Good appraisers in the UK (London specifically)

[Deia]

Hi all, Happy Holidays!

I have inherited a diamond and ruby bracelet and would like to get it appraised. My mother is suggesting I sell it and put the money towards downpayment on a house, which sounds sensible to me. I wouldn't ever wear it, although it is gorgeous, but it doesn't fit my lifestyle.

Could anyone recommend a good appraiser in London? Do all appraisers buy Jewelry or only some? Thanks for your time!

 

[Deia]

Re: Good appraisers in the UK (London specifically), please?

No one knows an appraiser to recommend in London ?

 

[Maisie]

This is the only one I know of.

http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/safeguard/

 

[LD]

Safeguard have appraisers who work all over the country (I think about 5 or 6 people). They are experienced appraisers and go to High Street jewellers where they work for a day. You have to pre-book but you can sit with them and discuss your piece with them. Later in the post you'll receive an A4 appraisal with a photograph and all specs needed should you want to insure. All of my important pieces have been valued by them and I won't use anybody else. The thing about Safeguard is that they are not affiliated to anywhere (apart from the Assay Office) so are totally neutral and will value as it should be done (not inflated because they're charging a percentage of the valuation as some jewellers do). I would highly recommend them.

You mentioned your bracelet had rubies? The only thing they won't know for definite is whether treatments have been applied (although they'll have a good guess). If that's important to you, Safeguard will actually arrange for the piece to go to their labs (in London or Birmingham depending on what needs to be done) at an extra cost for testing.

Either give them a call or arrange to go to one of their events (see the link below):

http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/safeguard/spjvs.html

Hope that helps.

 

[Deia]

Thank you Maisie and LD! I think I will most likely sell it although a part of me would love to keep it...now I need to find a Jewelers willing to buy it ... which is why I wanted to know what it's worth first. Maybe I can put it up for auction with an auction house, anyway, thank you for replying! I've searched my home and work postcode but no valuation days have come up near me but will keep looking!

 

[LD]

Thank you Maisie and LD! I think I will most likely sell it although a part of me would love to keep it...now I need to find a Jewelers willing to buy it ... which is why I wanted to know what it's worth first. Maybe I can put it up for auction with an auction house, anyway, thank you for replying! I've searched my home and work postcode but no valuation days have come up near me but will keep looking!

Don't sell it to a jewellers - you won't recoup the cost. Get a valuation done (you can send it to Safeguard in Birmingham via Royal Mail special delivery - but make sure you increase the insurance on the parcel) and then sell it with the Valuation. Don't forget though that a valuation is for replacement NOT resale. However, if you were to sell it with the valuation then people know the quality and can work out if they want to pay it or not. Without it, people may try to barter you down considerably. Actually, why don't you advertise it on Ebay and then on here also in the for sale forum once you have the valuation done? You need to factor in the cost of the valuation thought which I think is around £50 for the first item.

 

[Pandora II]

Try Shirley Mitchell - http://www.sdmvaluations.co.uk/index.html

I've heard good things about her and she is truly independent - also has experience with coloured stones.

 

[jewel666]

Hello LD

Sorry...I came across this forum today and decided to write to you...I know it's 2013! Hopefully you will reply!
I read this comment of yours...

'Don't sell it to a jewellers - you won't recoup the cost. Get a valuation done (you can send it to Safeguard in Birmingham via Royal Mail special delivery - but make sure you increase the insurance on the parcel) and then sell it with the Valuation. Don't forget though that a valuation is for replacement NOT resale. However, if you were to sell it with the valuation then people know the quality and can work out if they want to pay it or not.'

If I don't sell it to a Jeweller, then who could I sell it to? I am wary of E-bay.