Jewelry Appraisals

As a professional jewelry appraiser, our fees are structured either as an hourly rate or a per-item charge. We do not work on a percentage basis of the appraisal value. Our fees reflect the complexity of the items, the effort required, and the research needed to create a comprehensive report, or they may be based on a contracted estimate of the anticipated time involved. An exact estimate will only be available after the initial consultation, once the jewelry has been assessed.

At Susan L. Kottemann, we are proud of our track record with insurance coverage and settlements achieved for our clients through our well-informed and meticulously researched appraisals.

What is an Appraisal?

An appraisal is a document that provides a detailed description and corresponding value for insurance purposes pertaining to your specific item. Appraisals accompany jewelry when purchased from us over a certain purchase price, and are most often requested for insurance purposes.

Insurance companies will use this document to implement a policy for your jewelry and allow it to be covered in the event your item is lost, stolen, or significantly damaged. Getting an appraisal will provide a detailed description of the item and a corresponding valuation based on the quality of all its various elements, such as gemstones, age, condition, and provenance.

How to Interpret Your Appraisal?

While appraisals are common, they often create misunderstandings. Many people believe the value stated on a jewelry appraisal is the same as its resale value. Instead, jewelry appraisals are an estimation of a current or future value often inflated for insurance coverage purposes- sometimes as much as double or more of the purchase price. This estimation of future value protects the client as prices increase over time. For example, in today's gold market the price has precipitately increased over the last year. Getting jewelry appraised by a certified appraiser does not reflect the true resale value of the item.

Jewelry Appraisal vs the Selling Price

So, what does the value stated on the jewelry appraisal mean for you? When you want to sell an item, the only true monetary value lies in the gemstones and precious metal. Any additional factors such as labor and the original jeweler’s profit are no longer relevant because they cannot be recuperated.

Signed jewelry also commands a premium on resale prices, but only elite brands such as Cartier or Harry Winston will retain that premium once selling your jewelry item.

To summarize, all of the factors listed above- retail margin, retail type, and labor costs – would be lost when reselling your jewelry. Therefore, when comparing jewelry appraisal value vs. selling price, you can expect the resale value to be significantly less.

Susan L. Kottemann Appraisal Fee Schedule

A full, detailed appraisal, including images is included in the price when a jewelry item is purchased from Susan L. Kottemann. We recommend considering coverage under your homeowner's insurance policy for anything $5,000 or over. 

· Renewals (to obtain an updated valuation for your jewelry. While a jewelry appraisal technically doesn’t expire, its value can fluctuate over time due to various factors, such as market fluctuations.):

       Full and detailed appraisal and/or an item of jewelry not originally purchased from Susan L. Kottemann requiring further research = $200

       Limited/ simplistic appraisal and/or an item of jewelry originally purchased from Susan L. Kottemann (preferred by clients not requiring very detailed information for insurance purposes) = $100

       Large estate valuation or multiple items not requiring extensive detail (priced per hour) = $275 per hour 

*All appraisals must be paid for prior to work being started, unless work is being done on an hourly basis. Can be paid via Zelle or through credit card payment link upon request.

*Please allow up to 2 weeks for completion of your appraisal once payment is received.