Protect Your Jewelry With An Appraisal
You look after your precious jewelry pieces, have them cleaned and polished, and store them carefully. But how do you protect these priceless possessions against the unthinkable? Most people rely on their home insurance policy to protect against loss and theft. But did you know that without a proper appraisal, you may not be able to recover the full value of your jewellery?
Getting a current appraisal done by a qualified, professional, accredited gemologist is a critical first step. An appraisal done even a couple of years ago may be out of date, given the changes in the price of gold and precious stones. With an appraisal, you will also be able to obtain special insurance coverage as “Scheduled Items”, which will provide coverage for the full value of your items regardless of the standard limits built into your basic policy.
It is important to get your appraisals from a trusted source. While you want to ensure you are fully insured, the opposite problem is also possible: unscrupulous jewelers have been known to provide grossly inflated appraisals with their products. This would end up unnecessarily increasing your insurance premiums. Stittgen Fine Jewelry provides appraisals from accredited appraisers who carefully inspect the jewelry under magnification and use their experience and knowledge of market conditions to arrive at accurate appraised values.
Keep the appraisal in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box, perhaps with an electronic copy stored in the Cloud. Make sure that the only copy is not in your home, as in case of a fire or other disaster you may lose both the jewellery and the appraisal.
An added benefit of the appraisal process is that a reputable jeweller will also check your jewelry for damage and ensure the setting holding your gems in place are in good order – something that should be done periodically, as a loose stone can be lost easily.
Appraisals and timely repairs can save you money, heartache and preserve the precious memories symbolized by your jewellery. Peace of mind – that’s what an appraisal brings.
