Jewelry Appraisal Service
Within a 2 Week Service:
$145 for the first item
$115 for any additional items for a 6 month period.
Same Day Service: $220 per item.
What is included?
This service begins with a full polish and cleaning of your jewelry by our expert jewelers. After this process, our jewelry appraiser begins extensive research on the item to determine the retail replacement value of the item or the appraisal value. Your item is photographed and a description is created along with information such as estimated carat weights of the gems, identifying markings or serial numbers, the metal weight, etc. We provide two (2) physical copies of your appraisal or an emailed version if you prefer.
See below for more information on jewelry estate appraisals or learn more by clicking here.
What is a jewelry appraisal?
A jewelry appraisal is a written document that provides information on an item such as its description, number of gems, total carat weight, etc. The primary purpose of an appraisal is to insure your jewelry under an insurance policy.
The appraisal value represents how much an item would likely retail at current market value. This value is used to determine your insurance rates but most importantly it's used to replace your jewelry due to loss or theft.
Below is an example of an appraisal through David Douglas Diamonds & Jewelry.
Do I need an appraisal?
If you intend to insure your jewelry under an insurance policy then yes, an insurance appraisal is needed. Typically we recommend pursuing an appraisal if the item would appraise for at least $1,000.
If you are looking to sell your jewelry than a jewelry appraisal may not be recommended or even needed. Learn more about selling your jewelry here - www.daviddouglas.com/sell
What insurance company should I use?
After 25+ years in the jewelry industry, we have narrowed down our recommendations to just two insurance companies: Gem Shield and Jewelers Mutual. These choices are based on countless hours of fighting with different companies on our client's behalf as well as an endless amount of horror stories from our customers. We can get into it if you'd like but the short answer is - trust us.
*Bonus! Gem Shield provides a 10% discount on the first year of insurance with a David Douglas Diamonds and Jewelry appraisal.
Jewelry Estate Appraisals
We have a separate service that we recommend when you need to determine the value of someone's jewelry estate. It's a great way to quickly and affordably create the value of multiple items, usually 15+ pieces. This service is typically done while-you-wait at $150 per hour. Typically 15 items take about 1 hour to process.
What is included?
During your appointment our store owner and found, Doug Meadows, assesses your jewelry, lightly researches each item, and provides three (3) separate values per item. These values include an estimated retail value, an estimated re-sell value, and the value we would purchase it for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. My rings are soldered together. How much would an appraisal cost?
A. $145. We treat rings that are soldered together as 1 ring since they would most likely be lost as a set.
Q. Do I need an appointment for the appraisal service?
A. An appointment is not necessary for our 2-week appraisal service but our same day service does require an appointment. You can schedule that here - www.daviddouglas.com/contact
Q. How long does an appraisal last?
A. Typically an appraisal is "current" for 3-5 years. This just depends on the value of the market.
Q. My jewelry is appraised for $10,000. How much will you buy it for?
A. Click here to learn more about selling your jewelry.