Verbal Jewelry Appraisal - Per Hour
Verbal appraisals are if you just want a ballpark value. This is if you intend on keeping or dividing a collection. Nothing will be written for insurance or estate purposes and we will not purchase the jewelry based on a verbal retail appraisal.
Please keep in mind:
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition, trends in the market, and the location where the item will be sold. This is why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the day: Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert evaluates it.
Context is key: We will give an evaluation value in context. Retail prices are different from wholesale prices and though there are no hard and fast rules, a price can often be half its retail value; yet an auction price could be higher or lower than retail. However, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance or court purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, composition, and other important attributes such as grading.
The opinion of value: The verbal approximations of value given are an opinion formed from years of knowledge, market trends, and other factors such as condition. Although our valuations are based on experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Affiliations: Our jeweler, Shirley Fritz, affiliations include: Approved Appraiser in Probate Court for the State of Ohio; Jewelers of America Association Senior Management Professional Jeweler; Letters of Completion from the Gemological Institute of America in Diamond Grading, Gem Identification, Separating Sophisticated Synthetics, Enhanced Gemstones, Pearl Quality, and Detecting Synthetic Diamonds; Past Instructor in Antique and Period Jewelry with Kettering Adult School.
Our verbal appraisal will include:
- work to inspect and gather facts about the piece
- retail or replacement cost
- guidance on keeping, disposing or dividing a collection
Hourly rate is $50 on-site. Total hours will depend on the complexity of the collection.
All appraisals are a minimum of one hour. To help expedite your appointment, the best way to organize your jewelry by metal or quality such as gold or silver. Cleaning, repair and redesign services are available. Please ask during appointment.