Order in the court! All rise for the honorable Jewelry Judge...well, if you do visit this judicial-sounding fellow, it won't take place in a courthouse, and better yet, no actual judges will be present. Instead, you'll be dealing with Barry Block and his jewelry appraising business. That's just what my fiancée and I did back in late July as we wanted to see what her engagement ring was truly worth. I'll build on that word "worth" for a second because it's important to start off saying that Barry's business is 150% worth visiting, especially if you have some kind of diamond or older jewelry that you need an appraisal just to see what it's...worth? Yup worth! Even though Barry offers many types of jewelry appraisals, you can tell he specializes in rings. Speaking of Barry, if you look and listen, he might remind you of a version of Doc Brown from Back to the Future (only slightly calmer!). It's an odd comparison, but it fits so well. You'll notice it as soon as he welcomes you into his office and you start to talk through his experiences with jewelry. He'll ask some questions about you as well just to set a friendly and thoughtful mood. It may be business with Barry, but you almost don't realize you have to pay him at the end! After starting things off with getting to know each other, a quick cleaning of the ring (all you need is a firm toothbrush and dishwasher soap) came next followed by the meticulous breakdown of each part of a diamond and the ring setting itself. As this went on, Barry informed us as to what he was doing for each step, how he measures the diamond, and the specs for how the diamond compares to others. This thoroughly detailed approach that Barry gave was incredible and really made us feel like we weren't being ripped off. Once the appraisal was over, the icing on the cake was the easy setup to insure the ring. Barry has the paperwork and digitally filled everything out for us. Basically all we had to do was accept the quote when it came in our email. The whole process probably took around an hour though it never felt like our time was being wasted. Better yet, I look forward to returning for any other appraisals I might need in the future. Overall Jewelry Judge is the real deal. Barry is a true gentleman and has such a welcoming demeanor with great knowledge and honesty when it comes to his appraisals. I mean it's quite possible that if you find out you paid way too much for your engagement ring that you might walk out angry, but if the experience goes like it did for us (plus you find out your ring is appraised for a lot more than what you paid!) then there's no way you aren't having a five star experience. Go and find out for yourself so you can be the...judge, heh heh. read more

Jewelry Judge - Office area. Can you spot the Yelp sticker? - Appraisal Services Near Me - Carle Place, New York

I have used Barry Block at the Jewelry Judge several times in the past and will soon be going back. He does not buy or sell jewelry, so his appraisals are fair and accurate. I highly recommend him, especially for large quality pieces. read more

Don't. If you do bring it to another place for a 2nd assessment. He can tell you all about the size and clarity of your stones but his retail assessment is so askew that he should be reported to the BBB but cant be because it's a subjective pricing. When I got a 2nd and 3rd opinion one of the people actually knew of him and started ranting about what a fraud he is. In short he assessed my stones and gave them a RETAIL price of 3K. When I purchased I was told 18k. When I got a 2nd opinion I was told 18-20K. Throw away the money he will take from you and go somewhere else. read more

Second time my wife and I have gone to Mr Barry Block. I went to him originally on a recommendation that my mother Recieved from a friend. We drove from Coney island to long island to appraise my wife engagement ring, 7 years ago and we returned yesterday to re appraise and to appraise a few new items. He doesn't charge by percent of the worth of the jewelry (which would make him value the items at a higher price to make more)....just a flat fee. He is extremely knowledgeable and very personable as well. Very interesting person and as my wife said "trust Barry Block" ......he is like the allstate guy that was in the show 24.....you just trust this guy lol Thank you Barry! read more

My recent appraisal with Barry Block was one of the most professional, informative and pleasant business transactions. He appraised a Cartier watch and he was very knowledgeable and thorough. I feel I got a very fair appraisal but more than that, it was a great overall experience because he stayed engaged while sharing interesting stories and his thoughts on the watch he was appraising. The office was also very well protected with plastic sheets separating staff from customers. Very reasonable in price, too. read more

The wife and I had purchased a few pieces of jewelry over the past couple of years and we wanted to have them insured. I Made an appointment to see Barry today, and we were so happy we did. He was very knowledgeable and walked us through the process of evaluating our diamond jewelry. He answered all of our questions and to our surprise gave us a piece of mind in the fact that we didn't over pay on our purchases. In fact he was surprised on how much we spent compared to what each piece was appraised for. Thanks again Barry and when we buy anything else in the future you will be our first stop. Warren read more

