Appraisal Services
Comprehensive written appraisals for insurance, estate, legal, and personal needs — all prepared by a certified independent gemologist.
Jewelry replacement costs have surged — when did you last get appraised?
The Right Appraisal for Every Situation
Different circumstances call for different appraisal methods. Vincent provides the correct valuation standard for your specific purpose.
🛡️ Insurance Replacement Value
The most common appraisal type — documents what it would cost to replace a piece with a comparable item today. Required by most insurance carriers before issuing a jewelry floater policy.
- Accepted by all major insurers
- Full written report with photos
- Detailed item descriptions and grading
- Recommended every 3–5 years
🏛️ Estate & Fair Market Value
Determines the price a willing buyer and seller would agree upon — used for estate settlements, IRS charitable deductions, probate, and trust documentation.
- IRS-compliant reporting format
- Accepted for probate proceedings
- Charitable donation documentation
- Trust and estate planning support
⚖️ Legal & Divorce Appraisals
Impartial, court-ready valuations prepared specifically for equitable distribution, divorce proceedings, or dispute resolution. Vincent can serve as an expert witness if required.
- Prepared to withstand legal scrutiny
- Expert witness services available
- Equitable distribution valuations
- Dispute resolution support
💰 Resale & Liquidation Value
Provides a realistic value for selling jewelry on the open market — useful when downsizing a collection, settling an estate, or evaluating a potential sale.
- Realistic market-based valuations
- Estate auction preparation
- Collection inventory assessment
- Private sale guidance
📖 Written Appraisal Reports
Every appraisal includes a professionally formatted written report documenting each item's characteristics, condition, provenance, and assessed value — ready for banks, insurers, attorneys, and courts.
- Detailed item descriptions
- Gemological grading notes
- Color photographs of each piece
- Appraiser credentials included
🔍 Consultation & Identification
Not sure what you have? Vincent offers consultation services to help identify, authenticate, and provide general guidance on jewelry pieces before committing to a full appraisal.
- Piece identification and authentication
- Stone identification and grading
- Period and provenance research
- General guidance and advice
What Vincent Appraises
From everyday fine jewelry to rare antiques, no piece is too common or too extraordinary.
How It Works
Getting a professional appraisal is straightforward. Here is what to expect from start to finish.
Contact Us
Reach out by phone or contact form to describe your pieces and discuss your appraisal purpose.
Schedule a Visit
Pick a convenient time and Vincent comes to you — at your home or office. No dropping anything off, no waiting weeks.
Examination & Grading
Vincent examines each piece using professional gemological equipment, noting all relevant characteristics and condition details.
Receive Your Report
A detailed written appraisal report is prepared and delivered — ready for your insurer, attorney, or personal records.
Vincent comes to your home.
No drop-off, no waiting weeks. He travels throughout the mid-Atlantic region — schedule a visit at a time that works for you.
Vincent Lash, Author
Beyond the appraisal table, Vincent is the author of a fictional thriller series that pulls back the curtain on the secrets of the jewelry trade.
Jeweler's Mark
A fictional thriller that reveals true secrets of the jewelry trade. Jeweler's Mark is the story of a jewelry appraiser and artisan — with a passion for sailing the Chesapeake Bay — who becomes entangled with an underground investment syndicate whose profits hinge on murder.
The first in the Crook Book series, Jeweler's Mark weaves suspense and humor into a provocative tale laced with eye-opening — and sometimes startling — facts about the world of jewels. An exciting story, and yet in the end, the reader will be a wiser buyer and seller of jewelry.
How to Purchase
$16.95 + $4.00 postage
Available by mail order. Send a check or money order payable to Vincent Lash & Company:
P.O. Box 265
Churchville, MD 21028-0265
Coming Soon in the Crook Book Series
Wholesalers carrying suitcases full of jewelry are being robbed and murdered at an alarming rate in and around Washington and Baltimore — until even Trustum Crook finds himself struggling to survive.
"The jewelry trade is ahead of prostitution — though not by far," said Trustum Crook. Another installment in the series that blends insider knowledge with page-turning suspense.
Have Questions About Your Jewelry?
Contact Vincent today — no collection is too large or too small.
Get in Touch