Repair take-in procedures

you this how do you deal with a customer stone that is mis graded
and overvalued? 

First of all I can usually do a fairly accurate clarity grade on the
spot. If I don’t agree with something that they have in the way of
document, I tell them that. However I usually let the customer give
me a declared value. Unless it’s completely off the wall I’ll accept
it because it’s then up to them to prove the value to the insurance
company if something happens. I always write on the take in form:
“Customer declares value to be X”. Color grades I won’t do on the
spot, but I have a good enough eye to get in the range and if the
paperwork really looks fraudulent, again I’ll tell the customer that
right away. If they don’t like that I’m regrading their diamond,
that’s actually their problem but I haven’t ever had anyone actually
argue with me about it. Also, by having the microscope in front of
the customer I am able to show them exactly what their stone looks
like so they can’t accuse me of switching the stone. They can look at
it when they drop it off and look at it when they pick it up. If they
are really paranoid we’ll note the nature, size and location of
inclusions on the take in form. Awhile ago I posted a note on Orchid
about just this problem although it was that a customer had a cert
that didn’t match the stone (later admitted to by the dealer). Having
the microscope saved everyone a lot of aggravation. And IMHO a loupe
is not the same thing as a microscope when it comes to a layman being
able to see what’s in their stone.

Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC

Aside from diamonds, what about colored stones? For example, is it
perceived as "unprofessional" to describe what looks to be an
aquamarine as - light blueish green stone? 

Frankly in my book colored stones are far more of a problem today
than the diamonds are. Diamond id’s are pretty straightforward. Far
more equipment is necessary for colored stones. Additionally,
synthetic colored stones have gotten more and more sophisticated in
their appearance. Also some of the treatments are very difficult to
identify. If you take in a diffusion treated orange sapphire and you
don’t know that it is and later some other jeweler tells the customer
that is what they have, will they then think that you switched it? Or
if you take in a surface diffusion treated sapphire and something
happens to the stone and you have to recut it and the color
disappears and you didn’t know that’s what it was, you’re in trouble
too.

So what does all this mean? In my book, it means that everyone who
is going to be dealing with the public’s jewelry on a regular basis,
needs to have a proper gemological education. The GIA is a good
starting point. But then you have to keep up with the current
There are a myriad of organizations that offer classes
(the AGTA has a great one on sapphire treatments) in gemstone id,
treatment id, etc. It’s up to YOU to make sure you have the proper
and that you stay up to date on it.

Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC

I’m afraid I’m with goo on this one. Our practice is to describe the
items in an incoming outside repair (jewelry we did not sell) so that
anyone could figure out what goes in the envelope (that is our main
objective with the description) and we scope and plot anything over
1/4 ct. But the take in is not an evaluation or appraisal for the
customer. If it was we would need to charge them for that in addition
to the repair. We will identify the stones by diameter/dimension,
cut/shape and color only and the metal by color and stamp. After the
client leaves we assign a replacement value for our own insurance
purposes to each job and enter that into our system. Any defects
(chips or abrasions) are discussed with the client and noted. If the
client wants an appraisal we are happy to do that, but that doesn’t
change our take in procedure. That said, exceptions can be made and I
think Daniels’ take in procedure is great, I just think that either
way will work, It’s one of many business practice decisions that need
to be made and there is not always only one right answer.

Mark