Valuation

Using our 200 years of experience, we offer a comprehensive range of valuation services for precious jewellery and silver items, including replacement, compensation and facsimile values. The valuations are carried out in-house by our fully-insured independently-registered valuer. We then provide full documentation, complete with the relevant market values, and a comprehensive overview of your piece.

In order to have your pieces valued, please get in touch to book an appointment. 

How it works:

1) Booking in - a few days before our scheduled appraisal day

You will need to bring in to the shop:

• Your articles
• Any receipts
• Any previous valuations
• Any boxes, ideally original ones
• Any warranties (even old ones), service or repair history paperwork, certificates or third party papers relating to the articles (watches or jewellery)
• Your insurance policy’s single item limit, if needed for insurance
• The deceased’s name and date of passing, if needed for probate

We will make an initial observation of the articles based on this information and your requirements and take you through the IRV's standard valuation checklist. We advise of any repair work required or suggested. 

2) Appraisal day

Our valuer looks over the items, photographs them and documents all information. We will inform customers of when their items can be collected - we will keep you informed of this eventuality. 

3) Research and documenting

Your actual valuation is prepared, values researched and the document created. The final version is usually ready 2 weeks after appraisal days, and you can collect your items at this time.

Email info@walterbull.co.uk for more information or to make an appointment.

Types of valuations

Insurance valuation

An insurance valuation is one of the most common forms of valuations we provide at Walter Bull & Son. The amount is based on how much the item will cost to replace with a similar piece if lost or damaged. The amount takes into account the average retail price in the current market. 

The valuation will be detailed, enabling an item of similar, but not identical quality to be obtained if a claim is submitted to the insurer. For handmade or bespoke items, a facsimile valuation may be required. 

Probate valuation

A probate valuation of jewellery is often required to be submitted to the legal representatives of an estate, after the owner of the pieces has passed away. If inaccurate or overlooked, you may face issues regarding inheritance tax. 

Although, as our valuations are typically based on open market assessments, they can lead to lower values than what may be obtained by an insurance valuation. The document will also be less detailed than an insurance valuation, but will provide all the necessary information required for probate. 

Facsimile valuation

This type of valuation provides a more accurate assessment of the quality and craftsmanship of the item, offering an amount that it will cost to reproduce an identical piece.

This valuation may cost you more to obtain as it requires additional research and time. Insurance companies are likely to charge a premium. 

Valuation to sell

This is not a formal valuation offered by all jewellers. Rather, our jewellery valuation service offers a free of charge appraisal of your items, providing you with a price at which you may be able to sell them to us.

You can bring your pieces to our showroom, where our experts will offer a private consultation in order to determine whether it is something we will be willing to buy from you and sell in our preowned collection. If so, we will make you an offer, which you do not have to accept. 

Private sale valuation

We also offer valuations for items you wish to sell privately to an independent party. This valuation will provide you with a reasonable amount for which you can sell the item. 

In this scenario, we will take a close examination of the piece, or pieces, assessing any items that may impact its value. The final price will be fair for the seller and the buyer. 

Divorce or family division

This valuation is for assessing the worth of separating couples' assets, which will be used by the court. The benefit of choosing our valuation service rather than an insurance valuation is that we would typically charge a lower price.