NYC Wholesale Diamonds President Keith J. Saxe and his NYC Diamond Blog have featured many articles on the importance of having an accurate appraisal, and insuring your engagement ring. This also holds true for all your valuable jewelry. It is not easy to establish a guideline for the value in which you should begin considering insuring fine jewelry. Every individual situation is unique, but a value of $4,000 for each piece can be accurate in most cases. Another key factor is if the item is worn on a daily basis.
I reached into the archives to post Jim Donovan, Angie’s List 13-time Emmy Award-winning consumer reporter’s wonderful article on this important topic. Here it is, enjoy!
Do you have any valuable pieces of jewelry in your home? When was the last time you had them appraised?
Megan Wright searched all over her house for her missing engagement and wedding rings before finally finding them in her closet.
“My four-year-old daughter had been in there playing dress up — swiped my rings, probably tried them on herself, and she left them in the toe of my shoe,” said Wright.
Fortunately, they were recently appraised, which is important if you want to replicate lost jewelry because appraisals provide detailed descriptions.
“When you want to recreate the piece they’ll be enough detail — the stones, the metal, the weight, the quality of the stones — that you’ll get back exactly what you had. If you have a vague appraisal, then it’s possible you’ll end up with a ring, but it won’t be the same quality or value you had originally,” said jeweler Greg Bires.
You’ll also need an appraisal if you want your jewelry insured.
“Having your jewelry appraised can make sure you have it valued at the correct amount, especially with the fluctuation we’ve seen in gold prices.The pricing and value of your jewelry can and does change over time, so you want to be sure you’ve got it insured for the right amount. If it does end up lost or stolen, you get the right return,” said Angie’s List founder, Angie Hicks.
It’s a good idea to have your items appraised every three to four years. You should expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $65 dollars per item.
More from Angie:
• An appraiser inspects the item to make sure it’s wearable and that there is no damage. The appraisal marks every detail (measurements, number of stones, type of metal, weight, etc.)
• Your appraisal should also include a photograph and a replacement value – what it would cost to recreate the piece.
• An appraiser can help separate the valuable jewelry from the costume jewelry.
The appraisal process:
• Bring in the item, not a picture, for the appraiser to examine.
• Bring the appraiser copies of any sales receipts or other documentation you have about the items being appraised.
• Tell the appraiser anything you know about the item’s origin or where it was purchased.
• The appraiser will then take a few days to research the item’s history and the marketplace.
• You should receive a written report describing the item itself, the reasons for its valuation, and which type of value was done, for example – replacement value, fair market valueor market value.
How do you know what to appraise?
• Costume jewelry/base metal/plated – not worth appraising
• “Real” metal but not expensive – describe and photograph it for your records, but don’t appraise.
• “Real” stones/metal that you couldn’t easily afford to replace within 12 months – get an appraisal and get it insured. If you’d have to save up to replace it, it’s worth the appraisal and insurance rider.
Angie’s List Tips: Hiring an appraiser
Appraising jewelry for resale or insurance can be a challenge. It’s important to know whether a diamond or stone is real in order to get an accurate estimate of value. Some fakes are difficult to spot. Therefore, it’s wise to have a professional appraise any jewelry of value.
• Start by defining your objective: Do you want an appraisal done for insurance purposes? For estate purposes? To find out your piece’s fair market value?
• Work with a jewelry appraiser who has been trained and certified: Ask if the appraiser is certified by such organizations as the Gemological Institute of America and the American Gem Society. Pick someone who has been in the business for a while with a physical address.
• Steer clear of an appraiser who charges a percentage of the appraised value. Hourly fees or flat rates are acceptable. Expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $65 per item. A good appraiser should review all items and establish a rate with the customer before beginning the process. Money saving tip:It can also more cost effective to bring in a number of pieces at once, rather than appraising them individually.
• Appraisals should not take much more than a day, so be wary if the appraiser wants to keep your jewelry much longer than that. Most appraisers recommend making an appointment and will go over your items with you on-site. If you do leave your jewelry, request a receipt that itemizes and describes each piece.
Tips to manage your valuables:
• Preserve your valuables. Have your items cleaned and checked annually.
• Keep the items in their original state. Know that altering a piece may lower its value.
• Consider getting your item re-appraised every three to five years. For items in highly volatile markets, its best to get them re-appraised annually.
• Keep the descriptions of your jewelry in a location separate from the actual jewels. A good place is with your homeowner’s insurance policy. For jewelry handed down through the family, add a description of where the piece came from and keep it with your appraisal information so the next generation can know its significance.
Feel free to contact us at KS@NYCWD.com and (212) 719-2214
