Worthy
Worthy is an online auction marketplace where individual sellers list pre-owned diamonds, jewelry, and watches to a network of 1,000+ professional buyers, with complimentary GIA/IGI grading and insured shipping; it also serves B2B jewelers via the Worthy Jeweler Network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Worthy does
Worthy, Inc. is a US-based online auction marketplace, founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York, that enables individuals to sell pre-owned diamonds, diamond jewelry, luxury watches, and designer pieces (Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, etc.) to a curated network of more than 1,000 professional buyers. The platform is product-led: sellers submit an item online, receive a prepaid FedEx shipping label with Lloyd's of London insurance, after which Worthy handles cleaning, photography, and complimentary third-party grading through GIA and IGI (plus CentralWatch authentication for timepieces), lists the item in a 48-72 hour auction, and pays the seller via ACH, PayPal, or check within roughly 14-18 business days of arrival.
The business operates three interconnected revenue surfaces. The core consumer marketplace runs on a success-based tiered commission (18% up to $5,000, 14% to $15,000, 12% to $30,000, 10% above $30,000; a flat 18% for Jewelry Box bundles of 3+ items). The Worthy Jeweler Network is a B2B channel that lets retail jewelers sell trade-in inventory at wholesale and source authenticated pre-owned diamond jewelry, with a 3-day advance payment feature to eliminate negative working-capital exposure. A newer partner channel through Vanilla (estate-planning platform, announced March 2026) extends Worthy into financial-advisor workflows for estate, trust, and divorce-driven liquidations. Operations are supported by US offices (New York HQ, Salt Lake City) and international offices in Tel Aviv (data science), Manila, and Kyiv.
Worthy monetizes only on successful sales, meaning revenue is directly tied to auction throughput and average hammer price. The company reports $20.5B+ in cumulative items traded on the platform, 4.39M items reviewed, and 12,328 active buyers online, but does not disclose annual revenue. It is privately held, was combined with CIRCA Jewels in October 2023, and has raised approximately $74.9M across multiple rounds, most recently a $30.4M Series 3 in September 2020 led by Viola Ventures.
Worthy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Worthy
- Legal name
- Worthy, Inc.
- Website
- https://worthy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Worthy is an online auction marketplace where individual sellers list pre-owned diamonds, jewelry, and watches to a network of 1,000+ professional buyers, with complimentary GIA/IGI grading and insured shipping; it also serves B2B jewelers via the Worthy Jeweler Network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Worthy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Pre-owned Jewelry and Watch Auction Marketplace
- NAICS
- Jewelry Retailers (45831), Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers (42394)
- SIC
- Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944), Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pre-owned Fine Jewelry Dealers (CRAKAKAC), Pre-owned Watch Dealers & Exchanges (CRAKAKAB), Estate Jewelry & Collection Liquidation Services (CRAKAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Worthy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Worthy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Auction Commission Fees: Worthy charges a percentage-based commission fee on successful sales only. The fee decreases as the sale price increases: 18% for items up to $5,000, 14% for $5,001-$15,000, 12% for $15,001-$30,000, and 10% for items above $30,001. For Jewelry Box (3+ items), a flat 18% fee applies. Worthy only earns revenue when a sale is completed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard tiered commission based on sale price |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Worthy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Worthy operates an online auction marketplace where private individuals sell pre-owned diamond jewelry, loose diamonds, and luxury watches to a curated network of over 1,000 vetted professional buyers through competitive bidding. The company manages the end-to-end process, including prepaid insured FedEx shipping, complimentary GIA/IGI diamond grading and CentralWatch watch authentication, professional photography, live auction hosting (48–72 hours), and payment via ACH bank transfer, PayPal, or check within 9–14 business days after sale. Worthy also runs a B2B Worthy Jeweler Network that enables jewelry retailers to liquidate trade-in inventory and purchase authenticated pre-owned jewelry at wholesale prices with a 3-day advance-payment option.
Product overview
Worthy operates as an online luxury auction marketplace consisting of multiple interconnected product offerings. The core platform enables private individuals to sell diamonds, diamond jewelry, and luxury watches through competitive online auctions to a network of over 1,000 professional buyers. Key selling products include dedicated services for diamond rings, engagement rings, wedding rings, general jewelry, loose diamonds, watches, and designer pieces—each leveraging complimentary professional grading (via GIA and IGI), insurance coverage (Lloyd's of London), and prepaid FedEx shipping. Worthy also maintains a B2B arm called the Worthy Jeweler Network for jewelers to buy and sell pre-owned inventory, and a Pre-Owned Jewelry Buying platform for buyers. The company recently combined with CIRCA Jewels in 2023 to expand its position as a trusted destination for pre-owned jewelry and watch transactions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Worthy Buyer Network: A network of hundreds of trusted, professional buyers from around the world who compete for items on the Worthy auction platform.
Products and services
- Worthy Online Auction Marketplace
- Diamond Appraisal Service
- Worthy Jeweler Network
- Pre-Owned Jewelry Buying Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Sellers can earn 2-3x more compared to pawn shops or local jewelers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Worthy
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Worthy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature4 records
Worthy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- VanillaminorVanilla, a modern estate-planning platform for financial advisors, has partnered with Worthy to integrate tax planning capabilities with estate planning workflows. The integration enables advisors to analyze how trust structures affect tax positions and evaluate Roth conversion strategies. Worthy will be offered to Vanilla customers at special pricing.
