How to Value Your Jewelry at Home or Work

Many thanks for taking the time to read this compact jewelry article entitled 'How to Value your Jewelry at Home or Work'. You are about to discover the intricacies and formulas that highly qualified Gemologists and Valuers are using, right now, to evaluate and appraise gold, silver and platinum jewelry.

But before we begin, I would simply like to bring you 'up to speed' on what will be required. As you know, the art of valuing jewelry takes many years to learn (over five years before you can graduate) and then it takes several more years to gain the necessary experience to 'get it right'.

Gemologists don't all become Valuers because of this high level of study, which doesn't include the expense of Microscopes and Refractometers and Dichroscopes and and and....

In this program we don't even want to explain what these pieces of equipment are because firstly; they are too expensive (you can pay thousands of dollars just for a binocular microscope) and secondly because you are not a trained jeweler, and probably don't want to be.

So don't let that put you off because we are NOT trying to turn you into professionals overnight. That would be wrong of us to even try.

We don't want the Jargon either. Just some simple facts. What we are going to achieve is nothing more than a simple understanding of what you need to know, to at least get a 'Slippery Grip' of basic terms. The hardest part is NOT the testing or algorithms involved but mainly the correct and systematic identification of what your are trying to value. The calculations are nothing more than a natural outcome, which just proves what can be accomplished using the most simple school mathematics. If you can multiply and divide, and add money, you can do this course.

We assume you are trying to get a 'Ball Park' figure on something you own, or want to own, or sell, or insure. Which brings us to the first question.

What exactly is a Valuation or Appraisal?

All of the calculations and procedures done throughout this series of articles are built into our 'Online Jewelry Valuation Self Appraisal Kit' which does all the work for you. Why? So you don't have to. Simple...

You can go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre, to discover how easy it is to value your own jewelry at home or work (The address is listed at the bottom of this article) and discover why we use it ourselves.

This is an important yet sadly overlooked concept.

People, just like you, simply want to 'Know what it's Worth' but that's a very subjective statement. For example:

What's it worth to you?

Does it have sentimental value?

If it does, there is no way we can measure or calculate for that. It's a personal thing.

What's it worth on EBay?

That depends if you are a Buyer or a Seller. At the end of the day the value lies in what two people agree upon.

What's it worth if you bought it from your neighbor?

What's it worth to them or what's it worth to you?

These are two different things.

What's it worth when your local Jewelry Store has a 50% Off Sale?Are you really buying a bargain or is it just another ploy to get your money.

What's it worth if it's stolen?

Does this value represent the true figure?

If you were 'Fagin' in Oliver Twist, what was it worth to him?

Bet Fagin had a different price in mind when he traded with the Artful Dodger.

But what if you were the jewelry owner. What's it worth then? The Insurance company might have a different view to you. After all, they want to replace it as cheaply as possible, while you want it valued as high as you can. You pay the premium for the privilege, of course, but it still remains very loose.

Tip: A 'Valuation or Appraisal' is generally accepted as a price based on Insurance assessment. ALL other valuations flow from this one rate.

So the answer lies in some form of accepted standard which must be based on sound principles, backed by REPEATABLE formulas which can be expected to be 'around the same figure' no matter where you go in the world.

And thankfully, it is. Gold is Gold is gold... right?

The calculations used (behind the scene so you never need to see them) in our 'Online Jewelry Valuation Self Appraisal Kit' knows from your answers to multiple choice questions, exactly 'What's it worth'. Easy eh?

Go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre to uncover the secrets of just how stress-free it is to value your own jewelry at home or work (The address is listed at the bottom of this article) and let the 'Kit' do it for you.

Like humans, not all gold is created equally.

Thankfully. A lot will depend on what part of the world you come from and certainly can dramatically change the value of any jewelry item.

You may have wondered about that VERY yellow gold which comes from the Middle East or Asia. Is it the same as the gold on Sixth Avenue or Hatton Garden in old London Town?

