So, I had this pretty necklace that my grandma gave me. I don’t know much about jewelry, but I knew it was old and probably worth something. I thought it would be a good idea to get it insured, just in case something happened to it. I started thinking about how to do this thing called “appraisal.” I’ve heard the word thrown around before, but I didn’t really know what it meant, or where to even start.
I started by asking my friends and family if they knew anything about getting jewelry appraised. A couple of them mentioned their local jewelry stores, so I figured that was as good a place as any to start.
Hitting up the Local Jewelry Stores
I went to a few different jewelry stores in my area. At each store, I explained that I had this necklace I wanted to get appraised for insurance.
- The first store I went to, the guy seemed kinda clueless. He poked at the necklace with some tool, mumbled something about it being “nice,” and then told me he couldn’t really give me a value. Yeah, not very helpful.
- The second store was a little better. The lady there seemed to know her stuff. She examined the necklace carefully, looked at it under a microscope, and asked me a bunch of questions about where I got it. She said she could do an appraisal for me, but it would cost $100.
- I decided to check out one more store, and I’m glad I did. The jeweler there was super friendly and knowledgeable. He explained the whole appraisal process to me, and told me it usually costs between $50 and $150 per hour, depending on the complexity of the piece. He also told me how the jeweler’s experience matters. He took his time examining my necklace and gave me a detailed written report with an estimated value. It cost me $75, but it was worth it to have that peace of mind.
Finding a Professional Appraiser
While I was at the jewelry store, the jeweler also mentioned that there are professional organizations for jewelry appraisers, like the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers and the American Gem Society. He said if I wanted to be extra sure, I could look for someone who was a member of one of those groups. I haven’t done that yet, but it’s good to know it’s an option.
Anyway, I ended up getting my necklace appraised at that third jewelry store. I sent a copy of the appraisal report to my insurance company, and they were able to add the necklace to my homeowner’s policy. Now, if anything happens to my necklace, I know I’ll be covered. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I’m glad I went through the process. It’s definitely worth it to protect something valuable and sentimental.
