GIA-trained diamond grading using the 4Cs, and USPAP-compliant appraisal of fine, antique, and estate jewelry for insurance, estates, and resale.
Jewelry is where gemology and appraisal practice meet, and few generalist appraisers are trained in both. Jessica Rickman — a certified PACC Personal Property Appraiser and GIA Graduate Gemologist candidate — grades diamonds using the GIA 4Cs: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, the framework developed by the Gemological Institute of America and used worldwide.
The practice covers engagement rings and loose stones, gold and platinum jewelry, signed pieces from fine houses, and antique and estate jewelry — Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, and mid-century pieces whose age, construction, and maker can matter as much as their stones. Each report documents the piece's materials, grading observations, and the valuation approach used.
Depending on your purpose, reports state insurance replacement value (what it costs to replace the piece at retail, for scheduling on a policy) or fair market value (what it would actually sell for, the standard used in estates, divorce, and IRS matters). Choosing the right standard is part of the engagement.
Examinations are by appointment, either at the Franklin office at 101 Creekstone Blvd or on-site for estates and larger groups of jewelry anywhere in Nashville, Franklin, and Middle Tennessee. Each piece is examined, measured, weighed where possible, photographed, and graded — diamonds against the GIA 4Cs, colored stones and metals against their own quality criteria.
Valuation research then matches the documented quality to current retail or secondary-market data, depending on the standard of value your situation requires. The finished USPAP-compliant report is suitable for insurers, courts, the IRS, and estate files. Existing GIA or other laboratory reports are incorporated when available, and Jessica's refinery liaison service is available when scrap gold or silver should be weighed and tested rather than appraised as finished jewelry.
Jessica Rickman is a GIA Graduate Gemologist candidate and certified PACC Personal Property Appraiser. All jewelry appraisal reports comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP); she completed the McKissock National USPAP Course and passed the National USPAP Compliance Exam.
The GIA 4Cs — cut, color, clarity, and carat weight — are the international standard for describing diamond quality. Jessica Rickman, a GIA Graduate Gemologist candidate, examines and grades each stone against these criteria so its documented quality supports a defensible value in the appraisal report.
Insurance replacement value reflects what it would cost to replace a piece at retail today, and is used for scheduling jewelry on an insurance policy. Fair market value reflects what the piece would actually sell for between a willing buyer and seller, and is the standard for estates, divorce, and IRS purposes. The right standard depends on the intended use, and each report states which one it applies.
Yes. Antique and estate jewelry is a core specialty. With over 15 years of experience in antiques and training as a GIA Graduate Gemologist candidate, Jessica evaluates period construction, maker's marks, gemstones, and condition to value Victorian, Art Deco, mid-century, and contemporary pieces for clients across Nashville, Franklin, and Middle Tennessee.
No. A laboratory report is helpful but not required. Jessica grades mounted and loose diamonds using GIA methodology as part of the appraisal, and if an existing lab report is available it is incorporated into the documentation. Call (615) 852-7830 to discuss your pieces.
GIA-trained grading and USPAP-compliant reporting for insurance, estates, and equitable distribution throughout Nashville, Franklin, and Middle Tennessee.