Our Approach
How we work — and why it matters who you ask.
One lab, one set of standards. The methodology is simple to describe and consistent across every engagement we take. The promise we make to clients — and the ideals behind it — are what keep an independent appraisal independent.
What We Do
Three simple steps.
The process is straightforward — call, bring it in, get the report. The work behind the report is consistent across every engagement we take.
01
Evaluate
Every piece is examined on calibrated gemological equipment — at the Sedona lab in person, or via guided video consultation when the engagement allows. Diamonds and colored stones are scanned on a proportion analyzer for cut and light performance. Watches are verified against reference, serial, and movement before condition grading. Antique and designer pieces are examined for marks, stamps, and authenticity indicators. We tell you at intake which pieces require the lab and which can run remote.
02
Dig
Live market research underpins every value conclusion. Auction records from Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, and Heritage; wholesale and replacement-channel data; dealer transactions; direct comparable sales. For unusual or signed pieces, research time extends and we document the comparables we used and why they apply. Every value in your report can be traced back to a specific source.
03
Inform
The deliverable is a report you can hand to a carrier, executor, attorney, or counterparty and have it accepted on its merits. Methodology is explained before conclusions are stated. Photographs and photomicrographs document what we observed. Where we're certain, we say so. Where we're inferring — especially in post-loss work — we say that too. Honest evidence is what makes the report defensible at claim time.
Our Promise
We won't appraise your engagement ring below market value, then offer to buy it. We won't produce a deflated appraisal of the diamond you bought online, then try to sell you one of ours. We're not diamond merchants, jewelers, wholesalers, or retailers. We're Just Appraisers.
Our Ideals
The standards behind the work.
Independence is a posture; these are the behaviors that keep it real on every engagement.
We tell you when not to appraise
The appraisal process must be cost-effective relative to the value of the item. If a formal appraisal doesn't serve you, we'll say so — then point you in the right direction. What you have, where it sits in the market in rough terms, and what to do with that information.
We give you every angle, independently
No commissions, no referral fees, no incentives to lean a value one way or the other. Our only product is an arms-length, defensible value conclusion you can rely on — at policy renewal, at claim time, in court, or at the negotiating table.
We escalate when we should
We have the equipment to screen for synthetics and treated gemstones in-house. When a piece warrants involvement from a research laboratory — origin reports for high-value emeralds, sapphires, or rubies; advanced testing for treated diamonds — we know it, we tell you, and we tell you who to send it to.
We tell the truth, even when it's uncomfortable
We say what we know, what we don't, and what we're inferring. Sometimes the market value comes in lower than you'd hoped; sometimes the appraisal you already have was inflated. Better to hear it now from someone with no stake in the outcome than to find out at claim time.
Protect what you value
with an independent appraisal.
For insurance, estates, heirlooms, and fine jewelry, we provide appraisals you can rely on.