Appraisals
Scott Rowe, G.G.
What is a jewelry appraisal and who needs one? These are two of the most common questions I hear in regard to A & S Gifts Gemological Laboratory Services. The definition of an appraisal is lengthy and boring. The answer is simply that an appraisal is an opinion of value. It should be prepared by a qualified appraiser in regard to a precisely described item as of a specific date for a particular market.
A qualified appraiser is not easy to find. When looking in the yellow pages, you may find 2 or three appraisers listed, however, they may not be qualified. To determine values, a gemologist must have training and education in long standing appraisal techniques using standards which are accepted by legal authorities and insurance companies.
My wife and I are both Graduate Gemologist, however, appraising is outside the scope of gemology. Gemology is the science of faceted gemstones which has nothing to do with appraising.
An appraiser must be a qualified gemologist to identify the latest treatments and synthetic gemstones and they must have knowledge of the latest market conditions and values. A professional appraiser must also be familiar with construction methods and how they contribute to the value of the jewelry item.
In the past, many jewelers would provide appraisals for their clients, but in the last 10 to fifteen years, the liability of not being able to identify sophisticated man-made gems and treatments has made them stop providing appraisals.
Appraising really takes both trades to be done properly. A gemologist to make a positive gemstone identification and a jeweler to provide the information about the construction of the mounting. At A & S Gifts, we are not only gemologist and jewelers, we also cut gemstones, so we also know about cutting methods and how they affect the value of a jewelry item.
A lapidary is someone that cuts gemstones. A & S Gifts owns and operates a complete lapidary facility which includes the ability to cut concave facets on gemstones. Concave faceting is the latest, state-of-the-art technique which produces some of the most brilliant gemstones ever seen.
Our knowledge of gems, jewelry and cutting techniques is not all we rely on when performing appraisals. Market data in regard to current values is maintained by buying and selling in retail and wholesale markets. My late father was one of the largest gemstone dealers in the world and I have been involved with gemology and values since I was a young child. My father in law was born in Antwerp into the diamond industryand my wife, Anetta, was also raised in the gemstone and fine jewelry industry. Our experience in gems and fine jewelry has provided us with the necessary skills to provide you with the highest quality appraisal.
Skills are worthless without tools. A & S Gifts has a complete gemological laboratory which includes the finest binocular microscope with a digital color camera so you can see your jewelry on television as a gemologist examines it. Color micro-photographs are printed directly onto the reports we provide for positive identification of your gemstone or jewelry. A & S Gifts also uses the latest digital diamond color grading device to avoid confusion from over and under grading diamonds. All weights on loose gems are given to the thousandth of a carat and weights on finished jewelry items are given to the thousandth of a gram.
Our complete reference library is one of our most valuable assets. If we don’t have the answers, we can look it up. If we can’t find the answer in our library, we have the necessary network of contacts to find the information we need to better serve you.
All this experience, knowledge and equipment is worthless without ethics. I have been appraising for over 20 years and have never compromised professional standards. I have seen my share of substandard appraisals with over-inflated values. I have been offered some great deals to do large quantities of appraisals for suppliers, but they wanted something I wouldn’t provide... high values. I would not be appraising today if I had violated the code of ethics subscribed to by every qualified appraiser.
So, who needs an appraisal? Anyone that has fine gems and jewelry they want insured. Anyone that wants to know about a family heirloom or anyone that wants conclusive information regarding gems or jewelry before a transaction takes place.
I have heard countless stories of lost or stolen jewelry that was not covered by insurance. Remember, the worst time to have your jewelry appraised, is after it is lost or stolen. Many people think that they have insurance coverage but find that there is fine print about a maximum per item which doesn’t even cover their deductible. Check with your insurance agent if you have questions, but most require that you have a separate policy for jewelry items and they must be appraised.
If gems or jewelry are probated, then it must be appraised. The U.S. Department of Treasury has a specific code in regard to probate and it must be adhered to without exception.
Sometimes, someone has found an item at a yard sale or in an attic that must be identified or appraised and we provide a consultation service to let you decide if your items need a complete appraisal. We constantly sort through old jewelry boxes and cigar boxes of costume jewelry and find one or 2 fine pieces. Don’t forget, costume jewelry was made to look like the real thing. I have had the pleasure of telling several people that their costume jewelry was real and worth a lot of money and sometimes I have to tell clients that their family heirlooms are man-made. Fine synthetic Sapphires and Rubies have been produced since the late 1800’s
A & S Gifts never gives verbal appraisals, only verbal
consultations. We only provide written appraisals which will stand up in court.
Call for an appointment to stay with your jewelry while it is appraised so that
it is never out of your sight.
