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Did your man go to Jared's? (Ring question)

TBee99TBee99 member
First Comment
in Connecticut
So my fiance got my ring from Jared's, and it's wonderful. However...I want to get it insured, and when we asked Jared's about it, they said we had to pay $250 for a private appraiser to come and appraise it. Is this normal? Can I go to another store and get it done for cheaper? $250 seems like quite a bit just to have you look at it. (I have tried submitting the paperwork we got from Jared's when FI bought the ring but apparently this won't do and I need an actual appraisal).
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Re: Did your man go to Jared's? (Ring question)

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    SuMmErKuTiESuMmErKuTiE member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    No, my DH didn't go to Jared.. lol. He ordered my ring from Blue Nile and all the paperwork came with it. The paperwork should come with the ring with it's appraisal value and certification. You present that to your insurance company when getting it insured.

    $250 is outrageous and I strongly advise you guys to go elsewhere and not to pay that! This is why I hate chain jewelers, they're overpriced and they tend to charge a lot of extras. You need to ask them why the paperwork wasn't included with the purchase of the ring which is standard.
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    sarahmi5308sarahmi5308
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_did-man-jareds-ring-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:65Discussion:be98eacc-7002-42f3-9c8a-b44e92fe3bc8Post:849f02cd-ea88-41a0-acc0-cb203adad323">Re: Did your man go to Jared's? (Ring question)</a>:
    [QUOTE]No, my DH didn't go to Jared.. lol. He ordered my ring from Blue Nile and all the paperwork came with it. The paperwork should come with the ring with it's appraisal value and certification. You present that to your insurance company when getting it insured. $250 is outrageous and I strongly advise you guys to go elsewhere and not to pay that! This is why I hate chain jewelers, they're overpriced and they tend to charge a lot of extras. You need to ask them why the paperwork wasn't included with the purchase of the ring which is standard.
    Posted by SuMmErKuTiE[/QUOTE]

    This. My ring came with its value and all the important info. Mine came from a chain, but they gave us all the neccessary info, so I just had to fax it over to the insurance company.
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    calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We looked at Jareds and found it WAY more expensive than our local family jewelers.  Take your ring to a jeweler that you trust (family owned is usually a good bet - check Yelp.com for reviews).  Our appraisal cost $75 and from what I've heard, that's a fair price.  If they say something about percentage of the value, run!  That should never be the case!

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    daniellelmilczakdaniellelmilczak member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Our info came with the ring or shortly thereafter. It didn't cost us anything. FI got my ring from Gem Jewelry, and they've been fabulous!
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    TBee99TBee99 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I was thinking of going to a jeweler my parents know personally. Guess I'll do that then!

    It's strange, the paperwork he got has all the info for my main stone, but since the other smaller stones are set in the band, it doesn't stand the information for them (clarity, etc). Should we got back to Jared's and ask them why? The lady there has been really helpful.
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    calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I would just get it appraised by someone else - they'll tell you all about the other stones anyway.  Usually insurance companies want an outside appraiser (meaning not the people who made/sold the ring) so that it's unbiased.  Try and find someone to appraise it in front of you - letting them take the ring can (in the worst case scenario) result in swapped stones.

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    Carebear62584Carebear62584 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    FI got my ring from Penacchio Jeweler's in Glastonbury.  They have been amazing! FI asked that the appraisal not be mailed immediately because he didn't want me to get the mail so she told him to come in after he proposed.  We went in (I had to get the size adjusted).  She gave us the appraisal then.  My center stone is the only one that got appraised in terms of clarity, etc.  My other stones are also included in the total weight, but not individually.  Also, my center diamond has a laser engraving with a specific code to ensure that anytime I bring it to a jeweler I can make sure that I get my diamond back and not another diamond. 
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    christikaochristikao
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My first engagement ring was from Michael's and it came with an appraisal with the GIA grade of the center diamond and diamonds on the bands. All the insurance companies I researched say they will accept it. If you want to bring it to an independent lab it will cost you minimal of $100 but Michael's will reimburse you if that independent appraisal doesn't match Michael's and also replace the diamond for free. Unfortunately I procrastinated and kept putting off getting it insured and lost the first engagement ring a month before the wedding. My second ring was a custom designed from Kasson's in Southport and it also came with an appraisal, needless to say I got that baby insured the second I got it. 
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    akulajiakulaji
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Okay, so I am a jeweler and also work for a local jeweler that does appraisals.  Here's basically what you need to know... I don't know what Jared's policy is, but they do not necessarily have to give you a 'free' appraisal.  They may be telling you that you need to have a private appraiser do it because they do not have a certified gemologist appraiser there at the store and they sell stones that are not already certified by the GIA or AGS.  To REALLY hold up in court/with insurance companies if something were lost, stolen or damaged you really want the item to be appraised by a certified GIA or AGS gemologist appraiser.  They usually charge by the hour, which for one ring should only be an hour.  $75/hr is on the low end.  My appraiser charges $125.  $250 for one item seems high.  Our policy, since we have a certified appraiser in house is that we can issue a new sale report (aka appraisal for insurance) for items just purchased at our store. If it's purchased at our store, this is free.  There are also different kinds of appraisals so you would want to specify that it is for insurance (aka replacement value) versus fair market value.

