A gold wedding ring is valued on the pure gold it contains, its weight in grams multiplied by its fineness (18k, 14k or 9k) and the day's public spot price. What varies between buyers is not the spot price but the buyback rate they pay, so always compare the percentage offered and insist on traceable payment.
The value of a gold wedding ring comes down to how much pure gold it contains, not sentiment or the price you originally paid. A buyer weighs the ring in grams and multiplies by its fineness: an 18-carat band (750, or 75% pure) is worth far more per gram than a 9-carat one (375, or 37.5% pure). The hallmark stamped inside the band, an eagle's head or a number, confirms this fineness in France. The scrap value of a plain wedding ring is essentially its metal weight times its purity times the day's gold price, minus the buyer's margin. Stones set into the band are usually ignored or deducted, since diamonds and gems are valued on a separate market and rarely add to a scrap quote.
Most modern wedding rings are bought for their gold weight, but a minority carry a premium above melt value. A plain, worn band with no maker's mark will be quoted purely on fineness and weight. However, a signed piece from a recognised house, an antique ring with intact hallmarks, or one set with certified stones can be worth more sold as jewellery than melted. Before accepting a scrap quote, it is worth checking whether the ring has a numismatic or designer premium that a melt price would destroy. Condition matters less for scrap, since the metal is refined regardless, but it matters a great deal if you hope to sell the ring to be worn again rather than reduced to bullion.
The spot price of gold is public and identical for every buyer; what changes is the buyback rate, the percentage of spot each dealer actually pays you. A shop paying 85% of spot will give you noticeably more than one paying 65%, for the very same band. This margin covers refining, testing and profit, and buyers are under no obligation to publish it. That is exactly where transparency separates a fair offer from a poor one. Always ask what percentage of the spot price the quote represents, and weigh the ring in front of you. Because the gold price moves daily, a quote is only valid for that day. It pays to compare gold buyers in your city before you sell.
French law protects sellers with strict traceability rules. Payment for gold cannot legally be made in cash: the buyer must pay you by bank transfer or cheque. You must show valid photo identification, and the transaction is recorded in a mandatory police register, part of France's anti-fraud and anti-money-laundering framework. On tax, selling precious metals is subject either to a flat tax on the sale price, or, if you can prove the purchase with an invoice, to the capital-gains regime, which tapers with the years you have owned the piece. A wedding ring inherited or bought decades ago without a receipt will usually fall under the flat-tax route.
No. French law forbids cash payment for gold. A registered buyer must pay you by bank transfer or cheque, ask for your photo ID and record the sale in an official police register. Any dealer offering cash is acting illegally.
Not usually. Buyers value the metal by weight and fineness, not by what the ring was used for. A plain band is quoted on its gold content. A signed, antique or stone-set ring may be worth more sold intact than melted, so mention any hallmarks or maker's marks.
Possibly. Selling precious metals triggers either a flat tax on the sale price, or the capital-gains regime if you hold a purchase invoice. Without proof of purchase, the flat-tax route generally applies. The buyer typically handles the declaration.