Consultation Services

We assist many of our clients who are struggling to deal with quantities of jewelry; often as part of an estate or trust that is to be divided.  If you need help separating or making sense of inherited or bequeathed jewelry, maybe a triage consultation is what you need.  Mary’s knowledge of historical and stylistic periods of jewelry can often provide a context to help clients place inherited jewelry with specific relatives or within family history.  We can separate fine jewelry from costume jewelry and/or help you make groupings of similar value characteristics.  We won't be able to provide specific values during the consultation; but we can discuss what you're trying to accomplish and if an appraisal is called for, we can help you decide which pieces should be examined more closely.  In situations in which the jewelry is unwanted, we can help with converting it quickly and easily into cash with our BROKERING SERVICE.

If you're considering a significant jewelry purchase and need unbiased expert advice, a pre-purchase consultation can provide peace of mind and fill-in the information gaps.  Our decades of experience and extensive training allows us to provide unbiased insights and information you're not likely to get anywhere else.  Research on the internet can be both a blessing and a curse.  There is so much conflicting and bad information online that it is very easy to become confused or misled.  Our job is to study and research the value of diamonds, gems, watches and jewelry; we understand what creates the differences in value.  Because we aren’t trying to sell you anything, where or whether you decide to buy won’t impact our impartiality.  We’re here to answer your questions and provide authoritative information about your potential purchase.

Selling jewelry can be a daunting task.  If you're not sure where to start, maybe spending some time with an independent expert can offer clarity.  Please read through the RESALE SERVICES section of the website and especially the STROLL DOWN REALITY LANE information.  If you'd like to bring in your jewelry and talk through the options, we can schedule a consultation.  As your consultant, we would be working in your best interest to help you determine the best course of action based on your goals and how much time, energy and money you are willing to expend to achieve them.

When you purchase a diamond, watch, gem, or piece of jewelry, you often have a limited amount of time to return it.  According to Federal law (Universal Commercial Code), the seller's claims are an express warranty and breach of warranty can be grounds for voiding the sales agreement.  If you need an independent expert to help verify those claims, we can help.  If you purchased a diamond online and it came with a laboratory grading report, we can verify that the diamond you received matches the grading report and, in most cases, whether the grading report is authentic.  We do not offer opinions of value as part of the consultation and can't verify whether or not you "got a good deal" or paid a "fair price".  If you'd like an appraisal to provide value information, we can prepare one for you for an additional fee.

If you're involved in litigation and think you may need the services of an expert, please contact us to see if we might be qualified by the court as an expert in that field of knowledge.  Depending on the specifics of the case and your requirements, we may be able to serve in the capacity of an expert consultant or perhaps an expert witness.  All discussions of your case are held in strict confidence; including the fact that you contacted us at all.