You may have heard of Tupperware parties, but what about a gold party?
If you’ve got broken jewelry or unwanted pieces lying around, collecting dust, take them to the experts at Quick Fix Jewelers (8707 Fifth Avenue, 718-872-5757). They can help you by paying top dollar for your gold; advising if it’s worth selling at all; re-setting your stones into a design that you prefer; or they can show you how you can get together with friends to host a “gold party” to raise funds for a good cause.
The business is comprised of two partners, Alexander and Iosif, both professionals in their fields. Iosif is a coin and antique dealer as well as an appraiser, who has worked in Moscow and New York City. Alexander is a jewelry designer who worked in Tiffany’s, creating designs for the stars.
Alexander’s clients include Celine Dion. “I made a necklace for her,” he says; and Whitney Houston’s mom, for whom he created a ring, he says. He learned his craft in Russia and at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He is also a master at watch repairs. Both men owned previous stores, and this new venture has been open for about six months.
There has never been a better time to sell gold, says Alexander. “We’re in a gold bubble,” he says, but “as the dollar is getting stronger, now is the time to sell.”
Quick Fix Jewelers will pay “top dollar” for your gold because they are “able to avoid a middle man, and pay the money directly to our customers.” This applies to gold, silver, diamonds, and antiques. So if you’ve got jewelry from an “ex” that you want to forget, this is one way to rid yourself of bad memories and make a few dollars too. After all, living well is the best revenge.
But before they do any buying, rest assured that these gentlemen will first provide expert advice. “I tell customers how much their jewelry is worth,” says Alexander. Too many people come in “clueless,” he says, perhaps willing to sell something that should be kept. He warns that they can often “be fooled by other jewelers” who buy something without fully disclosing the true value of a piece. “If I see it’s better to keep it in the family as an heirloom, I tell them not to sell it.”
There are alternatives to selling. “Diamonds can be re-set,” he says. For those who say, “I don’t wear it, and I don’t want it,” you can “scrap the gold but keep the diamonds.” Alexander can set them into a design more suitable to your tastes. “I can sketch it, right in front of them, and make something new,” he says. Designing is his passion, so “this works out great for me and my customers,” he says.
Alexander says he understands that “times are hard,” so if you’ve got a few friends who may also wish to dispose of some unwanted jewelry, consider hosting a gold party. “They are very popular right now,” says Alexander. “Many of our customers are having them.” Quick Fix Jewelers will provide the food and drinks. You provide the customers and jewelry to be sold. Hosts of such parties can make a few dollars for themselves, or they can choose to make a donation to a cause. For example, “If I buy $10,000 worth of gold, the host gets a check for 10 percent,” he says. He notes that a number of organizations host gold parties as fund-raisers.
The jewelry store also carries designer jewelry from places such as Italy, France, and Russia. “Most of our jewelry pieces are exclusive because we get them from jewelry shows and bring them to the store,” Alexander says.
Customers should check local newspapers for coupons. Quick Fix Jewelers is running ads that offer $50 bonus coupons for selling gold. There are also coupons for $1.99 watch batteries.
Note that there is no charge for getting your gold appraised, says Alexander. “There is no obligation to sell.”
Quick Fix Jewelers is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
