Ask the following questions first:

• Are you a Graduate Gemologist of the GIA or the Gemmological Association of Great Britain? When did you graduate? How long have you been in the jewelry industry? (Should have at least ten years of experience in the field).
• Are you also certified as an appraiser by an appraisal organization like the American Society of Appraisers or the International Society of Appraisers?
• Remember, the GIA does not “certify” appraisers so there’s no such thing as a “GIA Certified Appraiser. There’s also no such thing as a “licensed appraiser” for personal property.
• How long have you been in practice?
• Are your appraisals hand written or computer generated?
• Do you provide color photos of items?
• Have you had your color vision tested by an eye doctor recently?

Gemology and appraising are not the same thing! Gemologists are not necessarily qualified appraisers, and require significant training, certification, and experience to achieve competency in jewelry appraising. A gemologist may be able to identify and even grade a diamond, but may not know how to determine its value.

The bottom line: If you want to buy a piece of jewelry, see a jeweler. If you need a professional appraisal, hire an independent jewelry appraiser.