Have you ever considered making a loan on jewelry? Do you know how a jewelry loan works? What is the difference between making a  jewelry loan and selling your jewelry outright?  Does a jewelry loan make sense for you?

When borrowing against your jewelry for the first time, you may have a number of questions. At SFPLA we try to make the jewelry loan process as simple as possible.

When you come to us to make a loan on jewelry we will first evaluate your jewelry to confirm the fair market value of your assets. Based on that value we will establish what we can loan against your jewelry.  If you are not emotionally connected to your jewelry, you may consider selling your pieces outright, as the purchase value is often somewhat higher than the loan value. But if you have an emotional connection to your jewelry and want to keep the assets, then a jewelry loan may make more sense. Every jewelry loan is written for four months with a predetermined percentage of interest as regulated by the state of California. Once the jewelry loan is agreed upon you jewelry loan ticket is issued which clearly shows the breakdown of principal, interest and jewelry loan due date.  During the time your jewelry loan is active, your items will remain locked in our bank level security vault. At the conclusion of your jewelry loan term you will have the option to pay off the principal and interest and redeem your assets, or you can renew your jewelry loan.

The jewelry loan process is fast, flexible and completely confidential. San Francisco Provident has been making loans on jewelry since 1912 and has been Northern California’s leader in jewelry loans for over 100 years. If you are looking for a quick way to access cash and have diamonds, colored stones or other jewelry pieces available to use as collateral, taking a loan on jewelry might be a great solution for your needs. Should you have questions about making a jewelry loan, selling your jewelry or any of our other services, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 415.982.4400.

Rare pink diamonds, Rolex watches, fine Zambian emeralds, fine jewelry by Tiffany and Cartier…not usually the types of items you think of when considering a San Francisco Pawn Shop.  San Francisco Provident Loan Association has been operating out of the same historic landmark location for over 100 years and is a San Francisco pawn shop dealing only in fine diamonds, jewelry, precious metals, luxury watches, rare fine art and collectible wine. SFPLA is not your average San Francisco pawn shop.

Since 1912 SFPLA has been offering loans against jewelry and other rare luxury assets, providing collateral lending in San Francisco to those needing funds to start new businesses, pay college tuition or unexpected bills, or just helping our clients meet their monthly nut. You certainly won’t find musical instruments, power tools or used bicycles in this San Francisco pawn shop.  However you will find exquisite diamond earrings, the luxury watch you’ve always dreamed about, rare art deco jewelry, stunning engagement rings and other fine treasures at this San Francisco pawn shop.

So whether you are looking to make a pawn loan in San Francisco against your luxury assets, or you are shopping for a piece of estate jewelry at highly discounted prices, look no further than the San Francisco pawn shop that has been serving clients with honest, discretion, trust, integrity and security since 1912.

San Francisco Provident Loan Association: the San Francisco pawn shop for discerning clients looking to make loans against their jewelry and other fine luxury assets.

What does it mean to pawn a diamond? Where do I go to pawn a diamond? What is the difference between pawning a diamond and selling a diamond? These are just a few of the many questions you may be asking if you’re considering using your diamonds to get a loan.

To pawn a diamond means that you use diamonds that you own as collateral to secure a loan. When making a pawn loan on a diamond the loan company you are working with will evaluate the diamond to pawn to figure out it’s value on the secondary market. Once they figure what that pawn diamond is worth, they will use that figure to come up with an amount that they feel comfortable loaning you. Most pawn loans on diamonds are written for four months, and at the conclusion of that term you can either pay off the loan and interest to redeem your pawn diamond, or you can simply pay the interest and renew your pawn diamond loan. It should be noted while you will most likely have every intention of redeeming your pawn diamond at the conclusion of the loan, the company loaning you the money needs to protect themselves in the event that you do not pay off the loan. So their loan to value ratio needs to be based on the worst case scenario that they never see you again and end up owning that pawn diamond.

You may consider pawning a diamond vs selling a diamond. If it is important to you to keep the diamond in the long run, then pawning a diamond is the way to go. But if you are not emotionally connected to the diamond and simply want to get the most value for your asset, you should consider selling your diamond as you will most likely get a higher offer than if you were just making a diamond pawn loan.

When researching where to pawn a diamond, we recommend finding a company that has a lengthy history in collateral lending, has positive customer reviews, an A rating with the Better Business Bureau, and most importantly, is known for treating clients with the respect and discretion they deserve. Pawning a diamond often has a negative connotation, but there is no need for that to be the case. Find a lender that specializes in pawn diamond loans who focuses on creating a positive customer experience.

When pawning a diamond in San Francisco, we would hope that you consider San Francisco Provident Loan. We have been making loans on diamonds and other jewelry for over 100 years. Our company was founded on the principles of trust, honesty, discretion, security and integrity, and we maintain those principles from generation to generation. When considering where to pawn a diamond in San Francisco, please consider working with our company. We will be proud to serve you.

When considering where to sell your diamonds in San Francisco, there are a few things you should investigate before deciding on your diamond buyer:

Credentials: Make sure your diamond buyer has the appropriate credentials. You’ll want to confirm that they have the necessary training to evaluate your diamond for sale so that you know you are getting a fair offer. We recommend finding a diamond buyer who has studied with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The Four C’s: Going into your appointment with a potential diamond buyer in San Francisco, make sure you familiarize yourselves with the four c’s of diamonds: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. If you have a basic concept of these four c’s going into your appointment, you will be able to have a more intelligent and informed conversation with your San Francisco diamond buyer.

Retail vs Fair Market Value: Understand that your diamond is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, so make sure you do some research as to what your diamond might be worth on the secondary market, which more often than not will be significantly less than the diamond may have originally been purchased for, especially if it was purchased in a traditional retail environment. A good diamond buyer in San Francisco is going to give you the best offer he or she possibly can so that you feel good about selling your diamond, and the diamond buyer feels they’ll be able to resell it at some sort of profit.

Trust and Longevity: Make sure to research how long your San Francisco diamond buyer has been in business and what kind of reputation they have.  A reputable diamond buyer should have great client reviews. And it’s probably a good sign if your San Francisco diamond buyer has been in business for a long time.

When selling diamonds in San Francisco we encourage you to consider working with us at San Francisco Provident. Not only are all of our diamond buyers trained by the Gemological Institute of America, but we will also walk you through the fundamentals of the four c’s as we evaluate your diamonds. As a professional diamond buyer for over 100 years, we will clearly explain how we come to the purchase bid that we offer you, as we fully understand the secondary market value of diamonds. And we hope that because we have a 5-star Yelp rating from our clients, have been in business for over 100 years and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau that you will feel confident when working with us that you are working with the best diamond buyer in San Francisco.

We look forward to working with you.