Valuation

When valuing watches we take the following factors into consideration:

• Brand / Model - each brand has various models and specific features which define its price
• Condition – surface scratches, dents or restorations will decrease value
• Age – generally the newer the watch, the higher the value
• Box and papers – box and papers that came with the watch will increase its overall value

As part of the valuation process we check watches against:

• Manufacturer databases
• Lost and stolen registers
• Auction history and databases such as ‘Invaluable’
• Dealers such as Watchfinder, watchers.co.uk and Alsal Watches
• Rolex and Breitling Repair Centres

The key factors we take into account when valuing jewellery are the metal, hallmarks and gemstones:

• Metal - platinum or white, yellow or rose gold, 9, 18 or 22 carats
• Hallmarks –  the official mark which acts as a guarantee of the metal’s purity and carat. Internationally hallmarked gold is not recognised as official under the UK Assay Office guidelines and is legally considered ‘yellow metal’
• Gemstones - clarity, cut, colour and carat of the stone

We monitor daily gold prices through the UK Assay Office and refer to bullion details such as Pressmans, NTL and Gerrards.

We value diamonds against the Rapaport Diamond Report - the internationally recognised guide to diamond value. We also check for diamond certifications from the Gemmological Institute of America, the European Gemological Laboratory, the International Gemological Institute and the Gemological Association. For other precious stones we refer to certifications from The Swiss Gemmological Institute and Gubelin.

Our valuation of fine art and antiques looks at current market trends in addition to the following factors:

• Fine art - popularity, artist, year and provenance of a piece condition, rarity, composition and signature
• Antiques - the medium, artist, period and size

We look at prices realised within the last five years worldwide supplied by providers such as Artnet, and for antiques we refer to dealers with specific knowledge on the type of antique to gain accurate and fair valuations.

We check auction house records for authentication, confirm the right of title to every piece and also check gallery provenance. Pieces are then cross checked against the Met Police lost and stolen database and Art Loss Registers.

As part of our valuation process a specialist verifies the car’s trade value by verifying factors such as year, make, model and overall condition. We then use industry leading systems such as Glass’ and Cap to view the trade value of the car and we refer to the V5 document for certification and proof of ownership.

For classic cars we check auction history records from specialist car auctions including Bonhams

Yachts and boats are appraised on site where docked or moored by one of our marine surveyors who are qualified by The Yacht Designers & Surveyors Association, The Association of Brokers & Yacht Agents or The Professional Charter Association.

We use the Marine Register to ensure ownership and check certification