Interview with Owner of DGA Jonathan Sommers

In a tough economy not only do we have to remain prayerful, but we must also become creative when it comes to earning extra money and making ends meet. In the past few months, I have noticed quite a few print ads and television commercials claiming to pay hundreds of dollars for old junk gold jewelry. I am a see for yourself kind of girl, so I began my pursuit of the best WE GUY GOLD shop I could find.

My first experience with selling gold jewelry was with a local pawn shop/jeweler in North Atlanta. I had a small bundle of 14k jewelry that was broken or damaged, so I took them in to see what kind of deal I could get. Once they tested and weighted the jewelry I received $200.00 in cash. This was extremely disappointing because I think they were only paying about $5 to $6 a gram depending on if the gold was 14k, 18k or higher.

Next stop was a full service jeweler in the Sugarloaf area of Georgia. I took a white gold bracelet and necklace with me and once they tested and weighed it, they offered me $250.00. So, we were getting better, but I still wasn't satisfied. So, back to the Internet I went, BUT this time for an intense search in the Perimeter and Buckhead area of Atlanta. I saw a few WE BUY GOLD shops, but there was something about DGA (WE BUY GOLD) that caught my eye so I decided to check it out.

The first visit to DGA (WE BUY GOLD) in Sandy Springs yielded me more than $500.00 for my 14k gold jewelry. I was extremely satisfied because it was the same amount and quality of jewelry I had taken to the first shop in North Atlanta and was offered $200.00. That means that DGA (WE BUY GOLD) paid me 50% MORE for my jewelry than any other shop. I was sold!

I was so satisfied with the service that I recommended it to a friend of mine from Richmond, Virginia. I told her to gather some of her old gold and bring it to Georgia on her next visit. She recently came to Georgia and left with more than $1000.00 in her pocket from selling her junk 14k gold at DGA (WE BUY GOLD).

I recently caught up with Jonathan Sommers and wanted him to share a little bit more about what his company has to offer and here is what he had to say.

A.C.: Hi Jonathan! Thanks so much for speaking with us today.

J.S.: Hi Karen. The gold business seems to be an interesting topic these days.

A.C.: Yes, it is and particularly in a dwindling economy. Now, that's get right to what everyone wants to know. How much do you pay for 10k, 14k, 18k and 20k+?

J.S.: It changes from day to day. We normally make a 10% commission on the price of the gold, so if the daily spot price is $950 per ounce, we give $855 per ounce minus the gold purity.

A.C.: Do you offer anything for diamonds or other precious gems?

J.S.: Yes and no. If the diamond is ½ carat or larger or if the gemstone is worth a few hundred dollars or more, then yes. If it is something we can't buy, we'll be glad to remove and return the stones to you.

A.C.: I know you guys offer everything jewelry related, so what are the prices on batteries, repairs and appraisals?

J.S.: $10 for watch batteries, unless you are a gold customer (then $5). Repairs range from $15 for a ring sizing to $100 and up for major repairs. Formal written appraisals are $20-30.

A.C.: Where do you see gold prices going in the coming years? Do you think it will continue to increase in value or will we see a decline at some point?

J.S.: I have watched the gold market consistently for 10 years now and I can tell you for sure that I don't know the answer to that. I think it mainly depends on whether we can get out of our defunct economic situation without printing tons more money. If the dollar gets devalued even more than it has already, gold will certainly shoot up. If the economy improves, which I hope it will, then gold will slowly decrease.

A.C.: Can you let our readers know how many locations you have and where you can be found?

J.S.: We have two DGA - We Buy Gold locations now, one in Sandy Springs and one in McDonough. The Sandy Springs location is on 5982 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA 30328. In the Ross and Whole Foods shopping center. Phone: 404-438-9842. The hours are Monday thru Friday 12-6 and Saturday 11-6.

The McDonough location is located in the Shoppes at Lake Dow on 928 Hwy 81 East. McDonough GA 30252. Phone: 770-313-8810. We have more limited hours there: Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11-5pm.

You can also check us out online at www.dgausa.com.

A.C: Any final words of wisdom for people that can't decide if they should sell their gold or not?

J.S.: If it is sentimental in any way, don't sell. By all means, shop around for the best deal and don't rush into any decisions. Typically the end of the week is a better price than on Monday.

A.C.: It has certainly been a pleasure to speak with you again Jonathan and I wish you and your family great success in your present and future business endeavors!

J.S.: Thanks, it was a pleasure.