Press Releases

Briteco Jewelry and Watch Insurance Announces Partnership with IGS

It will help enhance the value of the company’s online appraisal management platform, CEO says.

Published

5 years ago

July 11, 2019

INSTORE Staff

(PRESS RELEASE) EVANSTON, IL – BriteCo, LLC, (www.brite.co) a jewelry and watch insurance company offering a free Appraisal Management Platform to qualified jewelers, announced a partnership with The International Gem Society, LLC (IGS), the world’s top resource for gem professionals, enthusiasts, and industry content. With more than 10,000 members worldwide and 4.5 million website visitors annually, IGS provides online gemology education and community forums along with gemstone pricing and buying guides, and a directory of gem-related businesses.

“We’re excited to be partnering with IGS to enhance the value of our online appraisal management platform,” said BriteCo founder and CEO Dustin Lemick. “It’s another way for us to provide our jeweler partners with the best product possible, saving them time and effort and helping to make their jewelry businesses more successful.”

“Over the last 21 years, we have assembled detailed pricing and technical information jewelers can use to help appraise over 70 different gemstones,” according to IGS managing member Seth Rosen. “The values in our guides come from a variety of sources including primary and secondary gemstone dealers, jewelers, miners, and wholesale suppliers of commonly traded gemstones.”

The cloud based BriteCo Appraisal Management Platform (AMP) from BriteCo enables jewelers to create appraisals in ten minutes or less. Free to qualified jewelers, the BriteCo AMP uses intuitive self-guided screens to enter key information, include photos, and get a recommended range for appraised value based on market data. Once the jeweler finalizes an appraised value, customers receive an email with an electronic copy of the appraisal for their records. When the appraisal is finalized, BriteCo sends an email or text directly to the customer that includes a custom quote for replacement insurance coverage. The customer clicks a link in the message, fills out a short application on their phone or other device, pays by credit or debit card, and is insured immediately. Retail jewelers can view a video demo of the appraisal platform and apply to become a BriteCo jeweler partner at www.brite.co/for-jewelers.

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”