How much?

[Superidealist]

I thought it might be useful to collect pricing information for common services in a centralized location, so...

Vendors and appraisers, how much should the consumer expect to pay on average for each of the following?


Appraisal (diamond):

Appraisal (colored gemstone):

Appraisal (ring):

Appraisal (other jewelry):

Cleaning:

Engraving (ring inscription):

Insurance:

Setting a stone:

Simple jewelry repair:

Sizing a ring:


Anything I've left out?

 

[strmrdr]

Im not a vendor or appraiser but:
northern IL not chicago or burbs:

Appraisal (diamond): $35-$100

Appraisal (colored gemstone):$35-$100

Appraisal (ring):$35-$100

Appraisal (other jewelry):$25-$100

Cleaning: ultrasonic and steam free

Engraving (ring inscription): $5 per charactor 5 minimum.

Insurance: aprox 1% is what I was quoted when I asked about it.

Setting a stone: $25-$150 per stone before volume discounts.

Simple jewelry repair: starts at $25

Sizing a ring: $35-$45 if it doesnt require adding material $50-$70 if it does more for plat.

If you know the right person you can knock 40%-50% off those prices if you can find the person who does the work for the stores.

 

[yowahking]

There are many of these items that can be a whole topic, but here is some info.
Appraisal diamonds. Since there is no requirement that apparisers have any credentials, you can find some yahoo that will charge $20 in AZ. The good ones range from $55-75 for the first item. More if you see this appraiser in a store that is greedy and adds a percentage for the store.
Appraisal colored stones, same price unless only an ID is required which is often the case to just make sure it is really Tsavorite, not Tourmaline. ID's are usually about half appraisal price.
Appraisal jewelry same price as stone, although I think they should charge extra since they are doing more work, most states add at least $10 for the additional info for ring holding the diamond. Second items are sometimes about half price and sometimes only a 15% break.
Cleaning and inspection usually free although a refinishing will usually cost money. Most people who have a warranty on jewelry will go into a store and get it cleaned and inspected, usually that store does not have a jeweler on site so a salesperson with very little training decides the condition of a ring, cleans it with a quick dip, sometimes buffs it with a wheel that has been used on 6 different kinds of metals, and hands it back not much better than when you brought it in. A good jeweler will clean and inspect things whether bought there or not. Best to find someone who does the work on premise so you can ask questions about any work needed.
Engraving, prices vary greatly depending on location, and whether machines are old type or new ones like the signature engraver. You may pay from $1 per letter to $5 in this state. Hand engraving is a lost art but still available in larger areas, and where guns are big business.
Setting, assuming no heads or soldering, about $10-20 per stone for mellee, about from $1 to $3 per point from 1/2 ct and up. Anything more than 1/2 ct and I strongly advise finding a good setter rather than the cheapest one you can find. Not a good place to cut corners, no pun intended princess cut owners.

 

[yowahking]

ooops,forgot some.
Simple repair from $6 to $15 for simple chain solder and charm adding to bracelet.
Sizing from $10-$40 in this state for sizing down, $5-20 more for sizing up. $25-50 extra for plat. This is probably where we pick up 10% of out customers after having a bad jeweler mess up rings during sizing. Not sure why a relative easy skill to aquire gets dones wrong so often in this state, and I know other states have the same problem. Thinning out shanks, sizing lines showing, usuing wrong type of solder, forgetting to polish, overpolishing, not redoing Rhodium, bending rings out of shape, sizing rings that are not supposed to be sized, assuming a white gold piece will be ok to add to a plat ring, forgetting that while the ring can take heat, the tanzanite on top can not, and oh so many more. Some jewelers sell great designs but have bad goldsmiths in the back, some have great goldsmiths but are not a good place to buy a diamond, some do great engraving but know nothing about sapphires. If you don't try to get great seafood at Mcdonalds, and great steak at Red Lobster, and fine wine at a Mexican place, apply the same thinking to jewelry. Use the internet or jewelers for what they can do best and don't expect everyone to do everything.

 

[Regular Guy]

Superidealist,

Well, this particular post and idea didn''t get very far. Not sure, but it may be useful (for someone besides me) to catalog those services represented as being offered by which appraisers...changing, of course, the original focus of this post.

To the extent, however, that seeing appraiser''s services in any way as companion services to that of vendors, such information has been useful with respect to vendors, as it''s posted in the FAQs section, and could be useful here.

Unfortunately, it may be substantive to note which person is providing the services at the appraiser''s offices, as well, and it''s not likely that a web site will parse that sort of detail. And so, just those services reliably expected from the appraiser''s office would expect to be noted.

Consider an item on a wish list, perhaps.