Ensuring that you have your jewellery valued correctly in a fluctuating market has never been more important. There have been significant price fluctuations in the past few years, and your jewellery insurance values could be too low… and in some cases too high!
The importance of a professional valuation
An up to date valuation can help you avoid financial loss in the case of a claim. It can also help you avoid having to either make up any cost difference or accept a lesser quality item. It’s also a great chance for the jewellery to be checked over for potential loose settings or necessary repair work.
What’s changing?
In many cases, items are insured at their purchase price, such as an engagement ring that may have been purchased many years ago. It is important to keep on top of market and exchange rate fluctuations as these impact the price of jewellery significantly.
Diamonds
Diamonds have seen big fluctuations in price. Pay particular note if they were previously valued between 2015 and 2018 as they are very likely to be undervalued. Since then, the market prices have increased, especially in the larger carat weights. If the valuation is old, then they may be even more undervalued as one of the biggest hikes was seen between 2005 and 2010.
Metal prices
Gold has seen an overall increase, and despite some small fluctuations, the general trend over the past 20 years has been up. Depending on when the previous valuation was done, the price of the jewellery item may have significantly increased.
Sapphire
Blue sapphires remain by far the best seller in the coloured gemstone market, with the finer grade sapphires such as Burmese and Ceylon continuing to increase dramatically in value. Only last year this value increase was dramatic. At big auctions, the hammer price for natural unheated sapphires kept overtaking their auction estimates by 3-5 times!
Designer jewellery
Pieces from luxury jewellers such as Cartier, Bulgari, Chopard, Boodles, and Tiffany & Co. for example increase on a yearly basis.
Vintage watches
Vintage watches are still a very strong area of the market, and for truly unique and special vintage pieces, the prices have grown exponentially.
