A broken chain contains exactly the same gold as a new one. And yet, how much damaged jewelry sits forgotten in drawers across Dakar because its owner assumes it's "worth nothing anymore"? It's one of the misconceptions that costs sellers the most.
| Karat | Purity | Price per gram (spot, USD) | Jayma Or buy-back price |
|---|---|---|---|
| … | |||
A torn-off clasp, a twisted link, an earring that lost its twin, an old scratched curb bracelet... All of that is gold. And gold is bought by weight and fineness — not by appearance.
At Jayma Or, broken gold and gold scrap make up a significant share of what we buy every day in Dakar. We test on a touchstone, we weigh on a certified scale in front of you, and we pay cash, the same day, in FCFA. Here's why your damaged jewelry is worth far more than you think.
In this article, you'll learn:
- why a broken piece of jewelry sells for the same price per gram as an intact one;
- what exactly we mean by "broken gold" and "gold scrap";
- why repairing before selling is almost always a bad idea;
- how the sale works, from testing to cash payment.
A broken piece is worth as much as the same piece intact
This is the key point to remember: the buyback value of gold depends on only three things — the exact weight, the purity (the fineness, expressed in karats), and the day's per-gram rate. The formula is simple: weight × purity × rate = the value of your gold.
Nowhere in that calculation do the condition of the clasp, the shine or the elegance of the piece appear. An 18-karat gold chain (75% pure gold) broken into three pieces contains exactly the same amount of gold as the same chain intact — so it's worth the same price per gram. That's the very principle of selling gold in Dakar: gold is bought for its material, destined to be melted down.
Before selling, get a reliable benchmark: check the gold rate in Senegal today, displayed karat by karat. You'll know, before you even leave home, what range your gold falls into.
Broken gold, scrap, old gold: we buy it all
Concretely, here's what we buy every day:
- Broken jewelry: snapped chains, torn-off clasps, bent rings, twisted bracelets.
- Gold scrap: loose links, pieces of jewelry, casting leftovers, workshop wires and fragments.
- Old gold: outdated, scratched, tarnished jewelry, inherited or forgotten for years.
- Odd pieces: a single earring, one half of a pair.
No quantity is too small or too damaged. A few grams of 21-karat gold scrap (87.5% pure gold) represent real money in FCFA.
Should you repair before selling? No — and here's why
Many sellers think they're doing the right thing by repairing their jewelry before offering it. In reality, it's almost always a waste of money: the repair has a cost, but it doesn't add a single gram of gold to your piece. The buying price won't move.
Repairing only makes sense if you plan to keep and wear the piece. In that case, our guide on how to repair your gold jewelry will help you do it properly. But if your decision is to sell, bring the piece as it is: broken, bent, in pieces. It's the weight that talks.
Just one earring? Bring it anyway
It's a question we're often asked: "I lost the second earring — is the first one still worth anything?" The answer is yes, without hesitation. A single earring, a pendant without its chain: every piece is weighed and bought for the gold it contains.
Try this at home: gather all the little pieces of gold forgotten in your jewelry boxes. Put together on the scale, they often add up to several grams — and therefore a sum you never suspected.
How the sale works at Jayma Or
The process is the same for a gold bar or for a handful of scrap, and everything happens in front of you:
- Purity test. Every piece is tested on a touchstone to determine its exact fineness (24K, 21K, 18K, 14K), even without a legible hallmark.
- Weighing in front of you. Your pieces are weighed on a certified scale, accurate to a tenth of a gram.
- Calculation explained. We walk you through the price: weight × purity × the day's rate. No gray areas.
- Immediate cash payment. If the price suits you, you leave with your money in FCFA, the same day — usually within minutes.
Can't make the trip? We can send a trusted courier to your home or office to complete the transaction safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
My jewelry is badly damaged: does it lose value?
No. Cosmetic condition plays no part in the calculation. Only the weight, the fineness (karats) and the day's rate count. A bent piece or one in fragments sells for the same price per gram as an intact piece of the same karat.
Do you buy very small quantities?
Yes. A single earring, a few links, a fragment of a ring: everything is weighed and bought. No minimum is required.
How do you know the karat of a fragment without a hallmark?
Through the touchstone test, performed in front of you. It precisely determines the fineness of the gold, even on a fragment with no legible hallmark at all.
My broken jewelry has stones: how does that work?
Bring it as it is. The valuation is based on the gold the piece contains, and we explain the calculation in front of you, stone by stone if necessary, before any decision.
Should I clean or sort my scrap before coming?
It's not necessary. The testing and weighing do the sorting for you. Come with your pieces just as they are.
Take action: get your broken gold valued today
You now know that your broken jewelry, your scrap and your old gold are worth exactly their weight in gold — no more, no less, but certainly not nothing.
Get a free, no-obligation estimate: send a photo of your pieces via WhatsApp to +221 78 111 66 87, or book an appointment. Touchstone test, weighing on a certified scale in front of you, cash payment the same day.
First check the day's rate, gather your pieces of gold, and write to us: within minutes, you'll know what they're really worth.