Many factors contribute to this including the rise in Burglaries, difficult economic times, most Insurance Companies and Brokers insist on ‘Formal’ documentation, as proof of ownership for insurance and other purposes.

The Appraisal can often be for other than Insurance purposes: Such as ‘Estate Division’, ‘Marriage Settlement’, ‘I want to sell it and don’t know what it is or –‘ I am just being curious’.

Even if they are not on the list of jewellers I do work for, all you need do is to take your jewellery to a “Your Jeweller”, and request that they send it to “Graeme Petersen, at Gem Testing Laboratories” for an Appraisal/Valuation, we can do that through them. I will happily do work for any jeweller in New Zealand.

I do valuation work for several jewellery shops these are listed below, take your items in to them and I collect and deliver from them, some jewellers do their own valuations.

However, take note; many NZ Jewellers do NOT hold a gemmological or appraisal qualification, and usually have not had any formal, or other training, in either gemmology, appraisal and valuation science.

Also in most cases they do not have the specialised instrumentation and equipment that is essential to do professional reports; therefore any valuation report done by them may not have all the required details and may not be accepted by your insurance company.

In most cases I can do an identification easily and quickly and this will be at a minimum or no cost to you! If your item needs more detailed testing we charge on a time basis, so it is difficult without viewing the item/s to give an accurate quote, it costs nothing to discuss and obtain a quote; value is more difficult and can only be approximate without full testing; we will quote to give you a more accurate price if you require this.

Sometimes, an item is of a type, that it may require further testing and opinions from two or more experienced gemmologists to confer to confirm grades, values etc. and this will obviously be at a higher cost.

All figures listed here are only a ‘Guide’, to give you a quote is no charge but we need to see the items to do this, this way we can assess the time it may take. Just call in during our business hours for this

Please call us on 027 4496 960 for any other information you may require.

In most cases 1 to 2 days but this will depend on how many items you have to be done and the simplicity or complexity of various items, also if you have information pertaining to item that may assist us – and so save time.

Same day or while you wait is also available but will depend on our workload and how many items you have. We can advise a time for completion after we have seen what you have, and what needs to be done.

Unfortunately NO we cannot do this, the specialised equipment we have is not readily transportable, but we will collect and deliver any items from you, there is a small charge for us to come to you, alternatively bring them to me, or take them to one of our recommended Jewellery Shops or contact one of the shops for details beforehand.

Yes we will, please call 027 4496 960 to make an appointment for me to come to you, there is a small extra charge to do this.

We charge on a time basis so it is difficult without viewing the item/s to give an accurate quote, it costs nothing to discuss and obtain a quote.

As a general rule: The cost can be as low as $30 to $60 for a simple ‘Non Gem set’ item, but could be higher, on a more involved time consuming piece.

As a guide only, an average ‘standard’ gem set item appraisal can cost approx. $50 to $120.

We will quote to give you a more accurate price if you require. Sometimes, an item is of a type, that it may require further testing and opinions from two or more experienced gemmologists to confer to confirm grades, values etc. and this will obviously be at a higher cost.

Figures listed here are only a ‘Guide’, to give you a quote is at no charge, but we need to see the items to do this, this way we can assess the time it may take.

Just call me for more information 027 4496 960. If items need to be ‘Couriered’ back to you, there may be a small extra charge

This question is fraught with many problems, many often cause you the client, later problems with a claim on such pieces.

We frequently have clients who have lost an item, that they felt was within the $2000 ‘Non Specified’ limit, and then when it is lost, the Claims Officer for the Insurer, insists on

1. Proof of ownership, and
2. that you supply an ‘Independent’ opinion on a present Value.

Then the trouble starts. Try this now! take your ring off your hand and try to describe it; chances are any description you give will not really be very good, do you know the number of gems set in it, what those gems are and the quality of them, the size (measurements and weight) the metal it is made of, how it was made, if you are asked to draw it could you do it, do you have a detailed photo of it?

That is why we always suggest at least an ‘Inventory Schedule’ on items under $1000, this gives a brief description, and a +/- ‘Value’ this is at a lower cost than a FULL Appraisal.

Any item over $1000 should have a full appraisal, this gives a full and detailed description, photographs, and a value for the purpose required

I have several Jewellery Shops in Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Rotorua, Te Puke, Danneverke and Hamilton who I do Jewellery valuations for; take your jewellery in to them and I will collect your items and return them to them, for you to pick up, usually within 1 to 2 days; they are:

Hammon Diamond Jeweller, 16 Grey Street, Tauranga, Ph 07 578 8591
Quantum Design, 23 Tukorako Drive, Mount Maunganui, Ph 07 572 3434
Bethlehem Jewellers 189 Moffatt Road, Bethlehem Ph 07 579 3655
Te Puke Jewellers, 92 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke, Ph 07 573 9889
Rotorua Jewellers, 1311 Tutankei Street, Rotorua, 07 3462311
Dinsdale Jewellers, 14 Whatawhata Road, Dinsdale Hamilton, Ph 07 957 3888
Precious Metals, Centre Place Victoria Street, Hamilton, Ph 07 957 0137
Precious Metals, Chartwell Shopping Centre, Hamilton, Ph 07 852 5700
Sense and Wonder, The Base, Hamilton Ph 07 849 6492
Long Jewellers, 72 High Street, Dannevirke 06 374 6696

Alternatively please call me on (027 4496 960) for details of where to bring your items to so I can see what you have; once I have seen the items and given an estimate you can then decide to have appraised/valued all or some of your items, we can also discuss what type of Appraisal document you require.

If you have documents that relate to any of the items, they may assist in an appraisal/valuation – we request you bring them with you as these may be documents, such as: Diamond Reports / Certificates, Guarantees, or ‘Sales Receipts’, often have information relating to an item, and are part of our ‘Due Diligence’ when preparing an Appraisal.

These may be documents that give us valuable information, such as – Gem weight/s and grades, sizes and measurements for individual stones, and may aid in accuracy of the final value, often gems that are set are very difficult to accurately measure, so any information supplied can help us as we do NOT remove gems from settings.

Without previous documentation we can still do your valuation/appraisal but it could take longer and therefore cost you more.