How to Prepare for your Geolat Appraisal
Simple Steps Than Can Save You Money & Improve Your Appraisal
Full-Service Appraisal Firm
|
|
|
|
|
The following suggestions will help you prepare for your Geolat appraisal. A little preparation may go a long way in reducing the cost of your appraisal (things you do keeps us from having to do them), and can help us provide you with a more accurate assessment (you have all the documents needed) of your personal property.
Tips for furniture and items to be appraised on location:
- Decide which items you want to have appraised.
- Get out all items to be appraised. Do not wait till the appraiser arrives (assuming on-site appraisal) to start digging in the attic.
- Unpack and unwrap any items in boxes, trunks, etc.
- Group similar items together by sets (when applicable): dishes, glasses, silverware, etc..
- Place documentation (receipts, sales slips, old appraisals, etc.) with the appropriate items.
- Have large pieces of furniture pulled away from the wall for easy inspection.
Clean your jewelry.
Your jewelry should be cleaned before it is appraised. If needed, Geolat will clean your diamonds and precious gemstones in order to make the best possible estimate of their color and clarity under the already significant restrictions of grading stones in their mountings. However, you can save the appraiser's time, and thus cut down on the cost of the appraisal, by doing a good preliminary cleaning at home.
Inspect your jewelry and get any needed repairs before the appraisal.
As you are cleaning your jewelry, check for loose stones, sharp prongs, weak clasps, stretched-out strings on beads and pearls, and any other indications that repairs may be needed. An appraiser is obligated to point out any needed repairs on the appraisal. If the appraisal is for insurance scheduling, you would then need to have the repairs carried out, and show your insurance agent a receipt so stating. It is not the insurance company's function to pay for its client's negligence in keeping their jewelry in good repair. It is much less trouble to have the jewelry in good repair before the appraiser inspects it. Should any additional problems be noted, your appraiser will point them out.
Make an appointment
Your appraiser may be booked up for a couple of weeks in advance. Be sure to call for an appointment ahead of time, especially if your appraisal involves numerous items. An appraisal by a trained professional appraiser is a detailed documentation of your jewelry, including photographs. Do not wait until a few days prior to your insurance company's or attorney's deadline to arrange for your appraisal, as we may not be able to work you into our schedule.
Gather documentation about the property to be appraised.
An appraisal of any type property is largely a matter of research. You are the source for sales records of any personal property. If documents are withheld for any reason (such as not looking for them beforehand) at the beginning of an appraisal, then you must produce them for review after the appraisal is complete. This can result in added appraisal fees as then have to re-check his original estimates.
Get together any documentation that might be of use to the appraiser. These establish a "paper trail" of your ownership history of the jewelry, and may contain information that will speed up the appraisal process.
We will make copies of significant documents and keep them in your file for five years. This can be of great benefit should your records be destroyed at the time that you suffer the loss of your jewelry.
- Sales receipts (best proof of ownership)
- Warranties
- Diamond or gemstone certificates from GIA, etc.
- Old insurance summaries listing the property
- Old appraisals (helpful if previous appraiser took stone measurements, or examined stones before they were mounted)
- Letters, etc. with facts relating to the property or its history
Make an inventory
You can save even more time (and expense) by making an inventory of any jewelry before you come in for your appointment. This will make it easier for the appraiser during the take-in procedure. Group jewelry in a standard way that makes it easy to locate on the appraisal document. You can help by making your inventory in the same order.
- Be sure to keep "sets" together. This supercedes the order that follows for individual items. The value of a set of jewelry can be different from the sum of the values of the individual items that make up a set.
- Rings first, diamond rings followed by faceted gemstone rings, then opaque stones like opal, lapis and pearls, and then rings without stones.
- Second, earrings, in the same order of materials. Working down the body, I do
- Pendants and chains next, then
- Brooches, pins and tie tacks, followed by
- Bracelets, cuff links, and watches.
|
Learn more about the Geolat & Associates appraisal process. Whether you stay with your or your client's property while it is appraised, or leave it with us, after appropriate insurance and release forms are finalized, the Geolat appraisal process ensures you of accurate and professional results.
Learn more about Geolat Mondial brokerage and bidding processes, for the sale of your or your clients' fine jewelry, gemstones and timepieces. After signing appropriate valuation, insurance and release forms, we will use our trademarked Geolat Private Treaty Auction to garner the highest prices possible for your valuables. 
Patti Geolat, founder & CEO of Geolat Companies, is a widely known authority on appraisal, brokerage & sale of fine jewelry. Her clientele includes many of the top jewelry houses globally, as well an extensive network of private & industry collectors. She has a reputation for excellence, confidentiality & ethics in the private world of jewelry and gemstones, giving her access at the highest levels. 