Jewelry & Diamond Appraisals in Miami
Insurance, estate, and resale valuations by mail from a trained gemologist in the historic Seybold Building — the heart of Miami's diamond district, serving you anywhere in the U.S.
A written appraisal from a trained gemologist tells you exactly what you own and what it's worth — for insurance, for an estate, for resale, or simply for peace of mind. Every appraisal at Bizak & Co. is performed personally by Arkadius Bizak — three decades in Miami's jewelry trade since 1996, gemmologically trained at HRD Antwerp (AWDC) and the ERIJ Foundation.
You don't need to be in Miami, and we don't send your piece to a third party. Start with photos for a preliminary read, then mail it in with free insured shipping — it's examined, graded and documented by us in the Seybold Building, and returned to you fully insured.
Types of Appraisal
Insurance Appraisal
Retail replacement value in writing, formatted for your insurer or a rider on your homeowner's policy.
Estate & Inheritance
Fair, documented valuations for probate, estate settlement, and dividing inherited jewelry.
Resale & Fair Market
An honest opinion of what a piece would realistically sell for today, before you negotiate.
Diamond & Gemstone Grading
Identification and grading of diamonds and colored stones — cut, color, clarity, carat, and origin.
Watch Authentication
Authentication and valuation of luxury and vintage timepieces, movement and condition assessed.
Peace of Mind
Simply want to know what you have? Send a few photos to start — no obligation to sell, ever.
How It Works
Send Photos
Share photos and a few details through the form or WhatsApp. We give you a preliminary read and confirm a flat fee — no obligation.
Mail It In, Insured
Approve the fee and we send a prepaid, fully insured label. Ship from anywhere in the U.S.
Expert Examination
Your piece is graded and authenticated by a trained gemologist in the Seybold Building.
Signed Appraisal, Returned
You receive a signed appraisal for your insurer, attorney or buyer — and your piece back, fully insured.
What a Written Appraisal Actually Contains
An appraisal is a document, not a number over the phone. A usable one — the kind an insurer, an attorney or an executor will accept — states all of the following, and we write to that standard:
- A full description of the piece as it exists today: type, style, era where it can be established, and any signature or maker’s mark.
- The metal and its purity, taken from the hallmark where there is one and tested where there is not.
- Measurements and weights — total weight of the piece, and stone weights measured or, where a stone is mounted and cannot be removed, estimated from its dimensions and stated as an estimate.
- Stone-by-stone identification and grading: cut, colour, clarity and carat for diamonds; species, colour and clarity for coloured stones; and any treatment that is detectable.
- Condition notes — worn prongs, a thinned shank, replaced parts, previous repairs. These change the value and belong in the document.
- Which kind of value it is, and the market it is based on. Retail replacement for insurance is a different number from fair market for an estate, and a document that does not say which one it means is not usable.
- The effective date, and the name and signature of the person who examined the piece.
If an appraisal you already hold is missing the type of value or the effective date, your insurer may well decline it. That is worth checking before you need to make a claim rather than after.
An Appraisal Is Not a Lab Report
People bring us one expecting the other. They answer different questions.
| Laboratory report | Written appraisal | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Usually one unmounted stone, on its own. | The whole piece as it exists — metal, all stones, mounting, condition. |
| What it states | Identity and grades. A laboratory does not state a value. | A value, and which kind of value it is. |
| Who wants it | The trade, and buyers comparing stones. | Insurers, courts, executors, and anyone dividing an inheritance. |
| How it ages | The grades do not change; the report stays valid. | Carries an effective date, because prices move. It gets refreshed. |
| Does one replace the other | No. A report makes an appraisal faster and more precise, and an appraisal takes the report’s grades as read. Neither does the other’s job. | |
When You Need One — and When You Do Not
We would rather tell you not to bother than take a fee for a document you will never use.
Insuring a piece
Adding a rider to a homeowner’s policy, or scheduling a piece separately, needs a current retail replacement value in writing from someone who is not selling it to you.
Estate settlement or probate
Executors need documented fair market value at a date, not a shop’s opinion. So do the courts.
Dividing an inheritance
Two siblings and one jewelry box is where families fall out. An independent written value for each piece takes the argument out of it.
Before you sell anything significant
Know the floor before you negotiate. If your intention is to sell by mail, sell.bizakco.com handles that side.
After buying from a photograph
The clean way to confirm that what arrived matches what was described — see buying estate jewelry online safely.
When you probably do not need one
Plain gold you intend to sell by weight is settled by a scale and the day’s price. Costume and gold-plated pieces are usually worth less than the fee. We will tell you that before you pay, not after.
Transparent, Flat-Fee Pricing
Appraisal fees are a flat rate, quoted upfront, before we begin. They fall in line with the U.S. standard of roughly $65–$200 per piece depending on complexity, with luxury watches typically higher. You approve the fee first — there are never hidden costs, and there is never any pressure to sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a jewelry appraisal cost in Miami?
Appraisal fees are a flat rate quoted upfront, before any work begins — typically in line with the U.S. standard of about $65 to $200 per piece depending on complexity, with no hidden costs. Watch appraisals are usually higher. We confirm your exact fee first.
How long does a jewelry appraisal take?
Once your piece reaches us, most single pieces are examined and documented within one to two business days. Larger estates or complex pieces may take longer; we give you a timeline when it arrives.
What is the difference between an insurance appraisal and a resale valuation?
An insurance appraisal states retail replacement value — what it would cost to replace the piece new — and is used for coverage. A resale or fair market valuation reflects what the piece would realistically sell for today. They are different numbers, and we tell you which one you need.
Do I need an appraisal to sell my jewelry?
Not always, but an independent appraisal gives you an honest baseline of what you own before you negotiate, so you can sell with confidence rather than guessing.
What are your gemologist's qualifications?
Appraisals are performed personally by Arkadius Bizak — three decades in the Miami jewelry trade since 1996, with gemmological training including a 5-day HRD Antwerp (AWDC) course in ruby, sapphire and emerald (2023), plus diamond grading (2019) and gemmology (2022) courses in Poland.
What do I need to send for an appraisal?
Send the piece itself and any documents you have — prior appraisals, diamond certificates, receipts, or box and papers for watches. They help, but they are not required; we grade what we receive.
Does a GIA or HRD report mean I do not need an appraisal?
No. A laboratory report identifies and grades a stone; it does not state a value, and it says nothing about the mounting, the metal or the condition of the piece around it. Bring the report — it makes the appraisal faster and more precise — but the report itself is not the document your insurer is asking for.
How often should an appraisal be updated?
Every few years, and sooner after a sharp move in metal or gem prices. An insurance appraisal states replacement value on an effective date, so an old one can understate what it would now cost to replace the piece — which is discovered at the worst possible moment, when a claim is made. Updating an existing appraisal is quicker and cheaper than the first one.
Can you appraise a piece you did not sell me?
Yes, and most of what we appraise came from somewhere else entirely — inherited pieces, auction buys, other dealers, online purchases. The appraisal is a separate service with its own flat fee, and there is never any obligation to sell the piece to us.
Can you appraise from photographs?
Photographs give a useful preliminary read, and that is where we start — free, and with no obligation. A written appraisal cannot be done from photographs, because purity, weights, clarity and treatments have to be measured on the piece itself. That is why the piece is mailed in, insured both ways.
Is it worth appraising costume or gold-plated jewelry?
Usually not. If a piece is worth less than the appraisal fee, the document costs you more than it protects. Send photographs first and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth the fee. Sentimental value is real, but it is not something any appraiser can put a number on.
Request Your Appraisal
Tell us about your piece and we'll reply with next steps and a quote. No obligation to sell — ever.