Category Archives: Gold Smart Blog

Latest news and articles from the world of Goldsmart.

Sell Platinum

At Gold Smart you can sell platinum jewellery and palladium items for cash. This could be a platinum ring, necklace, bullion or item item containing precious metals. Since platinum is more typical in jewellery, here are some interesting facts about this metal.

sell platinum ring

Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt. At normal temperature, platinum appears in its solid form. It was discovered by the Andean people and the Spaniards came to know it in 1735 when they came to South America. It is used to manufacture electrodes and jewellery. Also, it is widely used as a catalyst in chemical reactions.

Platinum jewellery is hypoallergenic, strong, durable and resistant to stains and loss of sheen. Unlike most gold jewellery items, platinum jewellery typically contains platinum in its almost pure form.

All platinum jewellery must have a tag that shows the purity:

- 900 Pt (or 900 Plat), marked “900 Pt” or “900 Plat”, indicates that platinum is 90% pure.

- 950 Pt (or 950 Plat) / Pt (or Plat) marked “950 Plat” or simply “Plat” indicates that platinum is 95% pure.

Platinum offers a sturdy grip for diamonds and gemstones, but the strength of the metal can make re-sizing patinum rings difficult.

The Andean people discovered platinum and used as a substitute for silver. It was known by the Spanish in 1735, when the Spanish navigator, explorer and astronomer Antonio de Ulloa arrived in South America.

In 1741, platinum was taken to China. For several centuries it was used to make fake gold items, due to its similarity in density.

Some people even today get confused thinking that platinum and white gold are the same thing, but they are in fact completely different. Normally white gold jewellery is made using yellow gold and at least one white metal, usually nickel, manganese or palladium and typically a coating of rhodium to obtain the white-light effect. Therefore, white gold doesn’t have the same purity, rarity, durability and natural white colour of platinum.

If you have any platinum items that you wish to sell, whether it is jewellery or bullion bars, please contact us today.

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Where to Find Gold

gold_panning_find_goldGold panning is becoming more and more popular amongst geology enthusiasts in New Zealand and all over the world.  Also called simply panning, gold panning is a way to extract gold using, in most cases, few resources, low investment, simple equipment and rustic tools. The process is one of the simplest and also the oldest methods of mining gold.

The question is: can gold still be found using such an old technique? The quick answer: YES. It not only can be found but some people have become rich by doing so.

Beginner’s luck

where-to-find-goldAbout a year ago, 3 year old James Hyatt used a metal detector for the first time in his life and BINGO: he found a gold pendant of the 16th century that was worth £2.5 million pounds (or NZ$4.7 million in today’s rate).

The boy was playing in a field with his grandfather’s metal detector when he found the “treasure”. “James got very excited when he realised he had found treasure, but he is still too young to understand the real meaning of the pendant” his father said to the Daily Mail. The boy also told how it happened: he was holding the detector when the device started to emit a sound, “beep, beep, beep.” “I was happy because we managed to find the treasure without a map equal to the pirates,” said James. The metal detector was even bigger than the child. James can be considered a lucky boy. For 15 years his grandfather tracked the soil of that region as a hobby without ever having found anything.

Why buy when you can pan your engagement ring?

alluvial-goldGeorge MacIver, 53, returned to the hill where he and his fiancee, Tina Lear, met two years ago, to get the raw material for their engagement ring.

At the time they met, both panned gold in the same river during a group tour.

Three times a week for one year, MacIver trekked two hours to reach the site. In total, it took 156 trips until he got 6 grams of gold. After the melting process, the alliance weighted 4 grams.

Tina Lear, 31, said MacIver’s gesture “symbolises our relationship perfectly. We have similar interests and we became closer because of our passion for gold mining.”

gold-fossickingMacIver, who is a writer and photographer, said his effort of walking to the river – which was carrying a backpack of 30 kilograms in gold mining equipment – was worth it.

