Editor’s Note
This article examines the varying buy-back and recycling policies of major jewelry brands, highlighting how material purity influences both brand practices and consumer choices.
Jewelry brands such as Emperor Jewelry, Chow Tai Fook, and Chow Sang Sang have their own policies regarding buying back items they have sold. The purity of the materials is a key factor.
Many brands explicitly state at the point of sale that they do not offer buy-back services. This policy directly influences consumer purchasing decisions, with some customers choosing not to buy from brands that do not recycle.
A significant shift is occurring in the industry, particularly concerning platinum. Major jewelers like Chow Tai Fook have reportedly stopped accepting used platinum items.
However, the underlying reason points to a larger resource allocation issue. The demand for platinum in industrial applications—such as automotive catalytic converters, petroleum cracking, and glass furnaces—is rigid and immense. These sectors are consuming the global platinum supply, prioritizing industrial use over jewelry recycling due to scale and economic drivers.
