appraisal etiquette????

[sydney]

I will be purchasing a stone on-line and will be getting it appraised at a local jeweller. What happens at an appraisal? Are most done while you wait? There is something about dropping off a $15000 rock to a stranger and told to come back the next day that is unsettling. What usually happens? In person or drop off? If it is a drop off scenario how do you know you get the same diamond back?
Thanks,
Susan

 

[Regular Guy]

You should find a couple of threads here in the FAQs section to be of assistance, including this one.

But, bottom line, using an appraiser should add confidence, not detract from it. If being there while the appraisal occurs is important to you, which might mean you''d need to use an independent appraiser, vs one who wears two hats, and is also a jeweler (so he can''t make a dedicated time for you to be there while they do their work)...don''t settle for less.

 

[sydney]

Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would only use a jewelry store appraiser to look at a stone and verify it is the one on the certificate, not for a full appraisal. Many of the vendors include an insurance valuation which is perfectly acceptable to insure the stone. But if you buy the stone unset, you''ll need to have someone appraise it so the setting can be included for the insurance. The jeweler who set my stone gave me a brief appraisal to include the setting, plus I had all the info on the stone from the diamond vendor.

 

[decodelighted]

I used an independent appraiser, who sat with me during the entire process. My ring & stone (already set) were never out of my sight. This worked best for me because I''d never owned that significant of a piece of jewelry before & was a bit of a nervous nellie.

Later on ... several months down the line ... I needed to leave my ring at a jeweler for repair. I''d haunted this store for months during my e-ring shopping ... felt very comfortable with the owner & craftsmen ... and knew the place worked on projects/stones etc 10x ... 100x the value of my own. Turned out beautifully. Now .. I''d leave it there no problem.

I guess what I''m trying to say is EVENTUALLY you''ll need to find a local jeweler you trust ... but, maybe, baby steps?

 

[CaptAubrey]

Don't use a jewelry store for this sort of thing. You may be lucky and get someone who is trained and qualified to give you a fair, objective appraisal. You may also get someone who is a salesman, not a gemologist, and gives you an "appraisal" that's simply based on what his supplier charges x his usual mark-up. You may also get someone who tries to get you to return the stone and buy from him by telling you that you paid way too much, etc. And you may get very unlucky and get someone who convinces you the stone is fake or fracture-filled or whatever in order to gain your "trust," then sells you a grossly overpriced piece of crap.

The point is, how will you know what you really got? Use an independent appraiser (i.e., someone who only does appraisals and doesn't buy or sell diamonds) and you avoid all this.

 

[dimonbob]

I am going to have to agree with CaptAubrey here.

You need to find an independent appraiser who is not only a Graduate Gemologist but a trained jewelry appraiser. He or she should not be connected with any jewelry store or sell anything other than the appraisal. He should charge by the piece and give you a charge before you even sit down. The charge should never depend on the value. You should be able to sit with the appraiser and see your ring at all times. When you leave you should take your ring with you. The appraiser can give you the appraisal before you leave, you can come by later and pick it up or he can mail it to you.

The only time you may want to drop off jewelry for an appraisal is when there is a lot of it and it is going to take a very long time to do it. When I was doing appraisals I had some jobs that took a full day and in a couple of jobs took several days. Watching an appraiser at work may be interesting for a time but after a while it will be like watching grass grow.

When you get one ring done, sit with it while the job is done and take it with you when you go.

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Date: 11/2/2006 11:15:42 PM
Author: dimonbob
I am going to have to agree with CaptAubrey here.

You need to find an independent appraiser who is not only a Graduate Gemologist but a trained jewelry appraiser. He or she should not be connected with any jewelry store or sell anything other than the appraisal. He should charge by the piece and give you a charge before you even sit down. The charge should never depend on the value. You should be able to sit with the appraiser and see your ring at all times. When you leave you should take your ring with you. The appraiser can give you the appraisal before you leave, you can come by later and pick it up or he can mail it to you.

The only time you may want to drop off jewelry for an appraisal is when there is a lot of it and it is going to take a very long time to do it. When I was doing appraisals I had some jobs that took a full day and in a couple of jobs took several days. Watching an appraiser at work may be interesting for a time but after a while it will be like watching grass grow.

When you get one ring done, sit with it while the job is done and take it with you when you go.

It is also acceptable for an appraiser to charge an hourly rate.


www.metrojewelryappraisers.com