Did you know that you are an independent jewelry appraiser? It’s true, all you need to do is call yourself one, and suddenly you are just as much a jewelry appraiser as anyone who claims to be one. This is because there are no set rules or regulations which determine what qualifies a person as legitimate diamond appraiser. Unlike other important occupations that we force people to qualify to become, like a lawyer or a Doctor, you need no formal training or experience to become an authorized diamond appraiser. While there are appraisal associations or other institutions that can “award” you with a “qualification” to be a diamond appraiser, ultimately, this acknowledgement is completely worthless and should be looked at as such. With this in mind, you need to be on the lookout for predatory appraisers looking for a person who doesn’t know any better and who will unknowingly spend more money on a less valuable diamond. In an effort to differentiate between the honest appraisers and the shady dealers, here are a few things to remember when dealing with a diamond appraiser: • An appraisers will without fail, weigh a loose stone initially right in front of you, and then once again at the end of the transaction to prove that the diamond you have chosen has not been switched or altered in any way • They should never ask to or offer to purchase jewelry or recommend a jeweler to you, to avoid any sort of conflict of interest or collusion between the appraisers and the dealers • Merchandise will and should be appraised right in front of you and should never leave your sight. If the appraiser claims to need to clean a diamond, they should allow you to accompany them to observe it while it is being cleaned • One common scam is appraisers will attempt to convince you that they are owed a percentage of the appraisal value as a fee for their services. This is not only ridiculous, but a simple way for them increase their profits by claiming that they value of the diamond being appraised is worth far more than it really is. • A legitimate appraiser will stand behind their work. If they make you sign any sort of disclaimer or that they can’t and/or won’t be held accountable for what they evaluate the value of the diamond to be, then what good are they in the first place? Take your diamond elsewhere, or take what that appraiser says with a grain of salt. • It is difficult for anybody, even the most experienced appraiser to give an absolute or exact value of your diamond. Appraisals give you a broad range of the value of a diamond. • There is no reason whatsoever for an appraiser to attempt to get you to leave your merchandize with them for an extended period of time. You need to maintain contact with your property at all times, to avoid becoming a victim of what is known as the “switcheroo”, where an appraiser will swap out your diamond with a lookalike and one that is certainly going to be worth far less than the original diamond you brought in to be appraised initially.

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