Search
Stories, prices and know-how from the store on 47th Street: the people of the Diamond District, what things cost today, and how to buy right.
Latest
New on the magazine
How Big Is It, Really? Chains and Diamonds at True Size on Your Phone
Chains from 2 to 18 mm on the neck, every length from 16 to 30 inches, and diamonds...
The Diamond Chain Calculator
Any diamond, any cut, from a 1 pointer to 100 carats, next to a real quarter.
What's Inside Your Gold: Every Recipe in the Smelt
Rose gold is gold and copper. Green gold is gold and silver. Purple gold is gold and aluminum....
The Chain Atlas: Ten Gold Chain Styles, Side by Side
Ten gold chain styles, photographed the same way at the store on 47th Street: what each one is,...
Chain width chart: millimeters to inches, and what each width looks like
Every common chain width in millimeters and inches, what each looks like on a neck, and what a...
How much is a Rolex Datejust? The 36s and 41s in our case, with today's price
Every pre-owned Rolex Datejust in our case with its live price, the 41 mm and the 36 mm...
How much is a Rolex GMT-Master II? Batman, Pepsi, Bruce Wayne and the rest, with today's price
Every pre-owned Rolex GMT-Master II in our case with its live price, the name each one goes by...
How much is a Rolex Sky-Dweller? The references in our case, with today's price
The pre-owned Rolex Sky-Dwellers in our case with live prices, the references decoded, and what to check before...
10+years on 47th Street
Umid: Ten Years on 47th Street
TraxNYC's own gold buyer on his first days in America, the three chains that never go out of style, and why ChatGPT can't price your gold.
"He asked me if I could take pictures. I said, 'Yeah.' And that's how it went on. The rest is history."Umid, gold buyer, TraxNYCRead the interview
The 47th Street Interviews
Five people, more than 130 years on the block between them
46yearsHenry Navi: 46 Years on 47th Street
"They should buy from the right person."
12+yearsAnkur: Still Looking for the One
The curb chain then; rope and Franco now.
10yearsRenato: Good Things Take Time
"I think the most honest jeweler is Trax, brother, for me."
56yearsMichael: When Gold Was $65 an Ounce
"You should see the lines. The people were lining up."
47th Street
The walk from the subway to our window
Photos: Yan Do Amaral
Five checks before you buy a gold chain
In their own words
- The stamp
If it says 14K, make sure it's stamped.
Ankur - The weight you're paying for
The weight that you're paying for.
Umid - Where it was made
It could even say "Made in Italy," "Made in Turkey."
Ankur - Who you buy from
They should buy from the right person, that is reputable and you can trust them.
Henry Navi - The quality of the gold
The first thing the client has to check is the quality of the gold they're being sold.
Renato, translated from Spanish
56 years of gold on 47th Street
Told by the people who were there
-
1970
Michael comes to the block. "When I came in, in 1970, there were three buyers." Gold was melted in a gas furnace with a blower. Read Michael → -
1980
Gold hits $850 an ounce in January. The stores melt their inventory, and "the people were lining up." Henry Navi starts at the exchange, buying gold. The chain everyone wants: the rope chain. Read Henry → -
2013–14
Ankur goes into gold chains, on Maks's word to start on 47th. The standard: a solid curb chain, 3, 4, 5 millimeter gauge, 10 and 14K. Read Ankur → -
2016
Renato starts at a micro pavé setting shop. "Everyone wanted Cubans," he says. More than ten years ago, Umid came to see Maks on his second day in America. Read Renato → -
Today
The Cuban "has been, and probably will always be" the most popular chain, says Umid. Ropes and Francos "are evergreen," says Ankur. "Can't go wrong." And now "everyone invents their own chain model," says Renato. Read Umid →
Shop the issue
The chains they talk about, in the store today
Watch
Two-minute films from the store
Play
A game from the store
The recipe book: what's inside your gold, and every recipe the Smelt knows →
Guides
What things cost and how to check them, from the store
Ask a jeweler
Chat with a jeweler now, or call or text 212-872-9692. Our team texts back 10 AM to 10 PM ET; later texts are answered the next day. Or see it in person at 64 W 47th Street.
Get TraxNYC Magazine by email
New interviews, price guides and videos from the store when they come out. One click to leave.
The 47th Street Interviews: interviews and photographs by Yan Do Amaral.
