Have you ever received a hand-me-down ring from your grandmother or found an old one lying under your drawers? You’re not the least bit curious? What are the chances you’ve stumbled across something of great value?
What is a Jewelry Appraisal
Simply put, a jewelry appraisal is a monetary valuation and description of your jewelry piece. It can include the type of diamond or stone it’s made up of, its weight, and finally, its value in dollars. Appraisals are conducted by professionals who complete a certified examination to get the proper estimate of its value. Current market prices of diamonds and gold are also taken into consideration.
When your piece is getting examined, a jeweler will consult you about the following factors:
- Quality of the piece
- Its current condition
- Type of Gemstone
- Design specifics
- Measurements
- Setting
Why Should You Get an Appraisal?
Expensive jewelry is one of the most important investments you make. Over time, you should regularly check its value to see where your investment stands. It is advised to get it done every 3-5 years, especially if you’ve known a piece for a long time. But here’s the thing, why? Why is it important?
Insurance
Suppose you have an expensive engagement ring that you’re too afraid you’ll lose if you wear it every day. Rather than not wearing it at all, wouldn’t it be better to get it insured? You can wear it around with the satisfaction that your item is financially protected.
All insurance companies will ask for an appraisal report when you get it insured. It is necessary to see how much the ring is worth now and how much it will be worth over the years; whether the value will appreciate or depreciate. All these factors count when creating a full insurance payment plan.
Buying & Selling
If you’re ever in a situation where you need to pawn jewelry, you should know what it is worth. This ensures that you are earning a profit and can tell you whether you’re earning more or less than the market value. All these factors are important when making a sale.
Safety
You realize by now that fine jewelry is expensive. Because of how expensive it is, there may even be scams. People sell fake stones in the pretense of real ones and ask for the total price. Quite often, many buyers get scammed. To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, you can also get an appraisal to find out whether your gemstone is real.
How to Appraise Fine Jewelry
Now if you ever go to an open jewelry store, they will appraise your piece for you and, most of the time, do it free of cost. You can still try on your own though.
Study the Piece
The first thing you must do is study the piece carefully. You must look around for any form of ingrained stamp or number showing the piece’s metal content. You might even come across a metal stamp if you look under the stones. Most metals have numbers attached such as 14K for gold.
Analyze the Stone
How do you know whether your stone is a genuine diamond or a sterling metal? A stone’s cut can also be used to judge its quality. Since most cubic zirconia are made to resemble diamonds, you may typically find them in the conventional round brilliant cut. If the stone has a unique cut and appears to have been hand-faceted, that’s a sign that you might have a valuable item and will be appraised to a high value.
Identify the Brand
Lastly, you must identify what brand it was brought from. If it’s newer, it’ll be easy to spot. However, most designers have a unique style; you can identify the style and cut it. When you know the brand and compare the age of the piece, you may also analyze the current market price it may have.
However, you’re not a specialist. And when you need documentation for insurance you must go to a professional.
Conclusion
Don’t think that an appraisal should be ordered just once. As was already established, jewelry values change over time, so it’s crucial to have your jewelry assessed regularly to maintain the most accurate valuation. Your insurance provider may also require periodic appraisals of fine jewelry and other personal property.