Persistence Wins the Day

It’s not just a matter of putting the pan in the water and instantly finding gold nuggets. It takes a little research to find out where the gold flows down from the hills. It is usually located in riverbeds with few shoals or where the current decreases and causes swirls.

Many beginners get disappointed with their small results. However, many have found that their activity with the pan can be rewarding all by itself. Going out for a day on the river, hearing the birds and the bubbling water that pass between the rocks can be quite a relaxing experience.

Regardless of the amount you may find, give us a call and we will provide full assistance on selling your alluvial gold. As expert gold buyers, we at Gold Smart are always looking to assist our customers in the best possible way, with transparency and fair rates in every transaction.

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The Real Cost of a Payday Loan

payday-loansHave you seen the usual payday loan advertising? Usually they begin with “you need to buy a new car, new clothes, or you need a ‘quick buck’ to pay off debts??? Why not use a very cheap form of credit with very reasonable terms?” It sounds fantastic, right? These advertisements rage on the radio, television, in newspapers and magazines. But make no mistake: as with virtually every form of loan used to finance consumption, it is very easy for someone to get into financial trouble thinking that they are making a clever deal when taking a payday loan.

What is a Payday Loan?

A payday loan (also called a paycheck advance) is a small, short-term loan that is intended to cover a borrower’s expenses until his or her next payday (Wikipedia).

Payday Loan Risks

Loans can be very dangerous and a time bomb for the budget of those who find it challenging to manage their finances.

In most cases, payday loans are limited to a percentage of the borrower’s income. However, there are companies that provide loans without establishing any limit, leading many people to lose control over their finances. In desperation, and with a lack of financial education, many people resort to this mechanism to pay off monthly bills, forgetting that in reality they are only postponing the problem, as this continues to the following month and worse, it will still be necessary to pay back the loan.

Another risk related to payday loans are the interest rates. There are cases where someone who borrows $300 is charged over $100 for a seven day loan, and can then only meet the repayment by not paying other bills, such as rent or electricity. This can lead to a cycle of debt that makes things worse for the borrower. In other cases, the borrower has to pay up to 5 times more than the amount borrowed.

Take a payday loan or not?

Despite regulations – which include limits on loan fees and number of renewals – payday loans still create chronic and paralyzing debt and in general leave customers in a worse financial condition than prior to the original payday loan.

It is important to verify if the use of this mechanism is really necessary, or if there are better alternatives.

You might have some jewellery that is forgotten on your drawer, items that are outdated and you don’t wear anymore, or you just want to free up some money for other things. A great way to avoid high interest rates from loans and still have the money for the things you need is to sell your unwanted gold and/or silver items to Gold Smart.

Our best price guarantee policy assures you are getting the most money for your items, no hidden fees, no hidden costs.

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Jewellery Buyers

For thousands of years gold has been used in the creation of jewellery, art, and coins. Through time gold has been an important factor in economic policies all over the world. It is usually bought as jewellery in times of abundance or investment bullion in times of crisis, and is sold as a method to release capital.

Reasons to Sell Gold

People think of selling gold for the most varied reasons. Whether by necessity or desire, it’s  a quick and easy way to unlock some money. Some of the most typical reasons why Kiwis sell gold jewellery are:

Unlocking value reserves

In times when business cash-flow is tight or one is temporarily out of work, it’s handy to know you have something valuable that can be quickly sold. Selling your gold is one of the quickest and easiest ways to unlock the gold value of your old jewellery items.

Sell because the time is right

Some people know the right time to sell gold in order to gain better profits. For instance, if you are following gold prices, you know that prices are historically really good at the moment.

Get rid of what is not needed

Some people buy jewellery, accessories or decorative items by impulse, when in reality they do not need it. They later end up not wearing the jewellery – better sold for cash than unloved in the jewellery box.

To buy something needed or desired

It’s normal for people to sell their gold to buy or pay for something special. This may be a household appliance, a new car, a house, school costs for the children, or an unexpected bill.

