What We Buy in Kelowna: Gold, Silver, Jewellery and Watches
This page is the short answer to what Okanagan Gold and Silver buys, how an offer is worked out, and which page to read for the item in your hand. We are an authorized and licensed precious metals buyer on Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna, operating under Northwest Diamonds Inc. ownership since 2005, and we are not a pawn shop. Nothing is charged for an evaluation, and nothing obliges you to sell once you have the number.
How We Work Out What to Pay
Gold, silver and platinum are priced on metal: the weight multiplied by the purity, measured against the live spot price at the time you are standing there. Weight is in troy ounces, and one troy ounce is 31.103 grams, noticeably heavier than the 28.3 gram ounce used for groceries. Purity is the karat on gold, 10k through 22k, and the .925 or .999 stamp on silver. Everything is tested and weighed in front of you on a certified scale, and the spot price behind the offer is shown rather than kept behind the counter.
Some items are worth more than their metal, and those are checked both ways. Recognised bullion from a major mint carries a premium a generic bar does not. A coin can be worth more to a collector than to a refiner. A diamond or a Swiss watch is valued on the market for that item, not on the weight of metal around it. We look at both values and offer against whichever is higher, because selling a scarce piece for melt is a loss that cannot be undone.
One thing worth knowing about where your metal goes. We are a jewellery manufacturer and supplier as well as a buyer, so a good deal of the gold and silver bought over the counter is remade into new pieces here rather than shipped away as scrap.
Our Buying Services, Item by Item
Gold
Broken chains, single earrings, outdated rings, nuggets and unmarked scrap all carry their full metal value, because that value is in the gold and not in the condition of the object. We test the karat rather than taking a stamp on trust, since plated and gold-filled pieces are stamped too. This is the busiest counter in the shop, and it is where most people start. Full detail on how we sell gold in Kelowna, including what sits behind a scrap offer.
Silver
Silver arrives in more shapes than gold does: sterling jewellery, coins, rounds, bars, scrap and tarnished oddments from the back of a drawer. Because silver is worth far less per gram, quantity matters more and small purity differences add up across a large lot, which is why sorting it properly in front of you is worth the extra minutes. Pre-1968 Canadian coinage is silver and gets sorted by date. Start with sell silver in Kelowna.
Silverware, Flatware and Tea Sets
Sterling flatware, cutlery, tea services, trays and candlesticks are a category of their own, because the sterling-or-plate question decides everything and because hollow knife handles and weighted bases hold far less silver than their weight suggests. Sets do not need to be complete or matching, and monograms do not change the silver content. If your pieces turn out to be plated we will tell you rather than making an offer that assumes otherwise. See sell silverware in Kelowna.
Jewellery
Estate collections, wedding and engagement rings, gold and silver chains, pendants, bracelets and pieces that are simply out of fashion. Jewellery is assessed on its metal and on any stones worth valuing separately, and worn or broken pieces are welcome, since the metal does not care. Bring the box and the paperwork if you still have them. More on how we buy jewellery in Kelowna.
Diamonds
Loose stones, engagement rings and diamond jewellery are graded in store, privately, with no charge and no obligation. Carat weight is only the start: cut, colour and clarity move the number considerably, which is why a diamond is never valued by the weight of the mounting around it. Certificates help if you have them. See sell diamonds in Kelowna.
Luxury Watches
Rolex, Omega, Cartier and other Swiss watches are authenticated in store and valued on the market for the reference rather than on the gold in the case. Box, papers, bracelet links and service records all matter to a watch buyer, so bring whatever came with it. Non-running pieces are still worth showing us. See sell luxury watches in Kelowna.
Gold Coins and Bullion
As a bullion buyer in Kelowna we take Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, Sovereigns, Eagles, recognised mint bars, generic rounds, junk silver and collector coins, graded or raw. Product that can be identified on sight is worth more than product that has to be verified from scratch, so keep bars sealed in their assay cards and bring the tubes, capsules and paperwork. Numismatic value is checked alongside metal value on every coin. See sell gold coins and bullion in Kelowna.
What to Bring With You
- Valid government-issued photo identification. We record it on every purchase, as a licensed dealer is required to, regardless of the amount.
