The first step in selling jewelry in Los Angeles is getting an accurate idea of the worth of your jewelry. That means obtaining a verbal “market appraisal” of your diamond ring or other item of fine jewelry. A market appraisal will tell you the value of your jewelry on the re-sale market.
Market appraisals are (to a certain degree) subjective. An accurate market appraisal depends on a high level of expertise in estate jewelry. The appraiser should also have a clear understanding of the current demand for the item you are selling. Obtaining an accurate Los Angeles jewelry appraisal, therefore often involves getting multiple appraisals of your item.
To receive a verbal market appraisal of your jewelry today, as well as a generous cash offer, you can contact the appraisers at Los Angeles Jewelry Buyer. Tell us about the item you are selling, and we will promptly reply with a preliminary valuation of your jewelry — or ask for additional information, so that we can arrive at our most accurate appraisal.
Call Toll Free: (866) 734-8162
Get a ValuationFor those who would like additional information about Los Angeles jewelry appraisals, please continue reading.
Estate Jewelry Appraisals on TV
If you have ever watched TV shows like Storage Wars, it’s easy to get the wrong impression of how jewelry appraisals work. On television, a “picker” may stumble upon a box with a diamond ring inside. Then they take the diamond ring to a jewelry appraiser who says the ring is worth, for example, $10,000.
What they don’t inform viewers is that this a retail appraisal of the diamond ring. In other words, how much you would pay for the ring today, if you bought it new in a fine jewelry store. It is not a market appraisal of the diamond ring. Producers of television shows do this for dramatic effect. But an unintended consequence is that the public can sometimes be misled about the value of their own diamond jewelry.
Los Angeles Jewelry Appraisals for Insurance
The retail jewelry appraisal sometimes seen on television is also known as a “replacement appraisal”. This is the type of jewelry appraisal that most Los Angeles residents are familiar with. It’s the jewelry appraisal that people obtain when insuring their valuable diamond engagement ring against loss or damage. It’s also the kind of jewelry appraisal that is sometimes conducted when obtaining homeowner’s insurance in Los Angeles.
The important thing to remember about insurance replacement appraisals is that the retail price of fine jewelry ordinarily involves markups of 300+ %. Thus the retail appraisal of your jewelry is greatly higher than its market appraisal, or resale value in the secondary market as previously-owned jewelry.
Los Angeles Jewelry Appraisals for Resale
Market Appraisal Factors
When a Los Angeles jewelry appraiser conducts a market appraisal, among other things considered, the following 5 factors might be the most significant:
1. The independent value of the materials that the item is made from: precious metals, diamonds, gemstones, etc.
2. The quality of the workmanship.
3. The condition of the item.
4. Current fashion trends and demand for the item.
5. Any added value associated with the jewelry designer, brand, or in the case of antique and vintage jewelry, the maker and/or period.
As you can see from these factors, when choosing a Los Angeles jewelry appraiser for a market appraisal, you want to select someone who is a both a qualified gemologist & and an experienced estate jeweler.
When it comes to expertise in large diamonds and precious gemstones (such as rubies, emeralds, and sapphires), Los Angeles gemologists can be divided into two categories:
Institute Accredited: A gemologist who has graduated from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). This person is referred to as a “Graduate Gemologist” (or “G.G.”) and is credited as having developed a high level of proficiency in evaluating diamond and gemstones. This proficiency, however, does not necessarily mean that the gemologist will know how to price your item correctly. GIA does not teach students how to price jewelry; that has to come with on the job training and experience.
Professional Expert: A gemologist who has over a decade of experience as a professional estate jeweler. This person typically is a GG (Graduate Gemologist), but ALSO has many years of hands-on experience as a dealer of diamonds, gemstones, and fine jewelry. The professional expert, especially the one that has a special expertise in antique and estate jewelry, is the most qualified to be making retail replacement appraisals, as well as market value appraisals that are accurate and complete.
To evaluate a Los Angeles jewelry appraiser’s expertise in estate jewelry and their ability to provide an accurate market appraisal, check their reputation and background. See if their business is registered with the Better Business Bureau and what their rating is. Check their professional affiliations. Read customer reviews.
Los Angeles Jewelry Buyer is which has an A+ BBB rating and earned hundreds of positive reviews. We are 2nd generation estate jewelers and accredited gemologists, with a proven track record of accurate Los Angeles jewelry appraisals and generous cash offers on diamond rings and estate jewelry.
While our main buying office for the Los Angeles area is located in Redondo Beach, we meet with clients throughout Los Angeles County and beyond via our network of executive offices. That means you can make an appointment with us at a location usually within a 30-minute drive of your home or workplace.
If you cannot come to us, we can come to you. The area we cover with this personalized face to face service spans north as far as Santa Barbara, as far east as Palm Desert, and as far South as Temecula and San Clemente. Typically up to a 3 hour driving radius from our Redondo Beach location. For clients that are farther out than this, we offer our secure shipping service, or in the case of larger items, we can even fly to you.
Contact us now for a preliminary verbal appraisal of your item. If you have any of the original sales material (receipt, box, diamond report, etc.), please let us know, as that will enable us to provide you with a more accurate market appraisal.
Call Toll Free: (866) 734-8162
Los Angeles Jewelry Appraisers
We Provide Clients
Diamond Appraisals | Antique Jewelry Appraisals | Ruby Ring Appraisals
Estate Jewelry Appraisals | Fine Watch Appraisals | Emerald Appraisals
Engagement Ring Appraisals
& More
*All appraisals are verbal market appraisals, and not written appraisals for insurance purposes.
Would you like further information about us? Please click on the following link to learn why our clients say we are the best place to sell jewelry in Los Angeles.