A fancy border in the Victorian style.
A fancy border in the Victorian style.
A fancy border in the Victorian style.

Professional Jewelry Appraisals
in
Denver, Colorado

A fancy border in the Victorian style
A fancy border in the Victorian style

The American Gem Registry provides professional diamond, gold, and jewelry appraisals (by appointment only) and education from Denver, Colorado.

Keep scrolling for location, reviews, and pricing.

Click to schedule an appointment online
or call 303-223-4944. 

Click here to for more diamond, gold, and jewelry articles and education.

In-person Jewelry Appraisals

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You MUST make
an appointment.

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Where do I get jewelry appraised for free?

You don’t. There is no such thing as a “free” jewelry appraisal. Independent professional advice comes with professional fees. The ‘free’ services are selling you something. 

 Bids should be free and without obligation and they should be clear that that’s what they’re doing. 

Click to Learn More

Offices Located in Arvada, Colorado

My office is located in Arvada, Colorado (a suburb of Denver), but I have many customers in the surrounding suburbs and even states! It’s worth the drive from as far as Cheyenne, WY, Colorado Springs, or even Pueblo for an independent appraisal. 

 I have the top qualifications, I charge reasonable and transparent prices, and I do the work while you wait and while you watch if you like.

A special note: “Free” is not free. They’re selling you something and if it’s not an appraisal, it’s something else.

Jewelry Appraisal Reviews

 

How Much Does a Jewelry Appraisal Cost?

Why do I need an appraiser?

Do you offer same-day appraisals?

Yes, but I’d really prefer at least 24 hours notice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I wait and watch while you appraise my jewelry?

In a word, yes, and most clients do. The only qualifier is that it takes about 30 minutes apiece to do the inspection, take the photographs, measure everything, etc. If you’ve got more than a half a dozen or so items, it’s kind of a long wait. It’s also possible to do some while you wait and come back to pick up others. It’s all up to you.

How long does a jewelry appraisal take?

Each item takes approximately 45 minutes to appraise. The more items, the longer the appraisal.

What is an "item" of jewelry?

Yes. An “Item” is any piece of jewelry and may contain, or have set, any number of gemstones.

• Unset or unmounted gemstones are considered one item.
• A pair of earrings is the exception to this rule and considered one item.
• An “item” is any single piece of jewelry. It may contain any number of gemstones.
• An ‘item’ may also be a single unset gemstone.

• A “set” is any set of items which can be lost separately, and must valued separately.

Do you appraise gold?

Yes! Gold appraisal is an important part of my work. Call or schedule online if you have any questions. 

Do you offer on-site jewelry appraisals around the world?

Yes. I offer a fully mobile appraisal service and am available around the world. I routinely do work in banks and peoples homes for chain of custody type reasons or when the client just isn’t comfortable packing things up and coming to see me in Arvada. I’ve gone as far as Singapore and Ireland and routinely visit client sites in and around Colorado.  Contact me for pricing and scheduling, 303 – 223- 4944. 

Can you appraise damaged items?

Short answer: Yes.
Call me for an appointment.
303-223-4944

An excerpt from Our Most Recent Jewelry Education Article

Why is it So Hard to Sell Lab-Grown Diamonds in 2023?

Have you noticed that it’s getting harder and harder to sell lab-grown diamonds? This is a tale about how Lab Grown and Natural Diamonds hold their value, with some pointers on how to sell the former in 2023.

What is a Store of Value?

“Store of Value” is an economics term which usually means ‘any commodity or asset that would normally retain purchasing power into the future.’ A house, for example, as well as all land, generally gains in value over time. A car, on the other hand, loses value the minute you drive it off the lot and continues to do so over the lifetime of the vehicle. A house is a good store of value, a car is not. (Though, ironically, you usually need the car to go to the job to afford the house.)

One of the selling points of natural diamonds is that they hold their value better than lab grown equivalents. While that IS true… it is hardly an endorsement.

I’ll start with natural diamonds.

Natural Diamonds as a Store of Value

I just did an inspection for a natural diamond that was purchased in 2013 for $8314.00, retail new, at one of the big and well regarded jewelers in town.

The client is getting a divorce and needs an appraisal of what they can reasonably expect to sell the piece for in 2023, along with a comparison appraisal of what they could have reasonably expected to sell it for in 2013. The two separate appraisals help divide property in an equitable way. Lawyer stuff.

The original seller ring gave a ‘free appraisal’ for $9700.00.  It’s a pretty standard solitaire ring with a GIA-graded diamond and nothing much else. It was about as mainstream as you could get..

The client’s expectation was a simple calculation. The original cost of the ring plus ten years worth of inflation. ($9700 plus inflation for 10 years.) Assuming appreciation at 10%/year, $9700 in 2013 would come to about $25,000 now. Cool!

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works…

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