Month: October 2017

Jewelry appraisal is an important service, enabling jewelry owners to properly insure their valuables, determine their worth as collateral for loans, and more. Not all appraisal experiences are equal, however, so it’s important to arm yourself with a few tips before you begin. Here are four things that you need to know about getting your jewelry appraised before you start looking for a jewelry appraiser:

1.) Not All Diamonds Are The Same

Size isn’t the only consideration when valuing a diamond or precious stone – the cut, clarity, and color also factor in to the overall worth of your piece. Generally, the less inclusions – specs or “dirt” imbedded in your stone – the better. For diamonds, the closer to true white your stone’s color appears, the more valuable it will be.

2.) The Purity of Your Setting Matters

The closer to 24 karat “pure” gold, the more valuable your setting, chain, or band will be. For gold purities less than 24 karats, the price will lower accordingly. If your piece is stamped GE (gold electroplate) or GP (gold plated) rather than 10k, 12k, 14k, 20k, or 24k, that means it is not solid gold of any purity, and likely won’t affect your appraisal price.

3.) Your Piece May Have Multiple Stones

Even smaller chips or tiny stones along the setting add value to your piece of jewelry, so make sure they’re counted. Unless a setting is particularly rare, unusual, or sought after by collectors, these stones will likely be removed and valued with the main stone in the event your jewelry is sold.

4.) Your Actual, Achieved Price Will Vary

If you were to sell your jewelry after it’s been appraised, you shouldn’t expect to get appraisal price for it. That number is used for applications like insurance, to determine replacement value if your piece is stolen or damaged. If you’re selling to a jewelry buying establishment or site, bear in mind that their profit margin will take a bite out of your final price. Jewelry buyers will, however, often offer a higher amount if the jewelry is being “traded in” as partial payment for a new piece of jewelry in their inventory.

If you’re ready to say, “I do” to a custom engagement ring before your big day, you might not know where to start. You might feel disappointed looking at tray after tray of the same traditional engagement ring styles, longing for a design that’s a little more “you.” Thankfully, with these three tips in mind, it won’t be long before you find a custom ring as perfect as your love for your partner.

• Pick Your Jeweler Carefully

You’ll want to work with a reputable provider that offers GIA-certified diamonds, which means they’ve been examined and graded by the Gemological Institute of America for attributes like the “4 C’s” – cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Ideally, your chosen jeweler should be able to give you a choice of stones, a custom design for your engagement ring, and your wedding band as well. It’s a potentially economical choice and it virtually guarantees that your engagement and wedding rings will look stunning together.

•Try a Few Designs On

Even if you have your heart set on a certain shape for your engagement ring setting, custom jewelry creations can bring almost any idea to life. Try out your setting of choice and mimic doing everyday actions while wearing it – will it catch on your clothing? Does it feel heavy or painful against the inside of your fingers? Is it the appropriate scale for your hand size? These are very important questions to answer – remember, you’ll be wearing this pretty new engagement ring for a very long time!

•Don’t Wait to Start Looking

Custom jewelry can take a while to manufacture, and that’s assuming you won’t want any revisions – typically, brides-to-be want a correction or two before their ring is perfect. Leave enough time to order, receive, and try on your custom engagement ring before the big day and you’ll be glad you did. After all, it’s one of the most important pieces of jewelry you’ll ever own, so be sure it’s a ring that will make you smile every time you glance at it.

What does your perfect engagement ring look like? With the right planning and some smart shopping, it will look just as stunning as you will on your big day.