Great experience with Barry Block today. He was very responsive to e-mail and it was super easy to make an appointment. Pleasure to be around, you can tell he is extremely knowledgeable in his craft. He also takes all the appropriate measures for safe distancing during this pandemic (everyone in masks, a clear plastic barrier between him and you while you watch him work). Will definitely be back for future appraisals! Thank you so much! read more

I recently purchased a diamond ring and was curious to find out if I had gotten a good deal. My sister in law recommended the Jewelry Judge. The moment you walk in you're at ease. Mr. Block is extremely friendly, reassuring and a downright professional. This is the only place to go read more

I had never had jewelry appraised before and wasn't sure what to expect. When I called for an appointment, Lisa explained everything to me very clearly and answered all of my questions before we even settled on a time. They were able to schedule an appointment right away that fit into my busy work schedule. Barry was extremely friendly and helpful during the appointment. He explained everything in depth, answered all of my questions, made me feel so comfortable even though I knew next to nothing and even gave me recommendations for a jewelry insurance and a local jewelry repair shop. Not once did Barry make me feel bad about my lack of knowledge and just used my questions as opportunities to share his extensive knowledge of his trade. At the end of the appointment, he provided me with a printed and bound packet with the appraisal info on all the pieces that I took to him. I was able to use this to finalize the jewelry insurance application and now my pieces are all covered for everything. I walked out of the appointment wishing I had done this a long time ago and knowing that it was money well spent. I would highly recommend Barry and Jewelry Judge for any jewelry appraisal needs. I will definitely be returning in the future. read more

My fiancé and I went here to get my engagement ring appraised by Barry. He was very thorough with his examination by explaining what he was doing to determine the specifications of the ring. He does all the examination for appraisal in front of you. Barry was very friendly getting to know us as well. Definitely getting the top notch service here. We will come back again if we need any other jewelry appraised. I would highly recommend going to him as he shows amazing professionalism and he clearly enjoys helping his customers in his profession. read more

Although my engagement ring came with an appraisal, I wanted an independent evaluation. Barry Block was friendly, informative, and professional. I was so impressed by his expertise. Every part of his evaluation was nearly identical to the GIA report I brought with me. When he told me what he estimated the depth and table of my diamond to be, he was within a fraction of a percent of the GIA number. It was incredible! He taught he how to properly clean my ring and informed me that I was paying too much for jewelry insurance. It was a great experience and I would recommend the Jewelry Judge to anyone in the market for an honest professional appraisal. read more

Buying a ring isn't easy. I did my research before buying my fiance's engagement ring... I read a book, I spoke to people, I researched online. However, no matter how much research I did, I still didn't know if I was getting a good deal. Diamonds are all different and there are just too many variables. I finally made a decision on a ring, tried to negotiate and finally went with it. The person I bought the ring from appraised the ring so high... but I suspected that was too good to be true and it left me with a lot of second guessing. The only way to feel completely at ease with my purchase was to go to the jewelry judge. As many have stated the jewelry judge is professional, knowledgeable and courteous. He was able to provide a GIA like assessment on the diamond and verify that the paperwork I got matched the actual diamond. He was able to tell me how much the average sales price for the diamond was and luckily I didn't get ripped off. He certainly eased my mind and as a result will save me a few bucks on the ring insurance. read more

We had a great experience here at the Jewelry Judge. The whole appraisal was done in front of us. Barry is extremely knowledgeable, professional and honest. He was spot on with the diamond (he had us hold onto the certificate while he did his own measurements and inspection). I highly recommend him to anyone who is looking to get their jewelry appraised. He is a very nice guy and he's amazing at what he does. read more

Was recommended to see Barry from a close friend of mine. Barry is an absolute professional ; gives you every bit of information possible and does a thorough appraisal job. Just a pleasure to be around. Honest and fair. thank you for all your help ! read more

I've been using Barry for years to appraise both my jewelry and my mom's. There is nobody more thorough, trustworthy, honest and just plain nice. It is always a pleasure to make an appointment to see him. He also knows nearly any jeweler worth knowing. He will investigate, detail and describe in writing the type of metal of the piece, the exact stone type and the quality. He will give you a very fair assessment then send the appraisal directly to your insurance company if you like. It's not worth going anywhere else. He is known nationwide and he is the best. Go to the Jewelry Judge! read more

Jewelry Judge - My appraisals were presented to me in a bound folder - Appraisal Services Near Me - Carle Place, New York

The whole experience with Barry was wonderful: He returned my email for an appointment right away and was able to get me in sooner than I hoped. The appraisal itself was interesting to watch and he definitely knows his stuff. He was able to tell us what was in our GIA certification pamphlet just by looking at our stone in the ring. He also recommended an insurance company to insure the ring. Overall a very positive experience and I'd recommend him to anyone and will go back in the future. read more

I went to Barry on a recommendation from a friend. We came in from Bayside to get my mothers wedding rings appraised. I was so taken by Barry, and his professionalism. I was mostly impressed by his patience to explain in detail the quality of the rings. Barry was very honest, and a pleasure to do business with. I would HIGHLY recommend Barry for any appraisals needed. He is simply a gentleman. Gemology is not a trade, its an Art, and Barry exemplifies this art to the "T". Nikki :) read more

Nothing but the best with Barry. When I say that I couldn't be happier with Barry I truly mean it. He gave us real, honest information about our engagement ring and he is one of the friendliest and definitely one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable people I have ever met. This is THE guy to go to for a real cert / appraisal. He even helped us get insurance. I cannot say enough nice things about this gentleman, I will forever go back to him with all of my future jewelry, thank you again to him. read more

My fiancé and I met with Barry a few weeks back and I'm so happy we did! Barry was so pleasant and knowledge about everything. For someone who doesn't know much about diamonds he clearly and patiently explained everything to me! He provided us with the most accurate details from our GIA report just by looking at our diamond! He did the appraisal right in front of us, and most importantly was honest from beginning to end! I highly recommend coming here, Thank you Barry for the great experience! read more

Barry is top notch professional gemologist. I saw him last week with my fiancé to review my diamond ring purchase. Barry is beyond an expert he examined the stone through and trough and explained his findings and matched to my GIA cert. Very glad we went to Barry , reassuring and his appraisal revealed I paid wholesale prices. 1000% confidence read more

I have been coming to Barry for 25 years. This is the most professional honest appraiser you can find anywhere! He was recommended to me by several people and I can not say enough about this business! If you need an insurance appraisal this is the place to go! They are located near Old Country Road in Carle Place. There is no one that knows appraisal business like Barry!!!! read more

If I could give more stars I would! I had no idea what to expect during an appraisal and Barry was extremely knowledgeable and happy to educate me about my engagement ring. His report was spot on to the GIA grading report...confirmed for me that my fiancé got exactly what he paid for. read more

I needed some jewelry appraised and kept putting it off not knowing who I could trust for an honest evaluation. I found Barry on the internet and was impressed with his qualifications .Not only is he HIGHLY qualified but he is very professional and personable. It was a pleasure to meet with him. While examining each piece he is informative throughout the process and you can feel his passion for his work. Great experience. !!!! read more

Very pleasant experience. I have total confidence in his work. I will absolutely go back if I need another appraisal someday.

I had to have my wife's rings appraised in order to purchase insurance on them and have sent back to Blue Nile for redipping and cleaning. I had appraised them before when I first bought her two engagement rings and wedding band, but I went to an appraiser in Manhattan. I was already familiar with the concept of "watch while you wait" appraising. However, I didn't feeling like going through the hassle of finding impossible parking in midtown Manhattan or taking the subway with her rings. I found Mr. Block after some extensive research, and was a little skeptically when I was able to make an appointment on one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year, the day before Easter. When I drove out there, there was plenty of free parking and waited only five or seven minutes before he saw me. Mr. Block was very professional and taught me some things while he appraised my rings. One of the engagement rings I bought my wife was 18k white gold with the exception of the prongs that held the diamond. He explained to me that gold, although very durable, is pliable. Platinum is used for the posts that a diamond is set in because it is a stronger metal to hold the diamond in place. I didn't know that. Mr. Block took measurements and pictures of my stones and appraised them at fair market value. He not only provided me a hard copy of my ring appraisals, but sent copies to me via email. It made it easier to send to the insurance company the same day. In order for Blue Nile to clean or have any repairs done on your Jewelry, you must provide the diamond grading report that came with the stone. I couldn't find mine but sent the ring off anyway. Mr. Block had invited me to come back to his office when I received the rings back from Blue Nile to insure it wad the same stone. And that is what I did today. He took a look at it and confirmed that it was the same stone. I tried to tip him just for the courtesy of seeing me today which he respectfully refused. He insisted that I spend the money on my wife and to make sure I bring her next time. I found Mr. Block to be very friendly and knowledgeable, and his ethics distinguishes him as being a professional from others in his field. Highly recommended. P.S. Take a look at his tissue box cover in his lab. A very thoughtful cover that he made himself. You golf fans will probably guess what it is. read more

