Finding Perfect Accent Pieces

If you have recently lost a loved one and inherited jewelry from their estate, you may still be in a bit of shock about the whole situation. This is an understandable reaction. However, when you are ready, there are important steps that you should take when you have inherited jewelry from a family estate. Get to know more about some of these steps. Then, you can be sure you are doing what is right for you and your inherited jewelry collection. 

Have the Collection Appraised

The first thing you will want to do when you have inherited a significant amount of jewelry is to have the jewelry appraised. You will want to know what the jewelry is worth as is. Some of the jewelry you inherit may need a good cleaning or some repairs, but these things need to wait until after you have the jewelry appraised. 

Knowing the worth of the jewelry in your inherited collection can help you decide what you want to do with the collection going forward. It can also inform decisions about whether or not to insure the jewelry. 

Get Valuable Jewelry Insured

Speaking of insuring your jewelry, if you have any pieces that are valuable in the collection or the collection as a whole is quite valuable, getting them insured is the next step to take. Insurance for valuable jewelry will help to protect you if the pieces are stolen, lost, or damaged. 

This type of insurance can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars if anything were to happen to your estate jewelry. Even if you plan to sell the jewelry eventually, getting it insured in the meantime is the safest and smartest thing you can do. 

Have The Jewelry Cleaned and Repaired

Once you have the jewelry protected with insurance, your estate jewelry will be ready to go in for professional cleaning and repairs. Estate jewelry repair services are highly specialized in their field. They are accustomed to working with delicate antique jewelry and will work to maintain the integrity of the pieces as they do repair work. 

This can be as simple as fixing a broken clasp or replacing a missing stone or can be more complex like adjusting and fixing a setting that has been damaged. Repairing the jewelry, if you plan to sell it, will increase the amount you can ask for as well as what you will get for it from the final sale. People generally want to buy pieces they can wear or display immediately without having to go through the repair process themselves. 

Now that you know some of the steps to take when you have inherited jewelry from a family estate, you can get started taking care of your new jewelry collection as soon as possible. For more information, speak with a professional who provides estate jewelry repair services.