Appraisals

McCaskill & Company is pleased to offer on-site jewelry and watch appraisal services by Heartland Gemology. Sharon L. Wauer, G.G., Principal, Heartland Gemology, has an extensive background in jewelry appraisal. She has been a Certified Gemologist since 2002 and has over 30 years of experience in the jewelry business. Heartland Gemology provides documentation for replacement of Diamonds; Colored Gemstones; Pearls, and many Brand-Name Watches.

An appraisal is a document that describes an item, assesses its relative quality and assigns a value to it. Descriptions usually cover the visible, measurable and analyzable facts about the item (weight, materials, markings). Most jewelry appraisals also describe subjective features such as gemstone quality, relative rarity and overall quality of manufacture.

The core of the appraisal process, gemology, is taught by Gemology Institute of American (GIA) and a few other groups around the world and is a very scientific process. The ‘G.G.’ after most appraisers’ signature stands for Graduate Gemologist and is a diploma issued by GIA for expertise in gemology. GIA teaches a rigorous approach to grading involving a standardized environment, microscopic examination, comparison stones for color, and a variety of tools for evaluation.

The appraisal process involves the establishment of value of the item being appraised:

• Retail Replacement Value - Most jewelry appraisals are prepared for retail replacement value or insurance replacement value. This is an estimate of the appropriate funding for your insurer to replace the piece with another one like it in the case of a loss.
• Market Value and Fair Market Value - Fair market value (FMV) is a legal concept that will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

CONSUMER JEWELRY APPRAISAL SERVICES

• Expert appraisals for insurance, tax, estate, probate, donation, and liquidation purposes
• Portable lab for private appraisals at your home or office
• Appraisal report – see price list

COMMERCIAL JEWELRY APPRAISAL SERVICE

• Extensive range of services for the Insurance Industry and Law Enforcement
• Appraisal services for businesses, insurance agents and companies, law and public accounting firms

EXPERT WITNESS-SPECIALIZING IN PROTECTION AGAINST

• Diamond Switching
• Jeweler Misrepresentation
• Diamond and Gemstone Clarity Enhancement Disclosure

APPRAISALS FOR JEWELRY INSURERS

• Appraisal Report includes color photographs and narrative for diamonds, colored gemstones, pearls, and watches with replacement value

JEWELRY APPRAISAL COSTS

You can rest assured that your precious treasures are in reliable hands and that we will return them to you very quickly and with security. Our appraisal reports are honest, unbiased, and made by a credible expert in the gemology and fine jewelry fields. The cost of your appraisal will depend on a number of factors.

More Items Means Higher Cost

It will take less of the appraiser's time to evaluate a single engagement ring than it will to assess the value of your grandmother's entire jewelry collection. In general, the more pieces you have appraised the more it will cost.

Expect to Spend More for Extensive Research

Sometimes, assigning value is simply about looking carefully at the materials and quality of the jewelry and comparing them to the market in general. However, there are also times when an appraiser needs to research a piece. This is especially true with rare jewelry, where the provenance, or history of a piece can have a huge impact on its value. If the appraiser needs to spend several hours tracking down the background of your item in order to assign value properly, you may pay more for the appraisal.

Larger Gems May Be More Expensive to Appraise

Appraisers typically charge based on the size of the gem. This is because a larger gem may be more time consuming to evaluate and there's also greater liability for the appraiser if he or she is not accurate in the appraisal.

Regarding Appraisal Fees

It’s certainly helpful to understand how appraisers calculate their fees. Heartland Gemology:

• Charges a fee based on a published price list and does not base the fee on the value of the item(s) being appraised
• Provides clear, understandable quotations for your appraisal. IF additional services are required to complete an appraisal due to unforeseen circumstances, you will be contacted for approval of any fee changes related to these services. You will be certain what you will pay for our services
• Will NOT purchase your jewelry or offer to sell it for you in exchange for a lower appraisal fee

Heartland Gemology, in association with McCaskill & Company, is committed to ethical appraisal practices and superior customer service.

HEARTLAND GEMOLOGY APPRAISAL PRICE LIST

Effective July 26th, 2024, subject to change without prior notice.

Standard Appraisal Fee for a Single Item is $150.00, except as noted below: