Meet Graduate Gemologist Jeanne Hawk
After a successful career designing, developing, and testing software, Jeanne decided to pursue her passion of jewelry design. Having designed some fine jewelry pieces years ago, she began designing, handcrafting, and selling sterling silver jewelry. A new appreciation for gemstones and their beauty inspired her to study gemology. She earned her Graduate Gemologist diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). She then worked for different jewelers in the bay area doing gemology and appraisal work.
Realizing she wanted to be an independent jewelry appraiser, she pursued formal appraisal studies with the California Institute of Jewelry Training (CIJT) and received her Registered MasterValuer™ certification. To learn more specifically about insurance appraisals, she earned her Certified Insurance Appraiser™ designation from the Jewelry Insurance Appraisal Institute (JIAI).
When you walk into Jeanne’s office, you’ve stepped into a laboratory. Jeanne Hawk Fine Jewelry Appraisals is an independent gemological laboratory specializing in the appraisal of fine jewelry. Various types of equipment are used to identify, weigh, measure, and grade gemstones.
The value of any jewelry is based on its quality and market conditions. Market conditions include things such as supply and demand – e.g., is the gemstone rare? Is it popular today? – and the value of the metal in the item (e.g., as the price of gold increases the value of gold jewelry increases). Quality is determined by the level of craftsmanship (e.g., manufacturing method, finish, setting, design), as well as identifying and grading the gemstone(s) in the item.
Once the gemstones have been identified and graded, the jewelry needs to be valued. The value of jewelry depends on the purpose of the valuation.
For example, if a client wants to insure their jewelry, an insurance appraisal is required. An insurance appraisal is used to determine the retail replacement value of a jewelry item. Most jewelry appraisals are done for obtaining insurance coverage.
Many clients have estate jewelry that needs to be valued. Estate jewelry is any jewelry that is pre-owned. If a client is interested in selling their estate jewelry, the fair market value of the jewelry is determined. Fair market value is the price that a willing buyer and willing seller agree to with no undue stress or pressure.
Some clients have estate jewelry of sentimental value they only want identified. Is it a sapphire ring? Blue topaz? Aquamarine? Specific gemological tests are done to determine the type of gemstone.
Services provided by Jeanne Hawk Fine Jewelry Appraisals include gem identification, diamond grading, jewelry appraisals, market value estimations, consultations, and quality assessments.
Originally from Atlanta, Jeanne and her husband, Steve, and their cat, Johnny Boy, now live in Capitola, happy to be near the ocean and away from big city traffic. Jeanne’s business is located in Scotts Valley to conveniently serve clients coming from Silicon Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley as well as the Central Coast of California.
•••
Jeanne Hawk Fine Jewelry Appraisals is located at 5521 Scotts Valley Drive, Suite 235, Scotts Valley. Visit www.hawkjewelryappraisals.com online.
In order to best meet the needs of her clients, Jeanne’s unbiased, professional services are provided by appointment only. Contact Jeanne today at 831.359.3449 or at [email protected] to schedule an appointment.