One of the key reasons to get an independent appraisal on a new item is quality control. Sure, you’ve got a GIA report with a bunch of the relevant data, and you’ve got a good idea of the price since you’ve been shopping for months to find exactly the right item, and the seller will give you a ‘free’ document that they call an appraisal. What more do you need? Why pay a 3rd party for another one?
If You Don’t Check, You Won’t Know
Quality control is near the top of the list. When I send clients back to the selling jeweler with some sort of a problem, it’s almost always about quality. Stones are set crooked. It has mismatched side stones. It has damaged stones or other components. Snagging prongs. Loose stones. Assembly problems. Porosity. Cold solder seams. None of these are among the items discussed at the time of sale and I have YET to see a seller supplied appraisal that mentions any of them. That is to say, they don’t engage in quality control. Put more bluntly, if you don’t check, you won’t know. Most jewelers have some sort of quality control and craftsmanship warranty on things they sell, and ALL jewelers I would recommend you patronize do, but these don’t last forever. A complaint a year later about loose stones and broken prongs isn’t going to get the same response as a going back in a week with a report from an independent appraiser. If your insurer figures it out, and sometimes they do, undisclosed damage or ‘inherent defects’ are grounds to disallow a claim.
Ronald Reagan once famously said “trust but verify”. It was good advice. He didn’t say it but he was talking about quality control. The appraisal provided by the seller is not the same thing as an appraisal from an independent, even if it turns out to be correct. There’s another rule from our own Neil Beaty. It’s not a second opinion if it comes from the same source as the first.
Do You Need An Independent Jewelry Appraisal?
The American Gem Registry provides a variety of jewelry appraisal services in Denver, Colorado:
- Gem and Jewelry Appraisals
- Estate Evaluations
- Expert Witness
- Pre-Custom Consultation
- Re-Cut Consultation
- Damage Consultation
- Restoration Evaluation
- Re-Cut Consultation
If you have any questions, please call during my normal business hours at the number below. Or, you can schedule your Jewelry Appraisal Appointment online today!
