(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.
Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
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.
