Press Releases

ASA Speaks to Differences Between Appraisers and Gemologists When Valuing Gems & Jewelry

Published

3 years ago

October 5, 2022

Press Releases

(PRESS RELEASE) HERNDON, VA — ASA has published an article that speaks to the differences between appraisers and gemologists when valuing gems & jewelry.

Authored by Warren H. Morss, GIA GG, ASA, MGA , the article discusses how the appraisal process has evolved into an accompaniment of the sale, an add on or a follow up which became nothing more than an expectation by consumers that unwittingly has devalued the appraisal into an afterthought devoid of proper content and lacking in consistent form.

It continues by explaining the need for professional standards and ethics, specifically The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and The ASA Code of Ethics, and how both are essential to promoting and maintaining a high level of public trust by establishing requirements for appraisers and their analyses, opinions and conclusions so as to be meaningful and not misleading.

The article closes by explaining the differences between appraisers and gemologists, including a look at education, training, market awareness and depth/quality of appraisal report – all of which directly benefit consumers, jewelers, and third parties such as insurance companies and banks.

View complimentary article .

To learn more about ASA and its gems & jewelry education, credentialing and membership programs, visit here.

To hire an ASA appraiser today, visit here or call (800) 272-8258.

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After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.