Jewelry Appraiser FAQ's

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A professional jewelry appraiser is one who has taken course work and is certified by a national jewelry appraisal organization, such as the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA).  A gemologist does not make a jewelry appraiser, but training in gemology from an accredited gemology school such as the GIA, Gem-A or ISG is generally a pre-requisite.  As a certified member of the NAJA, one needs to complete yearly ongoing education in order to maintain current credentials.  This helps a client know that the appraiser has the most current education in gemology and jewelry appraisal sciences.

Before a client comes to our office, we ask that you bring any receipts, invoices, previous appraisals, and gemstone certificates such as a GIA lab report.  When one comes to the office, we clean and evaluate your jewelry item, take all necessary measurements and weights that are required, and grade all gemstones.  Valuations are only given after thorough research of the market in order to give the appropriate valuation of the item based on the purpose and function of the appraisal.  We can give you an appraised "estimate", but nothing is final until all research has been conducted.

Jewelry is meant to last many generations, but accidents happen.  Loss, damage and theft can cause emotional and financial stress.  Precious metals such as gold and platinum, along with gemstones such as diamonds, are commodities and prices fluctuate over time.  An insurance company usually likes an appraisal updated every few years due to these factors.  There have been countless situations where an insurer only paid an insured what an item was appraised for many, many years ago.  With increased prices of items and material, an insured was not made whole and could not get their item replaced as it was before.  It is the insured's responsibility to get updated appraisals since insurance companies rarely reach out.

Absolutely not!  We perform the entire evaluation right in front of you and return your item right away.  If there is an item that requires additional research outside of the allotted appointment, an intake will be required. We are fully insured for any items that would need an intake, but intakes are very rare.

Appraisals at a professional appraiser can differ from what you get at a traditional jewelry store.  First, we need to determine what the purpose of the appraisal is, (i.e. retail replacement, fair market, sale, etc.) and the function (Insurance, Liquidation, Estate).  We then measure every item and evaluate gold fineness, gemstone quality and workmanship quality.  We take pictures at many angles, evaluate light performance (diamonds), perform our own independent gemstone grading report  and make sure everything is recorded, so you are fully protected in the case of a loss or damage event.  A proper appraisal should be able to make a client whole and replace their item with the same kind, like and quality.  We are able to do this for most antique, vintage and contemporary items.

Due to the nature of our business, we generally don't buy diamonds and jewelry due to a potential conflict of interest.  In the event of a client wanting to sell their items, we have a great network of trusted buyers who we could refer you to.  Otherwise, our fair market and liquidation appraisals can give you a great starting point of what your item should sell for on the market.  

One word:  Absolutely!

Due to the fluctuations of gold, diamonds, gemstones and jewelry, one should look to re-appraise their jewelry every 3 years.  Re-appraisals are very affordable and guarantee you are protected in the event of a loss or damage event.

On the day of the appraisal, you should bring any lab reports, purchase or repair receipts, warranties or previous appraisals you may have.  It's ok not to have these as well, but any previous documentation can be added to the appraisal and give us a more complete history of the piece.