Choosing Gorgeous Jewelry

When Should You Get Your Jewelry Appraised?

20 January 2020 by Isabelle Hall

If you own a piece of jewelry, you might not care much about how much it's worth, especially if it was a gift. Some people think that finding out its value is in bad taste, but that's not true. It's just plain smart to know how much your jewelry is worth.

If your jewelry was stolen, for example, wouldn't you want to be able to provide its value to your insurance company? Or, what if you fell on hard times and needed to sell or pawn the jewelry? It would be very helpful to know the full value of your jewelry in that situation. Even if you just do it privately and keep the information to yourself, jewelry appraisals are a smart move. It's just important that you know when to get them done.

1. When (Or Before) You Buy

As soon as you buy or receive a new piece of jewelry, go ahead and have it appraised. That way, you'll start on the right foot with a clear value of your jewelry. This can help you to decide things such as how to store the piece, how careful you need to be with it, and even the type of general care and upkeep it will need.

When possible, you may even want to have your appraiser look at your jewelry before you buy it. Most jewelry stores have their own appraisers, but you're more likely to get an honest answer if you use someone you've hired yourself to inform you of the jewelry's value. That way, you'll be sure to pay a fair price and get a good deal.

2. Every Two Years Or So

After your initial appraisal, a good rule of thumb is to have your jewelry appraised every two years or so. Remember, values do change and fluctuate over time. That ring you bought two years ago might have increased in value due to its gemstone becoming rarer. Or, on the other hand, it may have lost some value due to many more pieces of the same type coming into the market. Getting appraisals done every couple of years helps you know the value of your jewelry at the given time, which can be helpful if you decide to sell or if you want to hold onto your piece and watch the value rise.

As you can see, jewelry appraisal services are important. Just make sure you do them at the right times and with a qualified, impartial professional. That way, you'll get the fairest and accurate results every time.

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