Good appraiser for CS in NYC?

[Circe]

Does anybody know of an expert in colored stones in NYC? I have a few pieces I need to insure appropriately, and as they were gifts rather than purchases, I really have no baseline. Would appreciate any leads, thanks in advance!

 

[chrono]

Circe,
I am sorry I have absolutely no clue. OldMiner is in Philly and since he is in the business, perhaps he can recommend someone in NYC?

 

[Circe]

Thanks, Chrono - maybe I'm asking the wrong thing?

I have some tourmalines I'd like id'd properly, and some rubies where I want to know the treatment levels (I should have thought of this before I had them set, but, oh well).

Can I send them to AGL or something as a private individual? And would they grade set pieces?

 

[VapidLapid]

yes and yes. you can bring the to agl and they will look at them set but charge more. I think their offices are 5th ave while gia is around 57th st.

 

[VapidLapid]

http://aglgemlab.com/submission-guidelines/

580 5th Avenue Suite 706

New York, NY 10036

Phone:

212 . 704 . 0727

 

[Circe]

Okay, you are AWESOME, thank you for answering so promptly and with exactly the information that I needed!

Also, that is hugely ironic, since I was literally IN that building earlier today. If only I'd known, I could have saved myself some time!

 

[chrono]

Glad that VL was able to assist you since I clearly did not understand what you were looking for. I took it that you were looking for insurance appraisal. The AGL gem briefs are great for simple ID but I think you need the full prestige report to find out the level of treatment for the rubies and that costs much more. I'm guessing that a coloured stone appraiser might be more cost effective unless you need solid proof that will be useful for future resale and insurance purposes.

 

[Circe]

Glad that VL was able to assist you since I clearly did not understand what you were looking for. I took it that you were looking for insurance appraisal. The AGL gem briefs are great for simple ID but I think you need the full prestige report to find out the level of treatment for the rubies and that costs much more. I'm guessing that a coloured stone appraiser might be more cost effective unless you need solid proof that will be useful for future resale and insurance purposes.

Hm ... how much are the prestige reports? The appraiser I spoke with quoted me $250 an hour and said it would take between an hour and an hour and a half per piece.

I'm going back and forth on keeping vs. selling some of it (it's stuff like the paraiba tourmaline ring I posted in the eye-candy thread ... sure, it's sentimental, but I just *never* wear it), but I figure that having some "proof" of what it is might help me decide ... if it's worthless, well, I keep it, and if it might have value, *then* I'll worry about getting it properly insured and/or setting a proper price. But there's no point to insuring it, if I never wear it ... and round and round we go.

So it's a little bit of everything, I guess ....

 

[Kismet]

Basic prestige reports (just ID and Enhancement) are $155 for mounted stones. If you want Origin or Quality rating then you start paying by carat weight. I believe the prices go up to $750ish for those reports. http://aglgemlab.com/pricelist/

I'd probably go with a lab report over the appraisal report.

 

[chrono]

Knowing that the stones in question have the potential to be valued quite highly depending on the lab report result and the appraisal fee is that high, I would opt for the AGL route.

 

[Circe]

Hm, good to know! Looking at the pricelist, it looks like the tourmaline ring is going to be pricey to cert. It has a six-ish carat center that's too dark to be "paraiba" but that is supposedly from the region and copper-bearing, surrounded by 6 smaller paraiba proper of .50 to .75 each. But it might possibly be well-worth it. Thanks so for the advice!