TOM TIVOL JEWELS > JEWELRY APPRAISAL

JEWELRY APPRAISAL

APPRAISING JEWELRY IS THE MOST CHALLENGING TASK IN THE JEWELRY BUSINESS. It is much more than a service offered by many jewelers. IT IS A PROFESSION UNTO ITSELF.

Tom appraises jewelry WHILE CLIENTS SIT WITH HIM. After departing with your jewelry, he will complete his research and mail/email the appraisal report within 1-2 days.

Tom Tivol Jewels is the premier provider of jewelry, gemstone, wrist watch, pocket watch and silver appraisal services in Kansas City. We serve individual customers, estate planning professionals and insurance agents throughout the United States. Tom Tivol himself is a Graduate Geologist in Residence from the Gemological Institute of America. All of our appraisals adhere to the highest standards of testing, laboratory equipment and appraisal methodology. Tom Tivol developed the course and teaches the Art & Science of Appraising along with his Jewelry Design and Gemology courses at the University of Kansas. Tom is an attorney whose practice revolves around the Federal Trade Commission Rules for the Jewelry Industry. He brings over 46 years of experience to the business. Mr. Tivol adheres to the code of ethics set forth by the UNIFORM STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL APPRAISAL PRACTICE.

Tom is available to appraise 7 days each week. We can also accommodate off-site meetings to complete appraisals outside the Kansas City metro, or locally when clients are unable to travel to our store.

To answer all questions not covered here, please contact us directly at (913) 489-7056, or review our MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

To instill confidence in the public, the jewelry appraiser must have both academic training and decades of experience buying and selling jewelry and gemstones. In addition, the appraiser must master the art of appraising, which includes the study of the appraisal process, understanding the requirement of research and the ethical and legal rules governing the work product.

There are many sources for gemstones and jewelry, online and in traditional formats, in your city and on trips; however, there are very few gemstone/jewelry experts and or expert jewelry and gemstone appraisers. This suggests that the appraiser relationship is as important to the security of a family as the choice of jewelry sellers over the decades.

The public requests appraisals for many reasons. Here are the 12 most commonly requested types of appraisals, in no particular order.

1. Homeowner’s/renter’s insurance.
2. To divide jewelry equally among family members.
3. For divorce.
4. To sell online, to sell at traditional auction, to sell on consignment.
5. To receive a deduction for a charitable donation under the Internal Revenue Service rules.
6. To deduct a casualty loss under the Internal Revenue Service rules.
7. To distribute jewelry through estate planning documents.
8. As collateral for a loan.
9. To support a barter agreement.
10. To confirm the seller’s representations of price, age, gemstone origin (natural, synthetic, imitation), gemstone quality, gemstone laboratory treatments, gemstone geographic origin.
11. To identify the manufacturer, designer, hallmark.
12. To identify the chronological history of a gemstone’s price.

WHAT IS AN APPRAISAL?

An appraisal is a written description and valuation of an item for the requested purpose, performed by an expert in the buying, selling and appraising of that item, who remains independent of the selling process. Reports written by the seller and used to insure the item are not appraisals. They may or may not protect the owner properly. Reports written by the seller should be called “Reports for Insurance.” They are usually accepted by the insurance company and most often they repeat information provided by the seller during the sales presentation. Some of these reports are satisfactory. As a general rule however, these reports do not describe the product sufficiently to properly protect the owner in the event of damage or loss. In addition, the appraised value reflects only a single value in the seller’s business. It does not consider values of similar gemstones and jewelry available from other sources.

FEES

Fees begin at $15/item. Wedding sets, including the engagement ring and wedding band vary from $30 for the set to $85 for the set, and average about $45 over the decades. The more complex the item, the higher the fee. The type of appraisal requested may also affect the fee. Appraisals for the Internal Revenue Service require more research and must be written to comply with the regulations promulgated by the IRS. The typical appraisals for home owner’s insurance and or to help you sell jewelry are less expensive. Laboratory reports on diamonds and colored gemstones, provided by the seller, are important legal documents, and a copy should be brought to your appointment. The same is true for watch guarantees, which usually contain reference and serial numbers. Fees include color photos of each item, usually from several angles. To learn a specific fee to appraise your item (s), call us at (913) 489-7056. Fees may be paid by check, cash or credit card at the time of the appointment. Fees are charged one time only. Over the decades, upon your request, we will update our report without further fee. You may have your appraisal updated as frequently as you wish. We recommend doing so every 4-6 years.