Birmingham Gemological Services, Ltd.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q. Can I bring in a loose diamond that I am considering purchasing from the
Internet, a local or out-of-town jeweler, auction house or friend?

A.  Yes, we are independent jewelry appraisers and do not sell diamonds.  We won’t
produce a deflated appraisal of the diamond and then try to sell you one of ours.  We are
not owned by or affiliated with any jewelry company.  We are not advocates for the
buyer or the seller.  Our only concern is to prepare an appraisal that meets the highest
standards.

Q.   Will I take my appraisal home with me?

A.  No.  You will receive your written gemological appraisal in the mail in three to four
working days.   You will receive two copies of the gemological appraisal, one for your
records that will include a set of photographs, and one for your insurance agent.

Q. Do I have to leave my jewelry?

A.  No.  All of our appraisals are done on an appointment basis in our secure office in
downtown Birmingham while you wait.  Difficult-to-identify items may require you to
leave the items in order to complete research and prepare a proper appraisal.

Q. Do you have to take the stones out of the mounting to perform the
appraisal?

A.  No, we do not.  

Q. How much will my appraisal cost?

A.  Our fees are on a per-piece basis.  Free estimates are available by calling our office.  
If you prefer, we can set up an appointment to look at the pieces and give you an exact
cost to complete your gemological appraisal.  There is no charge for this preliminary
appointment.

Q. If I have a valuable item I would like to sell, but am concerned I won’t be
able to sell it for what it is worth, can you help me?

A. Yes!  We offer brokerage services that are aimed at getting you the best possible
price for your item.

Q. Do I still need an appraisal if I have a laboratory report from the G.I.A.,
E.G.L., etc?

A. Yes, because these laboratory reports do not include a dollar value.  We will also help
you to interpret the information contained on the report and confirm that the report does,
in fact, match your diamond.

Q. Will my appraisal be done by a gemologist?

A. Yes, all of our appraisals are completed by a G.I.A. Graduate Gemologist.

Q. What do all of your qualifications mean to me?

A. There are a lot of appraisers out there, and they aren’t all equal.  Some appraisal
designations require more time and knowledge to earn than others.
One of the most respected accreditations that a gems and jewelry appraiser can earn is
the ASA Master Gemologist Appraiser.  To become an MGA they must be a Graduate
Gemologist (GG) of the GIA, have five years of full-time appraisal experience, and
complete extensive exams that cover the full range of duties that appraisers are expected
to perform.  ASA requires that Master Gemologist Appraisers (MGA) reaccredit every 5
years to make sure that they stay current with new technologies and information.  To stay
current all MGA’s must complete 100 hours of continuing education between
reaccreditation.  Reaccreditation also makes sure the appraisers are still able to perform
all of the functions involved in appraising at the high standard of the ASA.

Q. Do I need to have my appraisals updated?  How often?

A. The Insurance Institute of America recommends that you have your jewelry appraisal
updated every 2 years.  BIRMINGHAM GEMOLOGICAL SERVICES, Ltd.
recommends every 3 to 5 years depending on the market.  If you have jewelry that has
large gemstones, especially diamonds, we do recommend that you update the appraisal
more frequently.