Why is it that jewelers talk about CARAT weight in diamonds and gemstones, but also use the term CARAT when it comes to the quality of gold. Are they the same thing?

We will certainly be looking into that term in an upcoming issue.

You see, when it comes to Gold (this does not apply in quite the same magnitude for Silver or Platinum items) because it comes in more than one color and more than one quality.

You have the typical yellow gold, a green gold, the ever popular white gold which is currently making a bit of a comeback, and the sought after 'Rose gold,' fashionable in Victorian and Vintage Jewelry.

Each of these will have a different price structure when it comes to appraising your jewelry. Nothing dramatic, but a difference anyway.

Yet the bottom line could add several hundreds of dollars to a Bracelet or ring, so you will need to know 'How to' spot these distinctions in metal.

So how do you do it? By using the best tools a Valuer can possess (your eyes) while employing the greatest skills you can learn (how to measure things). Once you have these handy little methods in your arsenal, the rest is just a matter of arithmetic.

So watch out for your next issue of this mini-course, where we'll reveal the single most important consideration when it comes to valuing ANY jewelry.

regards and please watch the road. David Foard F.G.A.A. Fellow of the Gemological Association of Australia and former member of JATVC - The Valuers Council (retired).

P.S. If you are really serious about getting a Valuation Appraisal done quickly and easily with minimum effort.... then go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre to discover just how easy it is to value your own jewelry and reproduce a Certificate on your own Printer at home or work (The address is listed below) and follow the advice given there. Couldn't be any easier.

David Foard is retired ("Ha..." he laughs). He is working harder now than at any time in his life, especially over the 30 years he spent in the Antique Jewelry Trade as a qualified gemologist and member of the Valuers Council. Now he concentrates on the three 'R's of 'Reading' Ritin' and re-ritin articles, courses and producing a free monthly newsletter at his website.

Get all the info now by going to http://www.online-jewelry-appraisals.com/ and follow the links to the Valuation Appraisal Center.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Crafts-Hobbies Information:

