Best plan for ring may be to keep it on hand

I need an honest appraisal for my rings, and I'd like to know how to figure out where to sell them.What is a diamond engagement ring worth? The details of this story have to be a little vague, but I'll tell you all I can.

This particular ring, the guy was just a teenager when he bought it, working at his father's store downtown.She was working downtown, too, same as he was. Big city, Midwest. Her job was just blocks away from his, actually, but they met in high school.They were on their way home from the movies, she thinks, when he proposed.

Hard to recollect, the memories fade, it's been a long time since the mid-1940s."He showed the ring to me and said, 'Will you marry me?' And I was surprised, and really, really pleased," she said .They got married, all right, a couple of years later. "He built us a beautiful home" with his own hands and some help "on the real technical parts." It became a good life. A better job came along, big company. Children came, and grandchildren.

In later years, they moved south for the warmth. Illness struck them both and was an unwelcome companion for a long time.Now he's gone. The last thing she wants is to be a burden.What's this engagement ring worth? I could calculate it pretty well, listening to her.But what will somebody pay her for it? I checked with the International Society of Appraisers. The closest certified member I found was Joette Humphrey, who works in Hendersonville. She has a basic rule on this: "My counsel, when people come in and want to sell their jewelry, is that if they are wearing it and loving it, don't sell it. It's likely not going to get what they think it's worth."If it's just sitting in a jewelry box, then sell it and invest the money

."You'll need what Humphrey calls "a willing buyer." And bluntly: "If someone were selling a piece to a pawn shop, they'll probably get less than selling to a neighbor." But most people don't buy from other people. They buy from a jewelry store, for the knowledge and expertise.Humphrey said that, with average jewelry, the way to get the most money is to put it in consignment, such as at a gallery. The catch is you don't get your money until the piece sells.For a quicker sale, a local dealer is an option, ideally one that specializes in estate jewelry (which is anything pre-owned). Local jewelers or antique shops may be able to give you an estimate, and possibly buy the jewelry outright.

Homework: Ask if there is a gemologist on staff or one on contract. Is the dealer a member of a certifying organization such as the American Gem Society? Call the Better Business Bureau, ask around about the store's reputation.If you have really high-end jewelry, you can check the phone book or the Internet for an auction company with experience in appraising jewelry.