Diamond Appraisals

The How And Why Of Diamond Appraisals

A diamond appraisal is something entirely different from a diamond certificate or diamond grading report. Diamond appraisals may list the same features of a diamond grade report, but an appraisal assigns an actual monetary value to the diamond, whereas a grading report or certificate does not.

How Are Diamonds Appraised?

There are different sources who can appraise a diamond. Reputable diamond appraisers are people who are highly educated in diamond ratings and characteristics, and are able to study a diamond and recognize such details.

Diamond appraisers have undergone some degree of diamond appraisal training. They have learned to identify the necessary diamond characteristics and rate them against standard diamond appraisal charts to assign value in the current diamond market. For diamonds that have not previously been certified by a diamond laboratory, you’ll want a very knowledgeable and skilled diamond appraisal service.

Diamond appraisers provide documentation detailing their findings. Standard diamond jewelry appraisal forms assess each of the ‘4 C’ diamond characteristics, and assign a value accordingly. For example, on the jewelry appraisal, ‘pink diamond’ describes the color of the stone, and ratings for clarity, cut, and carat weight will be listed as well. Appraisal certificates for diamond jewels can also serve to identify the diamond in the event of loss or theft because every diamond is unique.

Today’s modern information age has given birth to free diamond appraisals as well. If you already know the characteristics and grades of your diamond (such as from a previous appraisal or an AGS or GIA certificate), you can enter the information into a free online diamond appraisal form or use free diamond appraisal software. As characteristics have a standard market value, a good determination of worth can be made. An online diamond appraisal may not be accepted for insurance purposes, however, so a certified diamond appraiser may need to be consulted for that purpose.

Why Appraise Your Diamond?

While a diamond rating on a diamond certificate will never change, the value of the diamond will as the diamond market appreciates and changes. Appraisal of diamond jewelry on a periodic basis is the only way to know what your diamond is worth monetarily. There are a few main reasons to seek a diamond appraisal:

• Written description of diamond characteristics and grades (especially useful if no certificate was provided at the time of purchase)
• Determination of replacement value
• Determination of current worth
• Proof of value for insurance purposes

The most popularly sought diamond jewelry appraisals are diamond ring appraisals. Probably the reason the appraisal of diamond ring settings and stones accounts for the largest number of diamond jewelry appraisals is because more people own diamond rings than other types of diamond jewelry. Diamond ring appraisal is important to more people, too, because of the sentimental value of diamond engagement rings, and the fact that a diamond engagement ring purchase is often one of the biggest purchases of durable goods (other than a house and a car) that a person will make.

Diamond appraisal is an important service provided by the diamond jewelry industry. Knowing the value of your diamond jewelry is not a practice in vanity, it is a measure of security. In the unfortunate event that a diamond jewel is lost or stolen, a diamond appraisal may be your only means of recouping that loss.