- CIRCA JewelscoreWorthy and CIRCA Jewels combined to create a more trusted destination for buying and selling pre-owned jewelry and watches, enhancing the platform's capabilities and market position.
- GIA (Gemological Institute of America)coreGIA is the industry's first choice for diamond grading and created the 4Cs diamond grading system. Worthy partners with GIA for grading reports that increase buyer confidence and command higher prices.
- IGI (International Gemological Institute)coreIGI carries out grading for diamond jewelry on Worthy's platform. They follow strict grading standards using cutting-edge technology and provide detailed reports that increase buyer confidence.
- Lloyd's of LondoncoreLloyd's of London provides full insurance coverage for all shipments through brokers, protecting valuables from the moment they leave sellers until they arrive at Worthy's offices and until sold.
- CentralWatchcoreCentralWatch authenticates watches auctioned on Worthy. Established in 1952, they are widely recognized as NYC's premier watch destination and provide detailed descriptions buyers can trust.
- FedExcoreFedEx handles shipping logistics for Worthy, providing prepaid shipping labels and pickup/drop-off options for sellers shipping jewelry to Worthy's offices.
- Jewelers for ChildrenminorWorthy is a proud donor to Jewelers for Children, a charity founded in 1999 by the U.S. jewelry industry to help children affected by illness, abuse, or neglect. JFC has donated more than $45 million to partners including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Worthy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The RealReal: The RealReal is the leading online consignment marketplace for pre-owned luxury goods including jewelry, watches, and designer accessories. It is the closest direct competitor to Worthy, offering individual sellers a digital liquidation channel with authentication and tiered commission economics very similar to Worthy's model.
- Vestiaire Collective: Vestiaire Collective is a global peer-to-peer marketplace for pre-owned luxury fashion, jewelry, and accessories with strong authentication processes. It competes directly with Worthy in the pre-owned jewelry category and operates in geographies (Europe) where Worthy does not serve customers.
- WP Diamonds: WP Diamonds is a dedicated online buyer of pre-owned diamond jewelry, watches, and luxury jewelry, offering direct cash quotes and auction-style bidding. It competes directly with Worthy for individual sellers of diamond rings, engagement rings, and luxury watches via a similar online submission and insured-shipping flow.
- 1stDibs: 1stDibs is an online marketplace for luxury items including fine jewelry, watches, and designer accessories from vetted dealers. It competes with Worthy on the buyer side for pre-owned luxury jewelry demand and overlaps in serving sellers moving high-value pieces through digital channels.
Broad incumbents
- Sotheby's: Sotheby's is one of the world's largest traditional auction houses for fine jewelry, watches, diamonds, and luxury collectibles. While it operates at the high end and serves institutional consignors more than individuals, it is a broad incumbent in the luxury jewelry and watch auction category where Worthy competes for individual sellers.
- Christie's: Christie's is a global auction house offering fine jewelry, watches, and luxury accessories through live and online auctions. As a broad incumbent, it competes for estate and high-value jewelry consignments that overlap with Worthy's higher price tiers ($30K+) where the 10% commission applies.
- Bonhams: Bonhams is an international auction house with active fine jewelry and watch departments, conducting both live and online auctions. As a broad incumbent, it competes with Worthy for estate and high-value jewelry sellers and uses a similar auction-mechanism model.
Emerging players
- Bob's Watches: Bob's Watches is one of the largest pre-owned Rolex and luxury watch dealers, operating an online marketplace for buying and selling authenticated timepieces. It overlaps with Worthy's watch-selling service for individual sellers looking to liquidate luxury watches.
- Crown & Caliber: Crown & Caliber is an online platform specializing in buying and selling pre-owned luxury watches with authentication and grading services. It is an emerging specialist player with a comparable online submission flow and watch authentication focus to Worthy's sell-watches service.
- I Do Now I Don't: I Do Now I Don't is an online auction marketplace dedicated specifically to selling engagement rings and wedding rings. It is an emerging niche player with a category-specialist angle overlapping Worthy's sell-engagement-ring and sell-wedding-ring services for individual sellers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Worthy social profiles
Digital presenceWorthy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Worthy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Worthy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Worthy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Worthy
What does Worthy do?
Worthy operates an online auction marketplace where private individuals sell pre-owned diamond jewelry, loose diamonds, and luxury watches to a curated network of over 1,000 vetted professional buyers through competitive bidding. The company manages the end-to-end process, including prepaid insured FedEx shipping, complimentary GIA/IGI diamond grading and CentralWatch watch authentication, professional photography, live auction hosting (48–72 hours), and payment via ACH bank transfer, PayPal, or check within 9–14 business days after sale. Worthy also runs a B2B Worthy Jeweler Network that enables jewelry retailers to liquidate trade-in inventory and purchase authenticated pre-owned jewelry at wholesale prices with a 3-day advance-payment option.
Is Worthy a public or private company?
Worthy is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Worthy founded?
Worthy was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Worthy based?
Worthy is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Worthy make money?
One revenue line is on record: auction Commission Fees.
Who are Worthy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, WP Diamonds and 1stDibs. Broad incumbents are Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams. Emerging players are Bob's Watches, Crown & Caliber and I Do Now I Don't.
Does Worthy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Worthy.
What industry is Worthy in?
Worthy's product category is Online Pre-owned Jewelry and Watch Auction Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAKAF, Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry), with a secondary code of CRAKAKAC, Pre-owned Fine Jewelry Dealers. Its NAICS code is 45831 and its SIC code is 5944.