My sister and I received our mothers cocktail ring in the inheritance. I took it to two different jewelers for appraisals. The first one came back at $2,650.00 and the second one came back at $500.00? How do I know which is right? Both I thought were creditable jewelers---not the mall store. First appraisal was in ft. Mitchell and second was done in downtown cincinnati. Does anyone have a suggestion on what I should do. Each jeweler have charged me $75 for the appraisal.

Well, there are two jewelers in Fort Mitchell. One seems like a pretty good family-owned company, and the other one is a company that the original owner's son took over, and as great as the father was, I wouldn't trust the son any further than I could spit.

 

I think it's pretty reasonable to go for a 3rd appraisal since one of your appraisals valuated your ring at over 400% more than the other. Boyle Jewelers in Erlanger and Cleves & Lonnemann in Bellevue both deal in a lot of estate jewelry, so they should give you an honest appraisal on it. Call and see which of the two is cheaper for the appraisal maybe?

I think that’s what I’m going to do! The high appraisal was Herzog and the low one was Richter & Phillips. Thanks for the help

I think that’s what I’m going to do! The high appraisal was Herzog and the low one was Richter & Phillips. Thanks for the help

 

Herzog is definitely the more upstanding jeweler in Ft. Mitchell.

 

For what it's worth, I bought my wife's engagement ring at Boyle. They're good folks.

Never knew jewelers charged for appraisals. I’ve had a few things ball parked at the guys I go to and they never charged me.

I have a few items I’ve found over the years and I wanted to take them in to see if I got lucky.

Ft. Thomas Jewelers does excellent work. Really great people. I imagine they'd take good care of you.

Motch jewelers in Covington is a very creditable jeweler,they have been around since the late 1800s, won't find more honest folks.

Really depends on what your looking for in an appraisal. Sounds like one is telling you what you could potentially sell it for (the high one) and one is telling you what they would give you for it (the low one) so they could sell it.

 

Are you wanting to sell it? Or do you just want to know the value?

 

If selling, find a good jeweler that does consignment or estate. We sold a bunch of MrsC's mother's stuff at a jeweler in Florida. We agreed to a guaranteed minimum that we would get. They got 30% of the sale price. We had to agree that they had a minimum of 6 months to sell the items. All but one sold at a price that we got more than the minimum. MrsC just kept that one.

Make sure you're not getting "insurance replacement value" as one of the appraisals. Those are always artificially inflated.

Make sure you're not getting "insurance replacement value" as one of the appraisals. Those are always artificially inflated.

 

Good point! I forgot about that detail!

My fiancé just had her engagement ring appraised at Boyle Jewelers. Seems like an honest place, I have no complaints.

My fiancé just had her engagement ring appraised at Boyle Jewelers. Seems like an honest place, I have no complaints.

 

Hopefully it came back as real or someone may have some splainin’ to do.

Hopefully it came back as real or someone may have some splainin’ to do.

 

Haha, it actually was a relief when it did come back as real. I had the ring designed online and the company while it had good reviews was a newer one. It’s kind of scary ordering something so expensive online without actually seeing it or touching it.

Haha, it actually was a relief when it did come back as real. I had the ring designed online and the company while it had good reviews was a newer one. It’s kind of scary ordering something so expensive online without actually seeing it or touching it.

 

I know the feeling. I bought a rather expensive piece of jewelry in Hong Kong one time. It was a pearl in a setting with some diamonds. I took it with me to a jewelry store I frequent and asked what they thought. Their pearl expert was not there, but they told me the diamonds and setting was worth more than what I had paid. Probably need to get it a real appraisal.

 

Do many of you have an insurance over ride on your Jewerly? Most homeowners policies only cover a certain amount. Same with guns.

I know the feeling. I bought a rather expensive piece of jewelry in Hong Kong one time. It was a pearl in a setting with some diamonds. I took it with me to a jewelry store I frequent and asked what they thought. Their pearl expert was not there, but they told me the diamonds and setting was worth more than what I had paid. Probably need to get it a real appraisal.

 

Do many of you have an insurance over ride on your Jewerly? Most homeowners policies only cover a certain amount. Same with guns.

 

Yes. If you have guns and valuable jewelry you should.

 

Art also, if you're any kind of collector. MrsC and I buy an original piece almost every vacation. We started with our honeymoon and have added a piece or two every year since.