How To Get Jewellery Valued
Unsure where to start when it comes to having your fine jewellery collection valued and insured? Read on…
If you have a burgeoning or fully fledged fine jewellery collection, it’s important to ensure that your pieces are stored safely, cared for delicately, and financially protected should any damage or theft occur. Many people are unsure as to how to get their jewellery accurately valued to inform the appropriate insurance provisions, but expert auction houses are an excellent place to start for ultra-precious pieces. Here, Sophie Stevens, head of jewellery at Sotheby’s Dubai, details how to get fine jewellery correctly appraised to ensure your piece of mind.
How To Get Jewellery Valued
What does a Sotheby’s jewellery valuation entail?
“A Sotheby’s jewellery specialist will always seek to examine the pieces of jewellery in person, although we can often provide provisional feedback from images as a first step. The examination is to evaluate the materials (for example, diamonds or gemstones, the type of gold), any signatures or marks (for example, if a piece is by a jewellery house such as Cartier on Van Cleef & Arpels) any notable provenance, and the overall condition. Sometimes for particular diamonds, coloured gemstones or pearls, we need to obtain a report from a gemmological laboratory to confirm further details such as whether a stone has been treated or where it is from in the world, which can impact the value.”
How does the process differ if an entire collection of jewellery is being valued?
“This obviously requires more time, and if there are lots of items then more jewellery specialists from Sotheby’s would usually be involved. For entire collections, we would travel to the client’s location to evaluate the items there.”
How do fine timepiece appraisals differ from jewellery appraisals?
“As with all categories at Sotheby’s, watches have their own individual quality checks that constitute an appraisal. With watches, specialists will look at the condition of the watch, whether it has its original accessories (especially the warranty), its age, provenance and how many pieces were made when considering its rarity. Watches also have references, so comparisons can be easier to find online to demonstrate market value, although it’s important to remember that in the watches market these values can fluctuate quite quickly.”
Why should precious pieces be valued and how often should valuations be done?
“It is always advisable to be knowledgeable about your collection and what your pieces are worth, as it allows the owners to make more informed decisions about the care, insurance, and potential sale of their items. For jewellery, we recommend for good housekeeping that the valuations should be refreshed approximately every five years. For other collectible categories the recommended time may be more frequent if the values are more susceptible to market volatility, for example watches or contemporary art.”
What are the key points that the owner should seek in a jewellery valuation?
“When seeking a jewellery valuation, owners should seek a reputable valuer with the appropriate industry qualifications. The final valuation document should include comprehensive cataloguing of the piece; for a diamond piece, for example, this should include the carat weight, the cut, and estimated colour and clarity. All items should be illustrated and the values should be included according to the purpose the valuation is being created for.”
Lead Image Courtesy of Instagram / @sothebysjewels
