Minimum appraisal charges are $90 for the first item, $70 for the second, and $50 for each additional. A plot diagram of the clarity characteristics of any diamond weighing 0.50 carat or more, and many colored gemstones weighing 1.00 carat or more, is a mininum charge of $45. Each digital photograph is charged at $15 per image. Actual fees are related to time spent to render a competent, credible work product. They are established when your need for the appraisal is determined and your items are inspected, before any work begins.
Requests for appraising while you are present can be accommodated in most cases, as can appraising in your home or office. Always call 843-7856 or contact me before you come to hold a preliminary free discussion of your situation, how I work, and to schedule an appointment to take the next step.
What is consultation? It is a not a formal appraisal. It is not given with the same degree of assurance as an appraisal. It is a preliminary opinion of your gems and jewelry, meant to give an owner an idea of the possible identity, quality and value of his or her gems and jewelry, expressed as a range of value or degree of probability, to enable a client to make choices: for instance, whether to keep an item or sell it. It is not given in written form, although notes are made, and you are invited to do so as well.
Consulting is not appropriate in some situations. For example, scheduling insurance coverage for specific items always requires a formal written document. But it is very useful to sort through a number of items to determine whether a basic homeowner’s policy will cover them as unscheduled items (if you come prepared! See here). It can also serve to divide items among heirs when there is no legal need for an appraisal, at much less cost than for a formal appraisal.
Very often, consultation is used to discuss options for selling an item of jewelry. My consultation fee is $75 per half-hour. If the discussion leads to a brokerage agreement between the consultant and the client (please see FAQs about Jewelry Consultation), then the consultation fee is waived.
If you are interested in consultation, please call 843-7856 or contact me before you come to find out more about the process and to schedule an appointment.