Regardless of your reasons, when you’re ready to sell your gold and/or silver items look for good, reputable and reliable buyers.

Gold Smart has been in business delivering high quality services and fair prices to customers for years now. If you take a look at our testimonials on our website you will see the glowing feedback from our happy customers. Our best price guarantee policy ensures that both customers and company are satisfied in every deal.

Enquire today via our contact page or give us call. We will be happy to assist you selling your gold and silver items.

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Be Aware Of Gold Price Predictions

If you do a little online research, you will see that there are numerous websites and so called experts who claim that they or their systems can predict the future price of gold. Sometimes price and value predictions are correct, however hindsight can be a wonderful thing. You may not be sure if their claims are true, pure luck or genuine expert advice.

If you want to sell your gold items, you should know that in this business some buyers try making some predictions to their customers, but can gold prices actually be predicted? The truth is if they could accurately predict the price of gold they would be financially retired.

When you are ready to buy or sell gold, be careful with businesses that claim to know what is going to happen in the future. Keep in mind that they might be doing so in order to seduce you to buy or sell your items either faster, cheaper or both.

If you are looking to sell, gold rates are very good at the moment, based on what they were couple of weeks ago. To be more specific, the price of gold rose over 2.5% since January in New Zealand dollars. What is going to happen tomorrow or next week? No one really knows.

At Gold Smart we are happy to provide our opinions however we do not provide gold price predictions. Our friendly staff is trained to give facts and let our customers decide whether they think it is a good time to sell or not. Our motto is to provide the best possible rates, making sure that customers are satisfied and happy in every transaction with us.

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Gold Rate – Without Debt in 2012

Like many people, if you’ve spent more than you should with gifts and parties at the end of the year and started 2012 in the red, it’s time to take a deep breath and take charge to organise your finances to a healthy position this year.

Avoiding over-indebtedness is having control over your money. This involves two paths: firstly you can increase income, for example, a pay rise or change of employment or other activity that ensures an extra income. Secondly you can evaluate monthly expenditures and sort expenses into essential or non-essential.

Organising your spending is not always an easy task. It requires discipline and monitoring. There are many tools available that can help you such as worksheets, and computer software. Simple hint: take a 12-month calendar, and begin to record all events that will happen, such as birthdays and anniversaries (e.g. Mother’s Day), in addition to current expenditure and also installments already incurred.

Putting everything on paper makes it much easier to gauge exactly how much you earn and how much you spend.

If you are a fair amount in debt you need to list all fixed bills and the delayed ones. Try to renegotiate your debts and also assess the need to change a bad debt for a better one. For example, if you are in debt with your credit card or account overdraft, opt for a more suitable line of credit with lower interest rates. Overdraft is a product intended only for emergency situations and should be used for a very short period of time.

It’s not good just paying the bills. A person who is in debt needs to cut unnecessary expenses to balance their budget. In this case, you must observe even small expenditures, such as eating out or having coffee out every day. It is important to realize that small expenses can generate a large expense at the end of the month.

If your budget is deep in the red and you see no way out ahead, the option may be to take a line of credit. Another option is the Gold Smart Way…

Who wants to have a bad credit score and not enjoy the occasional treat? Getting high-interest loans (especially from loan sharks) can make matters worse. In other words, acquire more debt to pay debt? It doesn’t sound very smart.

Don’t be stuck on the trap. If you have any unwanted gold or silver jewellery/items, today might be the day to bring it to us. You will be pleasantly surprised with our service quality, friendly staff and most important of all, our prices. Call now to make an appointment. You will be glad you did.

P.S. please download our free gold buyers guide to selling gold.

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Sell Jewellery

Christmas time is upon us and it’s a great time for giving and spending time with loved ones. If you are looking for extra cash these holidays, remember you may be sitting on a gold-mine in your jewellery box.

