Have you been procrastinating about getting your jewelry appraised or updating and old appraisal?
Values may be inflated by the retailer on new jewelry, and if it is an older piece values change from year to year with gemstone and precious metal market prices.
Why and When should you get your jewelry appraised?
- Insurance companies often INCREASE Premiums on insured jewelry every year.
- If your past appraisal is 3 or more years old, you may be paying more on your premium than necessary based on the current condition and value.
- If you are changing insurance companies, they need detailed information.
- If you are remounting a stone or modifying an item, thus significantly altering its identity and changing its value.
- If there is volatility in the marketplace which causes severe changes of gemstones and precious metal prices.
- If you need an appraisal for another use such as a divorce, estate settlement or liquidation.
- If you are gifting or bequeathing the item.
- If you are placing the item into a trust.
The Jewelry Judge frequently mentions the term indemnity. “It’s the main purpose for an insurance replacement appraisal,” he says. “And yet we seldom hear other appraisers use the word.”
What’s indemnity, it is making a consumer whole again in case of loss. “I’ll look at the piece and describe it, to ensure there are no errors or insufficient information that would make it impossible to replace the item with one that is identical or nearly alike, as well as set a proper premium for it,” Ben says. “We ensure the appraisal is complete and adequate, so the customer can be made whole, in the event an insurance claim is made.”
An independent jewelry appraisal “While You Watch” brings:
- confidence that the buyer received what they paid for!
- confidence in knowing your jewelry never leaves your sight!
- confidence in a Master Graduate Gemologist/Appraiser.
That’s what a Jewelry Judge Appraisal Report delivers to every client. Book an Appointment Today!
Jewelry Judge Ben Gordon
5433 Westheimer Rd, Suite 606
Houston, TX 77027
713-961-1432 or www.jewelryjudgebengordon.com
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Once we have thoroughly cleaned a jewel, we examine it for any changes from its original condition when new. For example, we test the prongs of a mounting to assure that they are secure. We check for sizing changes – a loss of weight could put a lovely engagement ring at risk of slipping off without the wearer knowing it. It is not unusual for the edge of a gemstone to show wear. In many cases such small imperfections can be polished out to restore the original beauty without loss of carat weight.
Let the 
Cleaning dissolves and removes dirt and grime, but it takes knowledge and skill to clean jewelry properly. Opals, for example, should never be cleaned in hot steam. And pearls improperly cleaned can be permanently damaged.
Our practice has always been to provide steam cleaning as a free service to our clients. You benefit from the pleasure of wearing your jewelry with pride.
That may sound harsh, especially with jewelry stores everywhere offering certified diamonds. So, what’s up with that?
A big part of the Jewelry Judge mission is education, so clarity (no pun here) is important to Mr. Gordon. Diamonds with Grading Reports have undergone scientific analysis by qualified professionals who analyse, report and grade the qualities of each gemstone. There will be a description for each of the four C’s, i.e., Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. There will also be additional language to describe fluorescence, color enhancement, fracture filling or heat treatments.
“Many of the consultations we do are to confirm laboratory Grading Reports,” Mr. Gordon explains. 
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Most newly engaged couples learn about their diamonds from the retailer who sold it to them. But the details of the sale merely touch the surface so to speak. ‘Hearts and Arrows’ imaging reveals what happens to light inside the diamond.
Do your due diligence on the seller first. Read other buyers’ comments or reviews, to see whether the seller has a reputation for being ethical, fair, and easy to work with. Verify association with national organizations like the American Gem Society (this is a must)! The American Gem Society is the country’s preeminent jewelry trade organization dedicated to consumer protection. Which means, if you’re looking to buy jewelry, you just clicked on the right website.
Ask the seller for detailed pictures and descriptions to ensure the quality of the jewelry you’re purchasing. Especially for high-end watches! If the seller claims the piece is signed or the metal is a certain quality, request a photo of the signature or metal purity stamp on the piece. NOTE: You can also ask that the piece be sent to the Jewelry Judge Ben Gordon for review before the purchase is charged.
“Our appraisals are non-invasive. We clean, measure, weigh, test and photograph – all without injuring any sentient being, client or gemstone!”
