Jewelry is a luxury item. Made from precious metals and stones, jewelry is beautiful and expensive. It makes the perfect family heirloom and is often handed down through the generations. If you own jewelry of any kind, you should have it insured. When your jewelry is insured, you will be compensated if anything happens to it. If your jewelry is stolen, destroyed, or lost, your insurance policy will pay to have it replaced. 

However, in order to take advantage of jewelry insurance, you first need to have your jewelry appraised. Jewelry appraisal services specialize in this task. They can inspect each piece of jewelry and place a monetary value on it. Accurate jewelry appraisal is very valuable to all jewelry owners. Here are three tips that will help you choose the best jewelry appraisal service:

1. Make sure the price is right.

Jewelry appraisal is a skilled trade. Those who do it for a living have studied extensively in order to be able to appraise jewelry accurately. The price appraisers charge will naturally reflect this time commitment and skill level. As a consumer, you want to get the best value for your money. However, choosing the cheapest jewelry appraisal service isn't necessarily the best option. Look for rates that are affordable yet fair. If you have many pieces of jewelry to appraise, you may want to find an appraiser who charges an hourly rate because hourly services may save you money.

2. Start your search at the place where you purchased your jewelry.

If you've never had jewelry appraised before, you may not know where to begin your search. Fortunately, most people have purchased jewelry at some point. Call or visit a jewelry store that you trust. They may have an appraiser on staff. If they don't, they may still be able to recommend a jewelry appraiser that they have used in the past. Word of mouth is often a good way to find quality appraisal services.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for credentials.

Once you find a jewelry appraiser, you'll want to make sure they're the best candidate for the job. Don't be afraid to ask what their credentials are. It's not rude to want to be a well-informed consumer. There are a few different gemstone appraisal societies that accredit appraisers. You can look for an appraiser who has a certificate from the International Society of Appraisers or the Gemological Association of Great Britain.