The gold prices when selling jewellery depend on the carat and weight of the items. The heavier in grams or ounces and the higher the carat, the greater the value. Jewellery that’s 18ct/750, 22ct/916 and 24ct/999 will provide the greatest gold content and therefore the most return on your items.

Examples may be necklaces made in Hong Kong by Chow Tai Fook, bracelets by Tiffany & Co., high-class jewellery from London, New York, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Thailand, India, China and others will have higher gold percentages and therefore scrap gold value. As gold buyers it’s always interesting to hear the stories behind your favourite accessories.

If you are looking for excellent prices and fantastic service, sell jewellery to Gold Smart today.

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Create a Christmas spending plan to save money

Christmas is the time of year to celebrate and enjoy time with family and loved ones. On the other hand this can easily become a time of stress, due to financial commitments and pressures. Even though there are only a couple of weeks to go it’s never too late to save money this year, start by creating a spending plan for Christmas. (We prefer to call it a spending plan rather than a budget!)

Always make a list of Christmas gifts to offer

There’s nothing like having a list of Christmas gifts to work with: in addition to being practical and avoid overspending, it allows you to define at the beginning how much you want to spend with each recipient. Once you have compiled this list of names, group names according to spending amounts – we already know that we always have a few more expensive gifts than others, and everything becomes easier as you have an immediate picture of upcoming expenses. In addition, these initial accounts will also allow you to make adjustments in the value of a gift if you think it is beyond your budget and you can work out if you have some room to manoeuvre in case you wish to get some extra money for Christmas presents.

Make a list of other Christmas expenses

Remember to make a list of all expenses, without forgetting important aspects such as:

  • Christmas decorations
  • Christmas tree (including whether to buy a real pine or not)
  • Wrapping paper, ribbons, bows
  • Labels, adhesive tape
  • Christmas cards, envelopes, stamps
  • Shipping fees for gifts that will be send by mail
  • Food for the festive season (Christmas dinners, Christmas Eve night,
  • Christmas Day, chocolates, sweets, etc)
  • Clothing/footwear for the Christmas holidays
  • Travel expenses in case you will be spending Christmas away from home.

Examine your budget

Now that you know your costs, you need to check your funds available for Christmas and analyse your savings. It involves answering one or both of these questions: How much money do you have to spend this Christmas? How much money do you want to save this Christmas? From there, and knowing what is the final value you have to spend during the month of December, establish how much you want to spend on each area of Christmas expenses, correcting the values that you may have already outlined in the preparation of lists of Christmas gifts and expenditure.

In order to “stretch” their available funds, many kiwis are selling their unwanted gold and silver jewellery to Gold Smart. With the high price of gold and silver you would be surprised with how much you can earn to make your Christmas even more exciting.

Think and research before you buy

A Christmas spending plan is not just a piece of paper with names and numbers. It implies action and, if you want to save money (or at least avoid debt), you must research before buying. Once you know you have a certain amount to spend per person, work out an idea of what you will buy for each person. By knowing in advance what you want to give to each person in your list, it will be easier to search the best place to purchase each gift, whether online or in a physical store. In addition, you should keep an eye on brochures and discount coupons to save you money on everything you need for Christmas.

Follow the Christmas spending plan no matter what

Once you’ve created a spending plan for Christmas, now comes the most important part: Follow it! Although this is not always easy, it is crucial if you want to avoid unnecessary debt and even save some money. Some tips to help fulfill the Christmas budget:

  • Always take the list with you!
  • If possible, bring the exact amount of money in cash you wish to spend. This will avoid overspending on eftpos and credit cards and unnecessary purchases.
  • Avoid shopping in the hours/days that you know it will be very crowded because in these environments shoppers are prone to impulse and/or unnecessary buying. The earlier you start the better.
  • Try Christmas shopping all in one day or at least concentrating shopping in large blocks, thus avoiding extra costs of fuel, parking, etc.
  • If you shop online, avoid the credit card as much as possible, opting instead to pay via ATM, bank transfer or PayPal. In addition, try to group as many items to avoid multiple shipping charges.
  • Keep a record of all expenditures carefully and follow your Christmas spending plan to not to exceed your limit. When you finish your Christmas shopping, keep the budget to review, and to use it next year.

