The Difference Between
Jewelry Lab Certificates and Appraisals
Most people have both jewelry lab certificates and
appraisals for their valuable jewelry, but the two documents are not one in the
same. They serve different purposes and
contain a different set of information that is helpful to jewelry owners, as
well as to people who are looking for new jewelry to purchase.
Jewelry lab certificates and appraisals often go hand in
hand, but the lab certificate is a document that describes information about an
unmounted gem stone, like a diamond that has not been set into any piece of
jewelry, while the appraisal provides detailed information on the market value
of a piece of jewelry, whether it is unmounted or already set as a ring,
earrings, or necklace for example.
Choosing Labs and
Appraisals
When selecting jewelry lab certificates and appraisals on
jewelry that you are considering to purchase, it is best to select an
independent company that provides these documents rather than rely on the
documents created by the company that you are planning to buy your jewelry
from. Otherwise, you face the potential
for the lab or appraiser to be biased, since they will benefit from the sale of
jewelry.
If you already have jewelry lab certificates and appraisals
on your existing jewelry, but are unsure of their accuracy, it may be
worthwhile to have your items appraised again to see what their current market
value is.
Jewelry Lab
Certificates
Jewelry lab certificates are written reports that detail
unmounted gemstones rather than completed pieces of jewelry. The certificates include information about
the diamonds (or other gemstone) cut and shape, as well as the stone's color
and clarity grades as decided by the Gemological Institute of America
(GIA). Lab certificates contain
specifics about the carat weight as well as the dimensions of the diamond,
taking into account the stone's angles.
Once the lab certificate is drawn up, it should not change
unless the stone is physically altered or it is found at a later date that the
gem stone was evaluated incorrectly the first time.
Jewelry Appraisals
The entire reason people obtain jewelry lab certificates and
appraisals is to document the dollar value of the diamond, whether it is for
personal investment purposes, or in order to have a physical record of the gem
stone for insurance purposes. It is also
great documentation to have if you ever decide to sell your jewelry at a future
date, or pass it down to family members.
It is wise to have your existing valuable jewelry appraised
in case it is stolen, or in the event you go through a divorce or estate
settlement. Before purchasing a new
piece of jewelry you can also get it appraised to get a good idea what the
market value is on the piece before shelling out large amounts of money to pay
for it if it isn't worth the amount of money they are asking for the piece.
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