Whether you purchased, inherited, or were gifted with jewelry, you would want to know its value because that would help you if you want to sell or insure it. This means that you should consider getting an appraisal, as they would be the most accurate way to know the value of your jewelry. Therefore, you would have to carry out some research in order to choose a professional jewelry appraiser. The tips below would help you when you want to get a professional jewelry appraisal.
You will need to know the type of appraiser you need. It means that you have to do your best and choose the right type. Thus, you should know what is in the jewelry that makes it special. Knowing if your jewelry is an antique or has precious gems would come in handy when choosing an appraiser. You will have to choose either an antique jewelry appraiser or a gemologist appraiser. The antique appraiser would consider the condition, history, rarity, designer, and provenance; this would enable him or her to assign the right value for the jewelry. Choosing a certified gemologist would be a great idea especially if your jewelry contains precious or semi-precious gems.
Make sure that you know what your insurance company requires. You would realize that most of these insurance companies want people to get an appraisal for jewelry that is worth over $5,000, although some of the specific requirements would vary depending on the insurance company. If you want an appraisal for, say an engagement ring, for the purpose of insurance, you would have to work directly with the insurance company. This would help you know what they expect. What you should note is that expect a certified appraiser to present the appraisal in a specified format.
It would be a good thing to know the cost. One thing to note is that appraisers use different ways when it comes to charging for the services. Whichever way the appraiser you choose would use, it would be necessary that he or she communicates it before the work begins. You should expect the price to vary depending on the experience of the appraiser, complexity, and credentials of the appraiser. Some appraisers charge hourly; this means that he or she would estimate the amount of time it would take to get the job done and predict the cost. On the other hand, others offer a flat fee; the appraiser would have a flat fee for evaluating a specific number of jewelry.
It would be easier for you to find an appraiser via a professional association. Using such channels to find an appraiser would be a good thing because the appraiser would have the right qualifications. Moreover, such an appraiser would specialize in what you need and this would be a good thing. The fact that the professional organizations have appraisers in various parts of the world means that it would not be that hard to find an appraiser based in your local area. Therefore, make sure that you carry out some research and make the right decision.
