Important Things To Do Before A Jewelry Appraisal
If you have a few pieces of antique jewelry that you want to sell, then you may not know how much the items are actually worth. This can make it extremely difficult to price the items properly and to get the money you want out of the items. Jewelry appraisal can help you to understand the value of your pieces, and there are a few things you should do to prepare for the appraisal.
Clean Your Items
Before a true appraisal can be completed, a professional will need to see the stones clearly on the item. This allows the individual to look at the clarity and cut and to also investigate for imperfections. And cleaning must occur before the appraisal begins so the professional can distinguish between general debris and flaws in the stones.
If you are not comfortable cleaning your jewelry, then by all means, please ask the professional to do it for you. However, if you have the ability, you should complete the cleaning yourself. This will free up the appraiser's time, and your costs will likely be reduced in the process.
There are a few different techniques you can use to clean jewelry depending on how much debris you see and how fragile the item is. If there is very little dirt, then you can use plain water and dishwashing soap with a cotton cloth. A soft bristled brush can be used for light scrubbing as well. Try a brush used to apply eyeshadow for this purpose.
Soaking in diluted ammonia can help to release more stubborn debris. Add two to three tablespoons of ammonia to a bowl of water, place your jewelry inside to soak overnight, and then rinse it off in the morning.
More advanced tools like sonic cleaner and water sprayers, like the kind used to clean the teeth, are available as well.
Look For Broken Pieces
Jewelry items can be damaged in a number of ways. Prongs can bend and loosen, stones can become chipped, and clasps can stop working. And these types of damage are often identified when an appraisal is completed. Not only will they be added to your paperwork for identification by a potential buyer, but the appraisal value will be reduced.
So if you want a good report and the highest appraisal, you'll want to have your items repaired before your appointment. Bring the receipt for the repairs to your appointment, too. The professional will be able to see that a repair has been made and the date of the repair can be written into the report as long as you have proof.
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