Old Gold Exchange in Houston: How to Give the Gold You No Longer Wear a New Chapter
Posted by The Karat 22 Family on Sep 23rd 2026
The short answer
An old gold exchange lets you bring in gold jewelry you no longer wear and put its value toward a new piece. At Karat 22 Jewelers in Houston, we accept gold of every karat, from any jeweler. We test and weigh each piece in front of you, explain the value using the day's gold rate, purity, condition and craftsmanship, and apply it to any gold or diamond jewelry in our showroom. Bring a photo ID; no receipt is needed.
For more than 40 years, families have set their gold down on our counter on Hillcroft Avenue. Some of it arrives wrapped in a handkerchief, some in the red pouch it was given in, some still tangled from a drawer. Wedding sets from another decade. A first-salary chain. Bangles that crossed from India in someone's hand luggage because nobody would trust them to a suitcase.
Every one of those pieces carries a history. Many also carry value that has been sitting still for years. Lately, far more families are deciding to give that value a new chapter.
What is an old gold exchange?
An old gold exchange is a trade-in: the gold value of jewelry you no longer wear is credited toward a new piece, rather than paid out as cash. It is the traditional way Indian families have always bought gold, and it keeps the value in jewelry you will actually wear.
Why are so many families exchanging old gold right now?
Around the world, jewelry that spent years put away is finding a new purpose. With gold prices far above where they stood only a few years ago, an unworn piece is holding more value than many families realize.
Sources: World Gold Council, Gold Demand Trends Full Year 2025; World Gold Council, India Focus Q1 2026; USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
Why exchange is how our families have always bought gold
In India, trading an old set toward a new one has never been a last resort. It is how a mother's bridal set becomes her daughter's, how a heavy traditional necklace becomes something lighter to wear to work, and how gold moves through a family instead of waiting in a vault.
We have worked that way on Hillcroft since the beginning, one family and one tray at a time. What has changed is how many people now realize the pieces at the back of the drawer can become something they put on every day.
The jewelry you have stopped wearing can become the jewelry you never want to take off.
How does the old gold exchange work at Karat 22?
- Bring your gold in. Any karat, from any jeweler, including broken, bent or single pieces. Bring a photo ID.
- We test and weigh it in front of you. Every piece stays on the counter, in your sight.
- You hear the value, and how we reached it. The day's gold rate, the purity, the condition and the craftsmanship.
- Put it toward something new. Your credit applies to any gold or diamond piece in the showroom. On our 22K gold collection there are no making charges, so more of your value stays in gold you keep.
Most exchanges are finished in a single visit, and you never have to bring everything. Keep what is sentimental. Exchange what is simply waiting. See the full Old Gold Exchange details.
Frequently asked questions
What is my old gold worth?
It depends on four things: the purity (karat), the weight, the condition of the piece and the gold rate on the day you come in. Because rates change daily, we quote every piece in person, in front of you.
Which karats do you accept?
All of them, including 24K, 22K, 18K, 14K and 10K gold.
Do I need the original receipt?
No. Bring the jewelry and a valid photo ID. Texas requires registered dealers to record who a piece came from.
Does the gold have to be bought from Karat 22?
No. We accept gold from any jeweler, whether it was bought in Houston, elsewhere in the US or in India.
Is there a minimum amount?
No minimum weight. A single broken earring is worth bringing in.
What can I put my old gold credit toward?
Any gold or diamond jewelry in our showroom, from a daily-wear chain to a full bridal set.
Bring your gold in
Karat 22 Jewelers · 5623 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, TX 77036
Mon, Wed–Sat 11:30 am – 6:30 pm · Sun 12 – 6 pm · Closed Tuesdays