Sending gems from Canada to US through the mail?

[raddygast]

Has anyone here ever sent a loose gemstone (diamond or anything else) of considerable value to the US from Canada?

I want to use an appraiser/gemologist in the States, but I''m in Canada. I checked with Canada Post and several courier companies. All of them won''t even touch gemstones or jewellery. You can send them, but there is no way to purchase insurance for them, even though you can insure anything else.

How does one go about doing this? Do I just have to send them, with Canada Post or any courier with a tracking number, and then purchase third party insurance? And where does one get third party insurance -- I have no idea where to look and how much it might cost for say a $2000 USD stone.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Hi there!

It would probably be worth the trip to find an appraiser that is within driving distance from your Canadian province. The drive might be a good *mini* vacation and you won''t have to pay out the butt for UPS or FEDEX shipping. What province are you in?

 

[raddygast]

I''m in Ontario. I really want to send it to this appraiser though; he''s a colored gem expert and his reports (from what I''ve seen from pricescope members) are extensive and well worth the money. I don''t only want to establish that the stone is real and untreated -- I want him to assess its color according to the GIA scale and comment an its approximate value in the retail market. I haven''t found a place in Canada that does that, though there are many labs which will ID a stone and issue a one-page certificate.

 

[denverappraiser]

Ask your chosen appraiser for recommendations of shipping methods.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[Daniela]

My advice to you is that if you live anywhere within a few hours of the US border, you should drive across and send it US Registered and insured Mail from the States. Take it from someone who tried to ship something from Canada and the experience ended in miserable failure. US Registered Mail is safe, secure and insured. I think I remember from another post that you''re in Toronto? There''s really no excuse, then, for not making the trip. Buffalo/Niagara Falls aren''t that far away.

If that is not an option, contact whoever you have house and car insurance with and see if they''ll cover your loose stone. If you ship it from here, it''s at your own risk and you best be covered by an iron-clad insurance policy.

And by the way, DON''T in a million years use Purolator.

 

[raddygast]

Thanks for the advice Daniela. Yes, I am in Toronto.

Your method would definitely be safer, but I don''t think I can do it. I am probably going to send two stones (for comparison) at different times, so that makes it even more complicated.

I can''t insure through my house/apartment policy, unfortunately, since I have none and can get none. I''ve been living (as an "occupant") in a rent-controlled apartment for almost 4 years now, and the rent is maybe 20% less than I would pay if I wanted to switch the tenancy over to myself. Unfortunately that means that legally, I can''t take out insurance because I''m not the head honcho of my bachelor apartment!

I guess the closest place in the US would be Buffalo? Still, it''s a longish drive, costs gas, and I''d have to be interrogated at the border since I have a "funny" name.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Then I would go with UPS. I''ve sent jewelry (albeit within the US to the US) through them next day (EXPENSIVE!! more than gas to Buffalo) When I went there the cost of insurance was $1 for every $100 dollars over $100 which is what the insure the contents of the package for as a minimum. So to insure a package for $2000 it would cost you $19 plus shipping. Now, although I am Canadian, I haven''t lived in Canada for a while, but I know you will have to declare the contents of the package and I know that for *safety* reasons, you *never* want to list *diamonds or diamond jewelry* on the contents, unless you insure it for the TOTAL VALUE of the actual contents because of possible theft. Plus, they might charge you customs. So... mailing from the US doesn''t sound like such a bad idea...

 

[Daniela]

You could try Chubb Insurance. I''ve heard that in the States they will insure jewellery if you don''t have another policy with them, so they might do the same in Canada.

Otherwise you only have two choices (as shipping the thing completely uninsured is not an option): You can drive across the border, or you can have an appraisal done here in Canada.

Another choice would be to source the stone from the States to begin with so that you don''t have to worry about the Canada-US shipping.

By the way, what did you think of Linda Penwarden''s shop? I''ve been drooling over her bezels ever since Valeria posted an example of one which reminded me that I love her designs. Is her work as fabulous in person as it is in the photos?

 

[raddygast]

I really don''t like the flute rings, but that''s just my taste. Most of her work was gorgeous anyway, flute or not. I especially liked her half-bezels. She wasn''t too keen on using a stone brought in by a customer, though. It''s understandable, but regrettable.

This is looking to be more hassle than it''s worth. It''s really very disappointing that the courier companies won''t take responsibility for what they ship. Do they just expect that their employees will steal the package, quit their job, and run off with a diamond? I don''t know how plausible that is -- it''s pretty hard, I hear, to resell stolen jewellery anywhere.

 

[Daniela]

Date: 11/10/2004 12:48:10 PM
Author: raddygast
I really don't like the flute rings, but that's just my taste. Most of her work was gorgeous anyway, flute or not. I especially liked her half-bezels. She wasn't too keen on using a stone brought in by a customer, though. It's understandable, but regrettable.


This is looking to be more hassle than it's worth. It's really very disappointing that the courier companies won't take responsibility for what they ship. Do they just expect that their employees will steal the package, quit their job, and run off with a diamond? I don't know how plausible that is -- it's pretty hard, I hear, to resell stolen jewellery anywhere.

I just had my prongs tightened last week (again), and am thus totally coveting the wearability factor of a bezel. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't choose what I have now. It's been too much work. In fact, there are a few things I would change about the purchase we made.

I think Linda's half bezels are just divine. It's interesting, though, that she won't work with a stone you bring in yourself.

And for the shipping, yes, it out and out sucks. I don't know what else to tell you except that I was cursing the shipping companies last May, too, when I was going through all of those shenanigans (sp?).

 

[raddygast]

It''s for insurance reasons that jewellers don''t like foreign stones. Well, actually, the primary reason is that they don''t make nearly so much profit without selling you the stone and doing their 100 to 200 percent markup, but the insurance reason is also a legitimate reason.

Their store policies SHOULD cover theft of the stone if it gets stolen while it''s with them. On the other hand if the stone shatters or is damaged in setting, they basically say "tough luck" and move on, unless they got the stone through their own sources. In that case, they accept the loss and spring for another one. But with an external stone they claim that they "don''t know where the stone''s been, or even what it is."

Out of curiosity, what''s the absolute closest US border town? I don''t even need a town, I just need a post office. I heard that by boat the US border is really close, but I don''t own a boat. I wonder if there is some loophole, like clearing customs at Pearson airport and then sending it from there.