Good savings and Merry Christmas, from Gold Smart!

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World’s first ever gold jewellery car

MUMBAI: The Tata Group unveiled a Nano car made with gold and silver, and studded with precious stones worth an astronomical 22 crore (that’s over $5,675,123 New Zealand dollars).

Gold CarBut, it’s not for sale – the valuable and fully functional car is a unique branding and promotional initiative by Goldplus Jewellery, part of Titan Industries, a Tata Group company, an official said.

The Goldplus Nano Car is billed as the world’s first ever gold jewellery car and celebrates the 5,000 years of jewellery manufacturing industry in India.

The car’s body is made with 80 kg 22 carat solid gold, 15 kg silver, precious stones – including diamonds, rubies – and other expensive gemstones.

“As many as 14 techniques of jewellery making have gone behind the effort — from the intricate filigree work to the delicate and colourful meenakari work, the stunning kundan to the traditional naqashi…marking the convergence of diverse and culturally distinct jewellery making techniques from around India,” the official told IANS.

Titan Industries managing director Bhaskar Bhat said that since eternity, jewellery made with gold and precious stones has been an integral part of the Indian woman’s life.

“Indian jewellery has been an epitome of innovation and creativity, and carved a niche worldwide for itself for the intricacy of the designs crafted out of the precious metals and stones,” said C.K. Venkataraman, COO, jewellery division.

Nano car made with gold and silver, and studded with precious stones

After its glittering launch in Mumbai, the Goldplus Nano Car will travel to all the Goldplus showrooms at 29 locations around the country.

The car incorporates beautiful designs, made with the precious stones of different colours, set on the gold and silver body of the car.

Original Source:  Times of India

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Gold, its colours and applications in jewellery

Demystifying the Gold Colour

It is very common to hear expressions such as “this jewel is from this or that region” or “this jewel is from this origin” because of its colour.

Others can often say “Gold with this colour??? No, this is not gold!” or “18 carat gold from that place is better”. However this couldn’t be further from the truth. Gold is a metal, therefore it is the same anywhere in the world.

Pure gold is 24 carat. 75% of 24 equals 18. Thus, a piece of jewellery that has 75% of pure gold is 18 carat (750/1000). The other 25% corresponds to the metal alloy that is combined with the gold. The colour of the jewellery is defined by the selection and composition of these alloys.

Colours of Gold

Gold remains always pure, even when connected to other metals. To be turned into jewellery, for being soft, gold requires the addition of other metals. This union with other metals is called league, which is also responsible for the colour of gold. Depending on the percentage of each of the metals that make up the alloy, the colour of gold can vary:

Gold + silver and copper = YELLOW GOLD

Gold + nickel or silver and palladium = WHITE GOLD

Gold + copper, silver and zinc = RED GOLD

18 Carat White Gold

Based on these facts 18 carat white gold would comprise 75% gold (Au) plus a mixture of palladium (Pd) and silver (Ag) or Nickel (Ni)

White gold is as valuable as the other colours. Usually it is made with a mixture of nickel or silver and palladium, and for this reason, the final appearance is dull and grey. In order to add shine, it is necessary to go through a technical process of finishing, popularly known as “rhodium plating.” Basically this process consists of immersing the jewel in a specific device which is placed another metal in solid state (usually platinum) that causes the rhodium in its liquid state to set in the jewellery. For this reason it is common that after a long period of usage, white gold jewellery require new rhodium plating, since the frequent use of the piece can wear off its shininess (but never the gold). Unlike plated gold, which has the noble metal only on the surface, white gold has gold as the main component.

For helpful advice on selling your jewellery, and a friendly and professional service, call GoldSmart and book an appointment with us today.

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