Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** In this piece, we explore the gold buying industry in Rennes, addressing its controversial reputation. Manager Alizéa Rebour of Or en Cash sheds light on the strict regulations governing the trade, offering a balanced look at a market often viewed with skepticism.
Gold Buying in Rennes: ‘We Have a Charlatan Image, But It’s Very Controlled’
Whether online or in town, gold sellers are flourishing everywhere. They offer to buy or sell precious metal items, either as an investment or to get cash. Actu Rennes met with Alizéa Rebour, the new manager of the Rennes Or en Cash agency, to understand how this type of business operates.
In her agency, she receives clients who wish to sell items made of gold, silver, or platinum. “We even take broken items, since they will be melted down.”
Before buying the items, Alizéa Rebour must proceed with the authentication of the goods. “First, gold and silver are not magnetic. Then, we look for hallmarks,” explains the manager, who was trained internally.
She also performs a test by rubbing the jewelry against a volcanic stone. She then uses products that, based on the chemical reaction, allow her to determine if it is real gold or silver.
After weighing the items, she uses software that calculates the object’s value based on the number of carats, weight, and the gold price. A commission is then retained by Or en Cash, the final step before offering a purchase price to the clients.
The payment is made only by bank transfer or check, since in France, “it is illegal to give cash for precious metals,” warns Alizéa Rebour.
The other facet of the work involves advising clients who wish to invest in gold.
It is this relational aspect that particularly interests the manager. “I love the contact with people, we help them and often they confide in us and tell us their story and the story of their object.”
A “cocoon” is created as the trust relationship develops between Alizéa Rebour and her clients, who are often “regulars” passionate about flea markets, for example.
In addition to gold, it is also possible to drop off gold-plated or silver-plated jewelry for recycling. “We also collect old X-rays that contain silver particles,” which cannot be thrown in the regular trash.
By recycling these images, Or en Cash donates the collected sums to the association Elevages sans frontières, which helps impoverished farming families in Senegal.