Larger Diamonds Need Updated Apraisals Now!

Our recommendation of updating fine jewelry appraisals every five years or “When your insurance agent bugs you” is currently revised for clients with diamonds of two carats and larger. See us now!

The jewelers’ cost for most two carat diamonds has risen 20- 40% in the past three years. Lower profit margins and fierce industry competition have left the retail “cushion” of two to three year-old appraisals painfully thin for replacement. For once the market is threatening
the mark-up.
Updating an NGL appraisal runs $20. Provide our original documentation for a current value revision and free inspection. Newly appraised items are based upon size and complexity
with rings sporting a 2 carat center stone starting at $95 by appointment.

Support your local jeweler (Op-ed with Ted)

I find it amazing how little confidence some consumers have in their traditional home town
jewelers fearing big retail mark-ups, while being perfectly willing to hand over their money to strangers on the internet or television.
True, having a physical store for you to shop in and hold actual merchandise carries more overhead than a virtual store, but what most consumers don’t realize is that many of the on-line and on-tube stores aren’t always saving you money. In many cases you are getting ripped off.
Before I alienate the legitimate virtual jewelers, let me say that there are some. The legit sites tend to offer GIA and AGS laboratory certificates on their diamonds and have a reasonable return policies. When the seller has a restrictive or no return policy, avoid them. If you are buying from an individual, maintain similar options, but remember most internet jewelry is being offered by dealers whether they represent themselves as such or not. E-bay transactions are notorious for misrepresentations often backed by fraudulent documents.
So, why not include your local bricks and mortar jeweler when price shopping with other sources? Many who buy loose stones elsewhere, end up at their local jeweler to set it, so give them an opportunity to provide it as well You may be pleasantly surprised with their response.
Wherever you buy, make sure your selected appraiser (that would be us) checks out your purchase and provides documentation for insurance.

Fun with inclusions - Being a laboratory gemologist isn't always boring

It isn’t only work, work, work at the lab. Sometimes we “play” with the stuff we are appraising by photographing neat inclusions - especially the ones that look like something interesting, like
birds, Abe Lincoln an so on.
We, of course photograph a lot of specimen inclusions for classroom use and the occasional
“doesn’t that look just like a…” formation. Sometimes the inclusions aren’t anything special by themselves, but when reflected off of other facets become more interesting. For instance, take a
look the feather we photographed in a diamond the other day. Oriented in the center of the stone near the culet, it reflects into a pattern resembling a palm tree. Or fireworks. Cool, huh?
With the release of Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones , Vol. 2, John Koivula/Edward Gübelin we have another fabulous collection of microphotographs that aid in identification, show the beauty in crystals and are just plain fun to look at. It’s books like these (with the last in the series due in ‘07) that showcase gemstones - not the jewelry they often become part of and keep our profession interesting.

Don't Confuse the Word "Laboratory" with "Legitimate"

Independent gemological laboratory. Sounds authoritative, even clinical (why do you think we use it?). We see a lot of “laboratory certified” jewelry and loose stones but not often enough accurate descriptions. And, while we have reported on bogus labs for years it still is aggravates us to see the blatant misrepresentations made all the more prevalent by the internet.
In 2006, the most outrageous cases have involved represented retails at levels several times reality and grading of diamonds that can only be viewed as fraudulent. Still, many buyers blissfully accept any representation they are given and find out the truth far too late to do anything about it.
So the trusting often get ripped off and the skeptical come to see us. Each year, a bigger portion of our business is in verifying or refuting prior documentation. All too often, that representation is wrong, even if by a reputable sounding laboratory.
Most gemological laboratories have a threeletter call sign, like GIA, AGS or NGL and it can be confusing to the consumer who are the good guys and who are not. If they all sound the same, and their documents often do look the same, it’s thought they must be equal. Unfortunately, we even see labs with good looking websites touting their expertise while presenting bad paper on diamonds
and jewelry.
It pays to investigate the reputation of the lab doing the gemological documents for your gem or
jewelry purchase. Are they well-regarded within the industry, referred by others or only seen only in internet transactions. As mentioned in this year's op-ed article, always have the right
to return merchandise and have your own (well-researched) appraiser look at the article in question before keeping it.