Angie's List: Jewelry Appraisal Tips

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – If you received a sparkly gift from your loved one, it's is an investment that you will want to protect.

Angie's List has some tips if you're getting a jewelry appraisal.

Megan Wright spent nearly four days searching her home for her missing engagement and wedding rings.

"I was physically sick over this. I overturned everything in the house that I could think of looking for them," Wright said.

Wright finally found the rings in her closet.

"My 4-year-old daughter had been in there playing dress up. Swiped my rings, probably tried them on herself and she left them in the toe of my shoe," Wright said.

Wright recently had her jewelry appraised, so she was prepared had her rings been gone for good.

If an item is lost, damaged, or stolen, an appraisal provides a detailed description of the piece.

"When you want to recreate the piece, they'll be enough detail: the stones, the metal, the weight, the quality of the stones that you'll get back exactly what you had. If you have a vague appraisal then it's possible you'll end up with a ring, but it won't be the same quality or value you had originally," Greg Bires said.

You'll also need an appraisal if you want your jewelry insured.

"Having your jewelry appraised can make sure you have it valued at the correct amount, especially with the fluctuation we've seen in gold prices. The pricing and value of your jewelry can and does change overtime so you want to be sure you've got it insured for the right amount. If it does end up lost or stolen you get the right return," Angie Hicks from Angie's List said.

"Because of the volatility of gold, especially, it's been very important that you have it checked every few years. Gold was $300-$400 an ounce four or five years ago. Now, it's $1,200 an ounce," Bires said.

You should have your items appraised at least every three to four years. You can expect to pay anywhere from $25-$65 dollars per item.

"It's very affordable and creates great peace of mind in the event that your rings end up in the bottom of your shoe," Wright said.

RELATED LINKS:
More Consumer News
More Angie's List Reports
More Reports by Susan Koeppen

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