is what matters — not the aesthetic condition of the piece.
The One Exception: Stone-Set Jewellery
If your jewellery contains precious stones (diamonds, rubies, sapphires), the stones themselves have no gold value. The buyer will weigh only the gold portion. The stones can either be removed and kept by you, or they may be purchased separately by a gemstone dealer.
Scrap Gold: What It Means
"Scrap gold" simply refers to any gold that will be melted down for refining — broken pieces, mismatched earrings, dental gold, or any item no longer useful as jewellery. The buying price per gram is identical to buying jewellery of the same purity — because after testing, all gold is treated the same by refineries.
How to Maximise Your Payout on Scrap Gold
- Remove any obviously non-gold parts before visiting (clasps, backings made of silver or base metal)
- Know the karat of each piece separately if possible — a mix of 18K and 22K pieces will be averaged
- Sell when gold prices are high — check today's live rates here