Related Articles

Mixed Media Collage - Make The Pieces of Your Life Sing!
According to the dictionary, collage art is an artistic composition made of various materials (as paper, cloth or wood) glued on a surface. The word comes from the French word "coller," meaning to glue or to paste.
Creating A Family Tradition-Jigsaw Puzzles
Do you find it difficult to spend time together as a family?There are so many pressures and activities that can take away from the sense of family which was more commonly experienced 50 years ago. Parents often both work, and their commute can be tiring and long.
Make Your Own Lampshades
When redecorating your room, you may be faced with looking for new lampshades (or perhaps a lampshade you currently have has gotten damaged). So why not make your own!If your lamp currently has a lampshade on it, half of the battle is already won! You have a base to start building your new shade.
Saltwater Coral Reef Aquariums - 5 Tips for Success
Do you dream of watching the natural beauty of the undersea reef life while sitting in your living room?Whether your goal is a nano reef tank or a 150 gallon aquarium with an ecosystem of coral and saltwater fish, the following five tips will lead you on your way to success.1) Commit! Decide you are going to spend the $$ it takes to make a proper go of it.
Embroidery Designs Sewing
Denim is a twill weave and runs diagonally and any diagonal weave is difficult to control, whether you are attempting construction sewing or machine embroidery. Twills are designed to give the wearer ultimate wearing comfort by the natural "give" it has.
Kids Crafts: Balloons, Bubbles & Balls #1
Craft: Colored Bubbles Activities: Flyswatter Bubbles, Cotton Ball Pickup, Balloon Water Fun Snack: Chewy Popcorn Balls Reading Selection: The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du BoisCRAFT: Colored BubblesNeed: dishwashing detergentfood coloring or washable painta strawpaper shallow panDirections: Mix about 1/2 dishwashing detergent, and 1/3 of water in a shallow pan(cold or hot)mix any kind of food coloring until you get the ideal color you want. If you use paint, make sure it is washable.
Wax Pencils, Stickers, and Rubber Stamping in Your Scrapbooks
Another important writing implement for scrapbooking is a wax pencil. Wax pencils are soft pencils designed to write on glass, plastic and photographs.
Making a Living Making Soap-Questions to Ask Before You Begin
Soap making can be a wonderful hobby but if you've ever thought of turning your hobby into a business you know how overwhelming the idea can be. Here are some questions to help you think through your decision:*How much of a business do you want to be? Do you really want to this to be a full-time job? Or would you rather just make a couple hundred bars a year for your church fundraiser? Your answer to this question will determine your next steps.
Spruce Up Your Pages with Scrapbooking Embellishments
Having this nagging doubt that you may upstage your precious photos or clutter your pages with scrapbooking embellishments?One moment you're just so tempted to paste the embellishment onto your page, and the next moment you're questioning yourself, "Should I? Should I not?" You even wonder if you're just trying to force that simply irresistible page accent onto your page to satisfy your craving for? more embellishments.Well, you're in good company.
Sewing A Button On By Hand
I have so many people come into my shop saying something like - I can't even sew on a button. How sad it is that a whole generation has lost out on learning how to do just the basic skills of sewing.
Depression Glass Trivia
Depression glass facts make for interesting conversation,especially when you're at a convention or talking amongstother Depression glass aficionados. So here are a few itemsto get you started so you, too, can have some meaningfulknowledge to put on the plate when you and your Depressionglass collector friends gather 'round and chat.
Embroidery Digitizing Software
Embroidery Magic 2 software is very easy to use to make lettering, it is also easy to learn to use the digitizing part of the program but to digitize a good design takes learning, skill and practice. An example of what I am saying is that - for a artist to paint a picture, all it takes is some canvas, paint and brushes (these supplies and tools are easy for anyone to use but it takes learning, practice and artistic skill to paint a beautiful picture.
Gemstone Collecting
Personally, I have become fascinated with gemstones (precious and semi-precious stones). I am amazed at the array of colors and properties of these little treasures found in the earth.
Hollywood Gets Crafty - Knitting And Crocheting Not Just For Grandma Anymore
Sometimes it's hard to imagine that the stars who shine so brightly on cinematic screens are people just like the rest of us. We often think that their lives are so much more interesting and exciting than our own and that we have little or nothing in common with the Hollywood crowd.
Gift Baskets - Create Simple Easy Gifts For the Person Who Has Everything!
Have you ever thought about giving a personalized Gift Basket?Is it just me or do you also get excited when you give a gift to your friends and family and you know they love it!The downside you give a gift and you just know they hate it! Unfortunately you can't always get it right because what seems right and the appropriate gift for you isn't always right and appropriate for the person you are buying for.Take my mother for instance, if you don't buy her a gift say for Mothers Day you will be in the bad books for weeks.
Scrapbooking Those Memories!
You will find scrapbook supplies for photos and pictures in a craft store or online. Scrapbooks are used to combine photos and pictures to make a picture story album.
A Look at Cabinet Humidors
Cabinet humidors are specially designed for the serious cigar aficionado. Much more of an investment than a small desktop humidor that can hold 100 to 200 cigars, cabinet humidors can be as small as a standing chest, can hold up to 8000 cigars or more, can measure as much as four feet wide by 20 inches deep and over six feet in height or larger and resemble a large bookcase, and can cost from the high hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars.
Essentials of Genealogy - Getting Started with Your FamilyTree
Since genealogy is my hobby, my profession, and my passion, many people ask me how to get started. What are the essentials to doing a family search? Here are some tips that should help you discover your family under the best possible conditions.
Scrapbooking on a Budget
Memories are priceless, but the cost of preserving them can be high. Here are nine tips for making the most of your scrapbooking budget.
Jewelry Insurance - Hints and Tips So You Dont Get Ripped Off
As crime and drug use increases, the risks involved in having Antique and Estate Jewelry just lying around your home seem to treble. It becomes a nightmare and you find you are just not sure what to do.
>