A familiar dilemma: “What’s this old ring worth?”

You might not know this, but just last year I stumbled on a small tin hidden at the back of my drawer. Inside: jewellery passed down, bits I’d forgotten about. I thought, “Maybe I’ll sell some of these” — but I had no clue where to begin. As someone who’s dealt with gold buyers in Adelaide for years, I want to share what I learned (sometimes the hard way) so you don’t feel lost when you walk into that gold buyer’s shop.

If you’re Googling gold buyers Adelaide, you’ll find plenty of names — Adelaide Gold Company, SA Gold Traders, Adelaide Exchange Jewellers, City Gold Bullion, and more. But all those listings don’t always tell you which ones are fair, transparent, or just outright ripping people off. I’ll help you sift through it.

What does a trustworthy gold buyer even do?

Before you wander in, it’s worth knowing what the “standard procedure” should look like. When a gold buyer is doing it properly, here’s what happens:

1. Inspect & test — preferably non-destructive testing, like XRF scanning (so your piece isn’t scratched).

2. Weigh & purity check — the buyer should show you how they calculate karats (9k, 14k, 18k, 22k, 24k) and how that affects value.

3. Quote transparently — based on the live spot price of gold, minus a margin for their cost.

4. Pay you on the spot — cash or bank deposit, same day.

5. Paper trail — you should get a receipt with details: weight, purity, price they quoted, etc.

If any of those steps seem hidden or vague, alarm bells should ring.

Adelaide’s top gold buyers: who to know (and what to expect)

Let me walk you through some of the names I trust — and what to watch for.

Adelaide Gold Company

They’re often among the first to show up when people search for gold buyers Adelaide. Their office sits at Suite 619, Level 6, 38 Gawler Place in the city. 
They use XRF technology to test purity (non-destructive) and advertise “live” pricing linked to international spot rates. 
One thing I like: no appointment is needed — walk in during business hours and they’ll deal with you.

SA Gold Traders

A smaller shop, located at Suite 423, 38 Gawler Place.
They emphasise “honest, open, and transparent” dealings, and they show you their calculations based on live prices. 
They also avoid invasive testing (so your jewellery doesn’t get scratched).

Adelaide Exchange Jewellers

This is a more traditional jeweller with a strong reputation. They buy gold, jewellery of all types (even broken bits) and can provide valuations and trade-in options. 
If a piece has resale value (gems, design), sometimes they’ll pay more than pure metal value. That’s something “metal-only” buyers often can’t match.

City Gold Bullion

If you’re dealing with bullion (bars, coins) rather than just jewellery, this is one to watch. They operate a vaulting facility and are serious about the investment side of gold. 
They also aim for transparency and making it easy to sell, even for small or less perfect items.

How to spot a dodgy gold buyer (and dodge getting ripped off)

I’ve rusty old war stories. Here are red flags I’ve been burned by or witnessed:

Scratching your gold as a “test” without your permission — that’s invasive and indicates they don’t mind damaging your piece.

No receipt, no breakdown — if they just hand you cash with zero detail, that’s shady.

Overly high “spot price” quoted over phone or online but heavily discounted when you’re in store.

Locked-in offer disappearing in person — they lure you in with a high quote, then claim “oh, sorry, condition changed” to lower it last minute.

Pressure tactics — “accept now or offer expires.” That’s a sales trick, not a fair deal.

One tip: get multiple quotes. Drop into 2–3 places, ask them to show you the maths. If one buyer significantly overprices you compared to two others, you’ll know something’s off.

Gold market dynamics: your timing matters

Here’s something most folks don’t realise: selling gold isn’t just about your piece, it’s about when you sell it.

Gold markets fluctuate daily, even hourly. So a buyer who links to “live international spot prices” is generally better than someone with a fixed printed rate that’s several days old.

Also, the purity or condition matters. A designer piece with good gemstones may carry premium over just metal value. Conversely, heavily worn, thinned, or damaged pieces might get devalued more. Nobody wants to lord over that, but it’s real.

As a side note: if you’re not in a hurry, watching the market for a “gold upswing” week could give you an edge. I’ve waited a fortnight before and got a slightly better payout.

From Adelaide to Melbourne: cross-city comparisons

You asked about Melbourne gold buyers too. While I’m not based there, I’ve had friends sell in Melbourne and compared rates. One interesting thing: some Adelaide buyers advertise beating or matching quotes from major Melbourne gold buyers. That suggests intra-city competition — a good lever when you’re negotiating.

In Melbourne, transparent dealers use the same basic protocol: test, weigh, quote, pay. Some are more focused on bullion and investors. Some smaller ones deal more with jewellery and trade-ins. So wherever you are — Adelaide or Melbourne — your checklist stays the same.

(By the way, I found a helpful guide about selling precious gold items here: . It’s got nice pointers about documentation, identifying fakes, and protecting yourself in deals.)

Practical steps: how you should approach selling gold

Here’s how I’d do it, if I were in your shoes:

Sort your items — jewellery, bullion, coins, broken bits separately.

Clean gently (soft cloth, no harsh chemicals). Better to present a clean but untreated piece.

Research spot price — check live gold price per gram just before you go.

Visit 2 or 3 buyers — pick ones that are well rated, local, and with physical premises.

Ask for full breakdown — weight, purity, margin, how they calculate, etc.

Negotiate politely — show your research. If one buyer gives you a strong number, say “can you match that?”

Get it in writing — the receipt should have your item info, what’s measured, the rate, and signatures.

Trust your gut — if something feels off, walk away. Better to take time than get a bad deal.

If you’re ever in Adelaide and unsure, drop me a message — I’ll walk you through whether the offer you got is legit (based on recent deals I know).

A cautionary note on online “gold buyer” services

There are websites promising “we mail you a kit, send us gold, we pay you.” Some of those are solid. Many aren’t. The risk: your gold could get lost, undervalued, or rejected, and you’re out of recourse.

For most people I know in Adelaide, walking into a trusted shop is safer, even if it’s a bit more effort. If you must use mail-in services, choose ones with insurance, transparency, clear policies, and solid reviews.

Reflection: what I’ve learned selling gold in Adelaide

When I first sold my tin of old jewellery, I walked into a shop that offered me a number that felt too low — I walked out, grabbed a coffee, called two others, and came back with those quotes. The same shop matched (ish) the better offer. That little extra effort netted me an extra few hundred dollars. And you know — I still have some pieces I didn’t sell, because I decided some things are better kept for memories than cash.