King's Jewelry & Loan is a Los Angeles pawnbroker since 1945 offering collateral pawn loans, gold/jewelry buying, luxury jewelry sales, and on-site repair.
Data compiled from public sources · Rating from CreditDoc methodology
King's Jewelry & Loan has operated from its 800 S. Vermont Ave. location in Los Angeles since 1945, making it one of the oldest continuously operating pawnbrokers in California. Owner Sam Shocket took over the family business from his father in 1976 and has built it into what the company describes as California's largest pawnbroker and North America's largest jewelry-only pawnbroker. Shocket participates at the state and national level in pawn industry associations. The shop holds California Pawnbroker License #1942-0986, and General Manager Marco is a GIA Certified Diamond Grader — a credential relevant to fair valuation of diamonds and fine jewelry.
At its core, King's offers collateral-based pawn loans: customers bring in valuables such as gold, diamonds, luxury watches, or estate jewelry and receive short-term cash with the option to reclaim items by repaying the loan plus fees. Loan terms run six months (five months plus a one-month grace period), longer than the California industry standard of four months plus a 10-day grace. The company claims promotional rates that beat competing California pawn shops, with calendar-month interest calculations and no overlapping interest charged. On the buying side, they purchase gold (jewelry, coins, broken pieces), diamonds, estate jewelry, and name-brand luxury watches outright. Their retail floor sells luxury and estate jewelry at below-retail prices, with a layaway program and financing available through Acima (no-credit-check) and traditional credit for purchases.
King's has accumulated over 11,700 five-star Google reviews at a 5.0 rating — a remarkably high volume for a brick-and-mortar pawn operation. An on-site master craftsman handles custom jewelry design, ring resizing, clasp replacement, and diamond setting, with work observable while customers wait. The six-month loan term and auto-renewal feature — meaning items are not quickly forfeited if a payment is missed — offer more flexibility than most California competitors. Online payment plans allow loan customers to manage repayments without visiting the store in person.
For Los Angeles–area residents needing immediate cash against jewelry or luxury items, King's stands out by longevity, credentialed staff, and a volume of verified customer reviews that few pawn operations anywhere can match. The longer loan term and no-overlapping-interest policy are genuine, documented advantages over typical CA pawn shops. The significant limitations, however, are transparency and geography: specific interest rates and fees are not published online, so borrowers must negotiate or inquire in person before committing. This is also a single-location, brick-and-mortar business — there is no remote or online pawn service, making it accessible only to customers who can visit the Vermont Ave. store.
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Yes. King's Jewelry and Loan is a registered company, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, founded in 1945.
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CreditDoc Diagnosis
King's Jewelry & Loan is best for Los Angeles–area consumers who need same-day cash against high-value jewelry or watches, or who want to buy luxury jewelry at wholesale prices with expert appraisal on-site. The main caveat is that this is a local, in-person-only business with no published rate information — prospective borrowers should visit or call for a quote before assuming the terms fit their situation.
Cash in a Flash Pawn is a Denver-based pawn shop offering collateral-based loans and the purchase/sale of firearms, jewelry, tools, and watches with same-day funding.
Best for: Gun owners and firearm enthusiasts needing immediate cash who can leverage firearms as collateral, Individuals with valuable jewelry or watches seeking quick appraisals and same-day cash without credit checks
Locally-owned Phoenix pawn shop offering collateral-based loans on jewelry, electronics, vehicles, and other valuables, plus title loans with no credit check required.
Best for: Consumers with vehicles or valuable items who need emergency cash and have poor or no credit history, People facing immediate short-term cash shortfalls who can afford repayment within a pawn loan term
United Check Cashing Philadelphia, PA — United Check Cashing operates two locations in Delaware and New Jersey, offering check cashing, money transfers,...
Best for: Unbanked or underbanked consumers in Delaware and New Jersey who prefer cash-based financial management, Small business owners needing to cash business-payable checks without a business bank account
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Read guide →New to credit and lending? Here are the key terms used on this page, explained in plain language with real-number examples.
