Post subject: Re: New Additions to La Shawn Bauer's Appraisal Page!
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 12:29 am
Site Admin
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
I have a question La Shawn. How does Quantum Leap go about attributing value?
Example: Contemporary Tiffany Crap Tiffany ('79-'84) (when it was owned by Avon) Vintage Tiffany top of it's game like Schlumberger Antique Tiffany Silver jewelry, mid 1800's (Moore) Tiffany knock off, no maker's mark
Does Quantum Leap have a data base filled with comps for all circumstances? Like RRUFF is for mineralogical spectra?
Or, do you still have to personally research the market for all your variables?
Post subject: Re: New Additions to La Shawn Bauer's Appraisal Page!
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:38 am
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:55 am Posts: 543
Fantastic record of his trip to Antwerp, reminds me of my trips to Idar Oberstein to buy mostly coloured stones, although I have to admit that the dealers there have such beautiful stones that I cannot resist buying a handful, "Just for stock" (in reality for me to drool over when things are slack). As Mr Bauer says, worth visiting.
Post subject: Re: New Additions to La Shawn Bauer's Appraisal Page!
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:11 pm
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:33 am Posts: 524 Location: East Coast
Greetings Barbra & Everyone Else:
Quantum Leap is an SQL Data Base
It DOES NOT have any type of Stored Data Base for Comps of any kind as that would be a MONSTER and a Nightmare to keep updated and current.
The Job of a Good Appraiser is to find, store and build their own Data Base of Comps or at least know where to go to find comps on the items they are appraising.
REMEMBER RULE #1.
A Good Professional Appraiser DOES NOT have to accept every appraisal assignment and they DO NOT have to Appraise Items outside their Field of Expertise or don't feel comfortable doing certain specific pieces.
Sometimes, it is best to just walk away from certain assignments and from certain people who come in wanting you to appraise something for them.
Their attitude and demeanor dictates very quickly those assignments I take and those assignments I send to someone else to deal with.
I charge DOUBLE if not more for Antique Period Pieces and for Fair Market Value Appraisals because of the time involved, but MOST IMPORTANTLY THE LEGAL RISKS INVOLVED to do it CORRECTLY & PROFESSIONALLY with Comps included, pictures and specific details from what sources, what they sold for or what their firm asking price was and so on.
It is best to save a Screen Shot or better yet print off the Web Page(s) and then scan them and put them into your work file because if you ever have to go to court to defend your work product you might be embarrassed to find that your hyper link you placed in your report no longer works and you have nothing to show for it.
Also when doing Comps correctly you have to show how you adjusted the comps to fit your particular piece and most appraisers don't show their work to prove that they've even done it and more importantly their protocols and procedures that can stand up against Professional Peer-Review to show and prove you truly know what you are doing in the first place.
Case-in-Point:
A while back a lady came in and she told me she had inherited a several pieces of Museum Quality Jade and they were worth a fortune and wanted them appraised.
I told her that each piece would have to be sent off to a Special lab for testing and verification as to the type of Jade and if they had been subjected to any type of treatment before I would accept the appraisal assignment and I told her what it would cost for each piece and the turn-around time involved and then how long it would take to do the proper research to arrive at a professional value conclusion.
She stuck her nose up in the air and huffed and told me, "Apparently you don't know what you are doing."
I smiled and let her put her Jade in her bags and she stormed out.
One less problem I have to deal with, Thank You very much.
OH WELL, the Joys of Being an Appraiser.
_________________ High Sierra Gem Lab La Shawn Bauer, G, G, GG, ASG/AGA, CGL/AGA, CGL/IJO, CDG/IJO, RMV, CM/NAJA
Coming Soon:
Bauer Gemological Products
From Simple Minds, comes Simple Answers & Even Simpler Solutions
Post subject: Re: New Additions to La Shawn Bauer's Appraisal Page!
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:32 pm
Site Admin
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Best advice ever, La Shawn. Know when to pass.
I ask because I love your templates for complete information. But clearly, even with Quantum Leap one still has the laborious tasks of research, research, research......which I actually enjoy.
Currently, I do not use any appraisal software (although I've long thought that it would speed up my process). But, I do use templates which look a lot like the final documents you have posted, with the exception that my templates have blanks for photos, maker's marks, etc. And when filled in, they WILL be the completed document.
My templates are labeled as are your plugins.
With jadeite, valuation is above my pay grade, but I am able to identify treatment and separate A from B from C. I will only offer identification on jade, no valuation.
Antiques and vintage are my passion. I base valuation on retail replacement for like items in a secondary market.
So...bottom line. Do we need Quantum Leap? I'm not sure we do.
Post subject: Re: New Additions to La Shawn Bauer's Appraisal Page!
Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:49 pm
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:33 am Posts: 524 Location: East Coast
Well Barbra
"To each their own", as someone once said.
All I can say is if I didn't have Quantum Leap I wouldn't be doing jewelry appraising today as I would have quit and walked away back in 2005 and sometimes I think I should have done just that back then or even sooner. LOL
It's been a Wild Strange Ride since I started back in 1978.
However I Love the Adventure that each day is totally different and I won't know what will come across my desk or my bench when I was doing benchwork.
I Love the Challenge of doing things to the Very Best of My Abilities and Constantly Strive to Improve Myself and My Work Product, My Appraisals, Damage Reports or Salvage Reports.
I also like hearing and sharing with My Friends and Professional Colleagues from various countries from around the world as it gives me a different viewpoint on what is happening overall.
All I can say is Quantum Leap is a Massive Time Saver and Money Maker for me and I can design my reports to how I want them and not follow a Canned Report Look. Point & Click and move on and skip the items I want to leave blank and don't have to worry about taking time to delete lines or cut and paste.
Repetitive Typing over and over and over is for the Birds, Point & Click is the ONLY WAY TO GO ! ! LOL
The Only Cut & Paste I do is when I edit and crop my photos and import them into my document.
I paid for Quantum Leap in the first month I used it and haven't looked back since.
I have quit a few insurance agents who rave about my appraisals and what I do for their clients
The Most Important Part of the Appraisal Process is the Post Appraisal Debriefing as I sit down and explain the entire report to the client quickly and efficiently.
Most First Time Clients tell me afterwards I was the first person (Appraiser) to actually explain the appraisal to them as most were just rung up, money collected and they are handed a report with no explanation what-so-ever.
_________________ High Sierra Gem Lab La Shawn Bauer, G, G, GG, ASG/AGA, CGL/AGA, CGL/IJO, CDG/IJO, RMV, CM/NAJA
Coming Soon:
Bauer Gemological Products
From Simple Minds, comes Simple Answers & Even Simpler Solutions
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