    My guess is that it's so high with them because they are bringing in that independent person that charges $x and they then add in their own fee that makes it $250.  A certified appraiser will test the metals, stone, grade for quality, color, cut, measure the stones, photograph them, etc.  Specific equipment is needed for this.  They also have recertifications each year that they do to keep their license.  This insures that standards are being kept.

    I would suggest shopping around for an appraiser.  Just make sure that they are certified by the AGS or GIA to do appraisals because technically, if they are not the appraisal isn't worth the paper it's written on.  The insurance company can choose to not honor the replacement value or can ascribe their own monetary amount for it.  An appraisal from a certified appraiser is actually a legal document that will hold up in court.
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    TBee99TBee99 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    akulaji- Thank you! Will you appraise my ring? :P In all seriousness, this was extremeley helpful. Jared's did mention an outside appraiser they bring in (hence the $250 price tag), but I figure I am better off going to a local person my family knows, as long as they are AGS or GIA approved.
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    akulajiakulaji
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_did-man-jareds-ring-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:65Discussion:be98eacc-7002-42f3-9c8a-b44e92fe3bc8Post:6f41ff60-d951-43ce-adc3-3ffea58d1df2">Re: Did your man go to Jared's? (Ring question)</a>:
    [QUOTE]akulaji - Thank you! Will you appraise my ring? :P In all seriousness, this was extremeley helpful. Jared's did mention an outside appraiser they bring in (hence the $250 price tag), but I figure I am better off going to a local person my family knows, as long as they are AGS or GIA approved.
    Posted by TBee99[/QUOTE]
    lol!  I'd appraise your ring, but I'm not certified to! :-)  Yes, I think you are perfectly safe going somewhere else as long as they are certified.  They are all held to very high standards, so you can rest assured that you'll be getting a document you can put your confidence in.  If you need any other help/advice, just let me know!

    Oh, and with an AGS, GIA certified person you shouldn't have to worry about stone swapping, etc.  Again, they can lose their licenses by doing stuff like that...and in all honestly, they handle so many diamonds, it's not worth it to them to bother. lol!  If you're truly worried about that, when you take it to them, ask them to show you the main stone under the microscope first, have them identify specific flaws for you, then give them the ring.  That way, when you get it back, you can look at it again under the scope and find those same flaws.  No two diamonds are the same.  It's like a fingerprint.
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    Melissa603Melissa603 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My fiance got my ring from Littman in Buckland Mall and they have AGS and GIA approved on staff so my ring was appraised before it was even on my finger. 
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    Abeja1226Abeja1226
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_did-man-jareds-ring-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:65Discussion:be98eacc-7002-42f3-9c8a-b44e92fe3bc8Post:849f02cd-ea88-41a0-acc0-cb203adad323">Re: Did your man go to Jared's? (Ring question)</a>:
    [QUOTE]No, my DH didn't go to Jared.. lol. He ordered my ring from Blue Nile and all the paperwork came with it. The paperwork should come with the ring with it's appraisal value and certification. You present that to your insurance company when getting it insured. $250 is outrageous and I strongly advise you guys to go elsewhere and not to pay that! This is why I hate chain jewelers, they're overpriced and they tend to charge a lot of extras. You need to ask them why the paperwork wasn't included with the purchase of the ring which is standard.
    Posted by SuMmErKuTiE[/QUOTE]
    exactly this, my FI got my ring from blue nile as well and we insured it through their preferred insurance company...they accepted the paperwork that came with the ring and we only had to pay $100 annually to insure it.
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    badkittyctbadkittyct
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    You can ask around the local mall for when they are offering appraisal clinics and the average cost. The appraiser determines the out of pocket cost to you. Some insurance companies require an official appraisal and others are happy with a receipt. A formal appraisal is most accurate and gives specifics and a photo of the item in question which is nice if it is lost or stolen and makes it easier to replicate.

    $250 is way high. $150 is more average.
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    TBee99TBee99 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks ladies, you've given me a ton of helpful info. My insurance wants an official appraisal, so I'm going to check out some local jewelers who are certified. Just another thing to add to the wedding planning list!
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    coza22coza22
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My FI got my ring at Kasson Jewelers in Southport, and Alan one of the owners is a certified appraiser. The appraisal of my ring was included since he bought it there, but he had another family ring fixed and appraised at the same time and was charged a little over $100 for it. I think it was maybe 120. They do a lot in house, and are wonderful. 
    Good luck!
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    mckenzie31mckenzie31
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    my fiance didnt get mine from jared, but it came with the paperwork as well with the appraisal....i'm sure you can find another appraiser that will do that for you..good luck
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    blipsettprblipsettpr member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My ring came with the appraisal.
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