Why can’t I just give the store receipt from purchasing my jewelry to the insurance company instead of paying for an appraisal?

If you have a loss, the burden of proof is on you to show the insurance company how much you have been damaged.  Many jewelry store receipts use generic descriptions without even mentioning the total carat weight of the gemstones in a piece of jewelry, let alone the quality of the gemstones.  Many insurance companies will not write you a check for what you paid for a piece of jewelry or even what it is appraised for.  They want you to go to their jeweler to get a replacement.  In order to get a replacement equal to what was lost, you need a detailed description of the jewelry including identification and grading of gemstones.

How can I find out how much my jewelry is worth?

The best way to find out the value of your jewelry is to have a disinterested expert examine the jewelry and give you a written report of the quality, condition, and value of the jewelry.

What is fine jewelry?

Fine jewelry is generally jewelry that is made from precious metals (gold, platinum, or silver) and gemstones.  The gemstones set in precious metals can be natural or man-made, precious or “semi-precious.”  At AIGR, we generally do not appraise anything that we don’t think is worth at least $500.00 retail value.  Some “costume” jewelry can be very valuable and may need to be appraised.

Why do I need to have my jewelry appraised?

A number of life circumstances can precipitate the need for a jewelry appraisal.  The most common occurrence is the purchase or receipt of fine jewelry that needs to be insured.  AIGR appraisals are performed so that in the case of a loss, a replacement by the insurance company will have the same quality and value as the original item.  Store receipts frequently have insufficient information, and family heirlooms sometimes have no documentation.  The burden is on the owner of the jewelry to prove the extent of a loss to an insurance company.  

Changes in family situations (death, divorce) can also necessitate an appraisal for taxes, distribution, etc.   

An appraisal is also an excellent sales tool if you are finding a new home for your jewelry.  

What is a jewelry appraisal?

An appraisal is an expert estimate of the value of an item.  AIGR's jewelry appraisers are GIA Graduate Gemologists with decades of experience valuing fine jewelry and gemstones.

Winter 2017 Tucson Gem Shows

The Winter 2017 Tucson Gem Shows started on January 17 with the main show beginning on February 9 and going through February 12.  The schedule is available here.  The website of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is here.

AIGR's Gem ID Booth, The Original Denver Gem & Mineral Show, Sept. 16-18, 2016