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Valuation certificates on Jewellery

We are sure that everybody is aware of the Rand/Dollar exchange rate and the influence it have on the prices of goods.
Do you have valuations on your jewellery?
When was the last time you had your jewellery re-valuated?

Example: Mrs Marais had a diamond ring valuated in 2011 at R19 684-00. Due to the current Rand/Dollar exchange rate her diamond ring is now valuated at R32 931-00 in 2017.

The valuation certificate should include a clear photograph of each item, specification of size, colour, cut and clarity of each mounted stone, the type of metal, a description of the design and settings, as well as the total weight of the item. This information is required in order to facilitate the identification and/or replacement in the event of loss and/or theft thereof. The final valuation amount should furthermore be calculated according to the present Rand/Dollar exchange rate.

Please ensure that you inform your broker of Jewellery amended values, whether they are insured under general household or specified coverage, in order to prevent being under insured in the event of a claim.

The valuation certificate furthermore serves as proof of ownership in the event of theft and prevent unnecessary discrepancies arising with regards to jewellery claims. Please ensure that your broker or insurance company receives a copy of your jewellery valuations.

Valuation certificates are compiled and issued by Eternity Enterprise Jewellers. Please contact us for information regarding the valuations on your jewellery or book your appointment now at 018 290 5722/3 to have your jewellery valuated.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CERTIFICATE AND AN APPRAISAL?

A Diamond Certificate is a document issued by a Gemological Laboratory describing a Loose Diamond. The laboratory will not issue certificates on Diamonds which are set in a mounting. A Diamond Certificate issues a “grade” indicating the physical properties of the Diamond “at the time of evaluation”. A certificate is a document which retains its value over a long period of time, assuming the Diamond does not chip or is not otherwise altered.

An appraisal can be performed on a loose Diamond, a mounted stone, or jewellery. If the stone is not loose, the physical properties are estimated using various estimation techniques. Most importantly, an appraisal indicates the Dollar Value of the piece under consideration. Obviously, the Dollar Value can easily change considerably over a relatively short period of time. Appraisals are most often used for insurance purposes.

Many people make the mistake of using an in-house appraiser to evaluate the purchase price of their Diamond. This is a big mistake. Firstly, appraisals are often over-estimated, and are therefore a very poor estimation of price. More importantly, any in-house Jeweler may be biased.

To further complicate matters, many people have become more educated when it comes to buying Diamonds, and have learned that its important to have a GIA certificate. What they have not learned, unfortunately, is how to differentiate between a GIA GTL (Gem Trade Lab) Grader, and a GIA G.G. or Graduate Gemologist. Many assume that getting an appraisal by a GIA gemologist is the same as getting a GIA Certificate. Some unscrupulous Jewelers attempt to further that illusion.

The GTL (Gem Trade Lab) Grader is a GIA employee who performs the Diamond Grading for the Institute. A GIA Graduate Gemologist, on the other hand, has simply passed the GIA Diamonds and Colored Stone course.

[Note, GIA has pointed out to us that to be allowed to use the title “Graduate Gemologist”, “One must pass GIA’s Diamonds course, the Diamond Grading Course, the Colored Stones Course, Gem Identification Course, and the Colored Stone Grading course”]

The GTL grader is far better trained in grading and usually has far more experience than a G.G. Further, the GTL grader does not have the same vested interest in the outcome of the grade of the stone they are evaluating.