The total yearly cost of borrowing money, including the interest rate plus any fees the lender charges. Think of it as the 'true price tag' on a loan.
Lenders must show APR by law (Truth in Lending Act) because the interest rate alone can hide fees. Comparing APR across lenders is the most reliable way to find the cheapest loan.
Example
You borrow $10,000 at 6% interest for 3 years, but there's a $300 origination fee. The interest rate is 6%, but the APR is 6.9% because it includes that fee. You'd pay $304/month and $946 total in interest.
Interest calculated on both the original amount borrowed AND the interest that's already been added. It's 'interest on interest' — and it makes debt grow faster than you'd expect.
Credit cards and many loans use compound interest. If you only make minimum payments, compound interest is why a $3,000 balance can take 15 years to pay off.
Example
You owe $1,000 at 20% annual interest compounded monthly. After month 1 you owe $1,016.67. Month 2, interest is charged on $1,016.67 (not $1,000), so you owe $1,033.61. After 1 year without payments: $1,219.
A special APR calculation used for military servicemembers that includes ALL costs — fees, insurance, and add-ons — capped at 36% by federal law.
The Military Lending Act protects active-duty servicemembers and their families from predatory lending. Any lender charging above 36% MAPR to military is breaking federal law.
Example
A payday lender charges a $15 fee per $100 borrowed for 2 weeks. For civilians, that's technically legal in some states. For military: that works out to 391% MAPR — illegal under the MLA.
The maximum interest rate a lender can legally charge in a particular state. Charging above this rate is called 'usury' and is illegal.
Usury laws are your main legal protection against predatory interest rates. But beware: some states have weak or no usury caps, and federal banks can sometimes override state limits.
Example
New York caps interest at 16% for most consumer loans (25% is criminal usury). If a lender tries to charge you 30% in NY, that loan is unenforceable — you could fight it in court.
An asset you pledge to the lender as security for a loan. If you stop paying, the lender can seize and sell that asset to recover their money.
Secured loans (with collateral) have lower interest rates because the lender has less risk. But you could lose your home, car, or savings if you default.
Example
A mortgage uses your house as collateral. A car loan uses your vehicle. A title loan uses your car title. If you miss payments, the lender can foreclose or repossess.
A charge added to your account when you miss a payment deadline. Most credit cards charge $29-$41 per late payment, and many loans have similar penalties.
The fee itself hurts, but the real damage is to your credit score. A payment 30+ days late stays on your credit report for 7 years and can drop your score 60-110 points.
Example
Your credit card payment of $150 is due March 1. You pay on March 18. The bank charges a $39 late fee. If it's 30+ days late, it gets reported to credit bureaus and your 760 score drops to 670.
A fee your bank charges when a payment bounces because there isn't enough money in your account. Also called a 'bounced check fee' or 'returned payment fee.'
NSF fees hit you twice — your bank charges you AND the company you were trying to pay may charge their own returned payment fee. That's $50-70 for one missed payment.
Example
Your auto-pay tries to pull $350 for rent, but you only have $280 in checking. Your bank charges $35 NSF fee. Your landlord charges $25 returned payment fee. Total damage: $60 in fees.
The practice of charging interest rates higher than what the law allows. Usury laws set state-specific caps on how much lenders can charge.
If a lender charges usurious rates, the loan may be void, penalties can be reduced, or you may be entitled to damages. Know your state's limits.
Example
Your state caps consumer loans at 24% APR. An online lender charges you 36%. That loan may be unenforceable, and you might only need to repay the principal — no interest or fees.
Using your credit card to get cash from an ATM or bank. It's one of the most expensive ways to borrow — higher interest rate, immediate interest accrual (no grace period), and an upfront fee.
Cash advances are a debt trap: 25-30% APR with no grace period plus a 3-5% fee. Interest starts the second you withdraw, not at the end of the billing cycle.
Example
You take a $500 cash advance. Fee: $25 (5%). Interest: 28% APR starting immediately. After 30 days, you owe $536.67. After 6 months of minimum payments, you've paid $85 in interest on $500.
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