Determining Gemstone Value, Price, and Appraisals
How to price or obtain the value, price and appraisal of a gem or piece of gemstone jewelry.
How to Calculate the Gold Markup for Jewelry
Learn the meaning of the trade terms for gold weight and karat, so you can calculate the gold content value...
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Helping Clients with Inherited Gemstones and Jewelry
Gem dealers are often their clients' most trusted advisers on gem matters. Learn how to help your clients with inherited...
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Appraising Rubies
Appraising rubies is a skill every jeweler and gemologist needs to master. Learn about the different quality factors that can...
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Appraising Pearls: How to Grade Pearls
Novice gemologists and jewelers may find appraising pearls difficult. Our guide will show you how to appraise and grade different...
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Report Card for the Best Engagement Ring Insurance in 2023
Independent report by International Gem Society on the Best Engagement Ring Insurance on the Market in 2022.
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Finding the Best Artificial Lighting for Gems: Buying, Selling, and Grading
Gemstones are creatures of light. Learn how lighting impacts gem sales and get recommendations for high-quality artificial lighting for gems....
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The Ultimate Guide to the Best Jewelry Insurance Companies
Our jewelry insurance guide reviews the policies of the top eight companies. Learn what to look for so you can...
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Appraising Opals
Opals are unique gems with their own unique terminology. Learn the modern standard system for classifying and appraising opals used...
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Appraising Gems and Jewelry
Appraising gems and jewelry involves opinions of value based on knowledge and research. Learn what information gemologists should include on...
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Basic Jewelry and Gem Appraisal Terms: What is Value?
Many people assume that a gem appraisal sets a definitive price for an item. Actually, the price depends on the...
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Gem and Jewelry Insurance Quotes: Four Money-Saving Questions
How can you get lower gem and jewelry insurance quotes? Asking a potential insurer these four questions could help lower...
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Jewelry and Gemstone Insurance: Nine Questions You Need to Ask
Before you buy jewelry and gemstone insurance, learn what to ask insurance companies and make sure the policy meets your...
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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Gems and Jewelry?
Your homeowners insurance may cover gems and jewelry, but don’t assume it covers all risks or the value of your...
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Jewelry and Gemstone Appraisals for Insurance
Need insurance for your jewelry? You’ll need jewelry and gemstone appraisals. Learn what info they should include and who to...
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Advice for Determining Gemstone Value
Judging gemstone value is complex, and new gemologists can have trouble with this. These four exercises can help you learn...
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Aquamarine Grading and Pricing
Aquamarines are evaluated based on the Four Cs: color, clarity, cut, and carat. Learn how each factor affects aquamarine grading...
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Rubellite Tourmaline Buying Guide
Like all tourmaline gemstones, rubellite wears well in almost any type of jewelry. This stone's raspberry-like color draws a great...
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Chrome Tourmaline Buying Guide
Rare chrome tourmaline can show an emerald-like green color. With a highly desired color and tourmaline's excellent qualities as a...
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Green Tourmaline (Verdelite) Buying Guide
Looking for a tourmaline jewelry stone? If you like green and you're on a budget, green tourmaline or verdelite is...
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Are Diamonds Really Rare? Diamond Myths and Misconceptions
Diamonds are popular gemstones surrounded by popular misconceptions. We'll tell you how they became so prized and debunk some of...
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How Can Gem Buyers Protect Themselves from Fraud?
How can gem buyers avoid undisclosed gem treatments and substitutions? Learn why it's best to deal with expert gem cutters...
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Pricing Faceted Gems and Calculating Your Return
Properly pricing faceted gems can be a daunting task for investors. Learn how to research gem prices and calculate your...
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Marketing Your Gems Online
Accurate descriptions and quality photographs are essential for marketing your gems online. Learn about options and best practices for improving...
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A Guide to Gem Selling Platforms
Determining where to sell your gems — whether online or in-person — can be difficult. Here’s a look at the...
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Negotiating Strategies for the Gem Trade
What negotiating strategies work best in the gem trade? Learn how some general principles and a win-win mindset can help...
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How to Prepare for Gemstone Negotiations
Research is crucial for success in any business deal. To prepare for gemstone negotiations, focus on these three subjects to...