- The items themselves, as they are. No cleaning, no polishing, no sorting and no itemising. Polishing silver removes a little metal each time, and tarnish makes no difference to what is underneath.
- Any original packaging and paperwork you still have. Boxes, certificates, assay cards, receipts and service records. Sealed bullion should stay sealed.
- Nothing else. No appointment, no minimum quantity, no fee.
What an Evaluation Looks Like
- Come in to #202D 269 Bernard Ave in downtown Kelowna, open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm.
- We sort and identify what you have brought, test purity, and weigh it in front of you on a certified scale.
- We explain the offer, including the spot price, the weights and the purities behind it, and the collectible value where a piece has one.
- Take cash the same day, or take the quote away and think it over. There is no charge and no obligation either way.
A few chains take minutes. A full canteen of flatware or a coin accumulation nobody has catalogued in thirty years takes considerably longer, so earlier in the day is easier for everyone.
When Something Has No Metal Value
Not everything that looks like gold or silver contains any. Silver plate and EPNS carry a layer too thin to be worth anything by weight. Stainless flatware, pewter, nickel silver and alpaca contain no silver despite how they look and what they are sometimes called. Gold-plated and gold-filled pieces are stamped much like solid gold but hold very little of it.
We test anything you are unsure about at no charge and say so plainly, rather than making an offer that quietly assumes otherwise. That answer is free, and most boxes brought in for a first opinion hold a mix of both.
A Licensed Buyer, Not a Pawn Shop
The difference is in the process rather than in anybody’s opinion of it.
- Authorized and licensed to buy gold and silver from the public
- A permanent store on Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna, open seven days a week
- Operating under Northwest Diamonds Inc. ownership since 2005
- Offers based on the live spot price, with the weights and purities shown
- Government-issued photo identification recorded on every purchase
- Free evaluations, with no obligation to sell and no pressure to decide on the spot
We buy. We do not write insurance appraisals, and the two are genuinely different jobs. If you need an independent evaluation, valuation or appraisal of fine jewellery or a luxury watch, we recommend Stellar Gem Services, an independent jewellery appraiser and certified gem lab serving Kelowna and the greater Okanagan Valley.
Serving Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton
Everything on this page is bought at the same counter in downtown Kelowna, and people drive in from across the valley to use it. There are pages written for the trip in from West Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton, with directions, hours and what to expect when you arrive. If you are coming a long way with something unusual, call 250-718-8979 first and we will tell you what to bring.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling to Okanagan Gold and Silver
Where can I sell gold in Kelowna?
At our store at #202D 269 Bernard Ave in downtown Kelowna, open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm with no appointment needed. We are an authorized and licensed precious metals buyer, not a pawn shop, and we have operated under Northwest Diamonds Inc. ownership since 2005. Bring your gold in and we will test, weigh and price it in front of you at no charge.
Do you pay cash the same day?
Yes. Once you accept an offer you are paid the same day, in the store, with nothing to ship and nothing to wait for. If you would rather not decide immediately, take the quote away instead. There is no obligation attached to it.
Is there a charge for an evaluation?
No. Testing, weighing and pricing your items costs nothing, whether you sell or not, and there is no charge for being told that something has no metal value. Most people who come in for a first opinion leave knowing more about what they own, which is the point of the visit.
Do I need an appointment, or a minimum amount?
Neither. We are open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm and you can simply come in. There is no minimum quantity either, so a single ring is as welcome as an estate collection. Larger or more complicated lots take longer to work through, so earlier in the day is easier.
How do you decide what to pay for gold and silver?
Metal is priced on weight and purity against the live spot price at the time of your visit, and the weights, purities and spot figure are shown to you rather than kept behind the counter. Where an item is worth more than its metal, such as recognised bullion, a collector coin, a diamond or a Swiss watch, we check that value as well and offer against whichever is higher.
Do I need identification to sell?
Yes. We record valid government-issued photo identification on every purchase, as a licensed dealer is required to, whatever the size or value of the transaction.
Not Sure Which Page You Need?
Bring the item in and we will work it out at the counter. Visit #202D 269 Bernard Ave, Kelowna BC V1Y 6N2, call 250-718-8979, or email [email protected]. Open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm. Free evaluation, no obligation, no appointment.