| Hi,
My name is Maria Resnick and I am new to this web site. I wanted to ask about how to go about getting a proper appraisal for a pearl ring. I know nothing about pearls (despite being a native of Japan) and so I am curious about a piece that was recently given to me by my aunt in Japan. From the looks of it, I think it is a South Sea white pearl. I think it is about 13 or 14 mm in diameter, but I cannot be sure. It has a few dimples in it but overall is really a beautiful pearl. The setting is platinum and is of an Art Deco style. My aunt, who is 72, got it back in the 1950s or 60s. She was a famous stage actress in Tokyo so I am pretty sure this would be something quite valuable.
If I were to take it to a local jewelry shop, is there a type of certification that I need to look for in the person making the appraisal? I've been told that it costs about $75 to $150 to get an appraisal -- is that reasonable? I live in a small ski town in Colorado (Durango) so I'm not even sure the local jeweler is familiar with pearls at all...
I will try to take a photo of it, but I can't seem to get one of good enough quality.
Clearly, I am clueless. Please help!
Maria  |