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Negotiations 101: Key Principles for Buying Gems for Profit
Your gem investment profits depend mostly on the prices you set through negotiations. Understanding four key business principles will help...
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Options for Financing Gem Buying for Profit
How should you pay for investment gems? Learn the pros of cons of three options for financing gem investments —...
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How to Establish a Network of Gem Trade Contacts
To make a profit investing in gems, you’ll need a network of gem trade contacts. Here’s some advice on how...
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Gemstone Sourcing Guide
Investors have many gemstone sourcing options, but which ones will work best for you? Learn the pros and cons, as...
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The Impact of Lab-Grown Stones on the Gem Market
Lab-grown stones have the potential to disrupt the gem market. Learn how they can affect supply and demand and whether...
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Insights on Gemstone Pricing
Gemstone pricing can vary greatly between dealers. Learn about the myriad factors that go into prices for both colored gems...
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Gemstone Rarity and Ease of Replacement
Most gemstones are rare, but some are rarer than others. Learn how gemstone rarity and ease of replacement can affect...
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Supply and Demand: Gemstone Market Dynamics
The gem market can be very subjective. Nevertheless, investors can make money by starting with the basics: understanding supply and...
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Gemstone Buying for Profit: Budget and Basis
Good-quality gemstones are expensive, but you can make money investing in gems even if you have a small investment budget....
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Managing Your Time Horizon for Gem Buying and Selling
How long should investors hold on to gemstones? Learn how your investment goals, business model, and patience affect your investment...
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Evaluating Market Risk for Gemstones
Gemstone investors must keep up with global trends when evaluating market risk. Learn how studying sociocultural factors can lead to...
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Risk Management and Gem Buying for Profit
You can’t eliminate all risks from gem investing, but understanding the risks you’ll face and your appetite for them will...
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Buying Gems for Profit: An Introduction
Successful investing in gemstones requires knowledge and experience. The IGS Buying Gems for Profit course will give you the knowledge...
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Gem Pricing Advice for Faceters
Gem pricing isn't easy, and guidelines aren't always fixed. Learn what factors gem cutters should consider to determine a fair...
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Understanding the Inner Workings of the Gem Trade
Based on interviews with gem trade experts, this series of FAQs addresses many topics, such as gem value, investing, insurance,...
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Appraising Emeralds
Appraising emeralds is a key skill for all jewelers and gemologists. Learn how to evaluate the quality of these rare...
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Ruby and Sapphire Origins
Ruby and sapphire origins greatly affect the values of these prized gems. Learn where these stones occur and how inclusions...
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Appraising Blue Sapphires
Appraising blue sapphires is a critical skill for any jeweler or gemologist. Learn the basics you’ll need to evaluate one...
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Making Money Investing in Gems: The Top 5 Rules
How do you make money investing in gems? What should you buy, for how much, and how can you add...
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Gemstone Certificates
Can you rely on gemstone certificates to reveal everything that can affect the value of pricey gems? Learn what to...
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Exposing Diamond Overgrading at EGL Labs
The effects of the 2014 scandal over diamond overgrading at EGL labs are still emerging. Learn what gemologists and retailers...
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Jewelers Pricing Survey
The International Gem Society (IGS) ran a jewelers pricing survey in 2002 and 2012. Over those ten years, we saw...
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Is My Alexandrite Just A Color-Change Chrysoberyl?
Buyer beware! Not all color-change chrysoberyl is alexandrite. Learn the classic color ranges of true alexandrite and avoid being scammed...
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Gem Price Guide
The IGS Gem Price Guide covers many popular as well as unusual, collectible gems. Find your gem’s retail value based...
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Underkarating fraud in the jewelry trade
Underkarating is a fraudulent practice whereby a jeweler represents a piece of jewelry or gold as containing more precious metal...
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Relationship Between the Price of Gold and the Price of Your Jewelry
Understanding how the price of an underlying jewelry metal, such as gold, impacts the price of your finished jewelry.
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Product Review, Opal Smart Chart
The newest thing in the opal world is the Opal Smart Chart. This is a software package designed to help...
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Product Review, Opal The Smart Chart
The newest thing in the opal world is the Opal Smart Chart. This is a software package designed to help...
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How Rare is That Gem?
Rarity is one of the most prized qualities of gemstones. But some gems are far more rare than others! This...
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