Appraisal Rates
It is difficult to quote a cost for services rendered without seeing the item(s). Nonetheless, here are some guidelines:
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Insurance Reports – If the intended use of your report is for Insurance purposes the cost is $135 for the first item and $85 for each additional item.
Most items fall within these pricing parameters; however, if your item is exceptional and there is any additional cost, we will inform you at the beginning of the appointment.
Updates for items previously appraised by San Diego Gem Lab,and requested within 5 years of the original appraisal date, are billed at 50% of the currently posted appraisal fee structure.
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Estate – If the intended use of your report is for Estate or Equitable Distribution purposes, the scope of the assignment expands to meet the particular need of the executor or bank trust department. These assignments are billed at an hourly charge. See our Estate Appraisal page.
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Expert Witness and Deposition – We have extensive experience providing deposition and expert witness services. (Please refer to the Credentials page on this web site.) Call us for a discussion to determine if our expertise is suitable for your case.
Expert Witness assignments are charged on an hourly basis. These assignments vary and often present refined scheduling problems (beginning and ending times.) They are billed at a minimum of half-day (4-hour) increments (See Cost and Billing section below). A contract and non-refundable retainer is required to proceed with an Expert Witness assignment.
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Consultation – Consultation is done in our office and is billed directly in 10 minute increments with a one hour minimum. Payment is due at the end of the appointment (See Cost and Billing below).
Cost and Billing
All Estate and Consultation assignments are billed by the hour at $250 per hour with a one hour minimum. If you like we can provide a fixed quote of your costs at the beginning of the assignment. A contract and retainer may be required and the bill is payable in full when the project is complete and at the time the report is delivered.
Travel – All local assignments outside our office are billed at our hourly rate portal to portal. Please take this into consideration when requesting this service.
Out of town travel is billed at $1,000 for each travel day and a minimum of $2,000 for each workday. Travel expenses are billed to the client as well. A contract and non-refundable retainer is required for all out of town assignments. Please contact us to negotiate the details.
How to Schedule a Jewelry Appraisal Appointment
We work by appointment only and in most cases the appraisal is completed and in your possession at the end of your appointment. Call us at (619)-286-6614 or Contact Us. We schedule appointments Tuesday through Saturday between the starting hours of 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. We examine and perform all necessary tests with you present and while you watch. Your appraisal is finished as a bound report and includes a full description, a digital image and a plot of all diamonds over half a carat. A PDF file of the report will be provided to you at no extra charge. Please refer to the Jewelry Appraisal Information page for detailed information on the extent of our reports.
How long does it take to appraise my jewelry?
We accept the following forms of payment:
- VISA
- Mastercard
- American
- Express
- Discover
- Cash
- Check