We came in to find out the value of some jewelry we own. Had a wonderful experience and are going to go back soon to have more jewelry appraised. Go here for a great, easy and honest experience read more

I found Jewelry Judge online and scheduled an appointment for an appraisal for my engagement ring (along with another ring that my mom had) in February 2014. The office is very nice, the front desk receptionist was very sweet and Barry is great. He is super personable and very professional. Being the first time Ive ever gotten jewelry appraised and not having a clue what was going on and what he was doing- he was totally cool with all my questions and explained everything he was doing as he went. Barry is very knowledgeable and it seems like he enjoys educating his clients also which is really important. A little over a year later (September 2015) I came back for an appraisal for my wedding band and Im still very happy with his service and I feel like his prices are very reasonable. I will continue to use Barry for any future appraisals as long as he is in the area. Thank you! read more

Barry was excellent. Before asking to see any reports on the diamond I had appraised he wanted to show off his skills and create his own report to compare with the GIA. He was 100% accurate. His work was excellent and gave a fair and unbiased appraisal. I will be visiting him again with all of my appraisal needs. read more

What a great experience and well run place. I went there today to have my ring appriased. Barry was excellent and very informative.

All class, all the way! Barry was kind, professional & efficient. His appraisal of my loose diamond as well as the ultimate ring post setting were literally spot on! As if he wrote my GIA certificate 2 minutes before I walked in the door. Couldn't have been happier with the service & advice from Barry. read more

Today I received quite the education from The Jewelry Judge, Barry Block. I was referred to the Jewelry Judge by Genero's Jewelers because the owner of Genero's didn't feel that they had the expertise to appraise a Patek Felipe pocket watch. Since each of these watches differ in many ways and Barry had to research the watch. He was able to find out when the watch was manufactured and several comparable watches, some as far away as Germany. In the end, I was presented with guaranteed appraisal and a great contact that offers affordable insurance. I will definitely be visiting the Jewelry Judge again with other family heirlooms. I highly recommend The Jewelry Judge as a non prejudicial appraiser. The Judge does not buy or sell jewelry, he just appraise it. read more

What can I say? 2018 has been good to me. I got a new car. Had some fibroids removed and got engaged on September 9, 2018. After my engagement my plan was to go to Manhattan to find an appraiser but sitting in traffic just wasn't what I felt like doing today. I decided to go online and look for an appraiser in Brooklyn or Long Island. It didn't take me long to find the Jewelry Judge. I went in this afternoon and met with Barry Block. He is charming! Not only is he professional, he is kind, honest and passionate about gemstones. He did my appraisal with care but he also educated me on what he was doing, what characteristics he saw in my diamond to include the accents and educated me on gemology terminology and how to care for my ring. I could talk to this man for hours. He is knowledgeable and welcoming. You can tell that he is truly a rarity in the field of appraisals. I am so glad that I found him. My fiance and I will return with our wedding bands for appraisals as well after the wedding next year. I wish I had more jewelry to take to him but I am part of the middle class working poor so this ring is probably the most expensive piece of jewelry that I own right now. LOL I'm just grateful that it has been appraised and insured. read more

Barry Block certainly knows about diamonds!! He has been in the business of diamonds for over 50 years. I went to him for the second time last week to have my engagement ring appraised and to update an appraisal of another ring. You sit with him in his office while he examines your jewelry. I asked him several questions while he was working on my ring and he gave me the answers right away. He also told me about a Jewelry Insurance Company. I was planning on insuring my rings with a jewelry floater on my homeowners policy. I found out that the Jewelry Insurance Co. was better coverage and so I have decided to go with them. You will have your appraisal within an hour. I highly recommend Barry for any jewelry appraisal!!!!!! He's a very friendly and knowledgeable appraiser!!! read more

Barry is such an awesome guy, gave me a great education on diamonds, and gave me peace of mind that the engagement ring I purchased exceeded my expectations! Highly recommend him and his services to anyone that needs jewelry apprisals!! read more

After a ton of research online about how best to sell a diamond ring for my mother, I decided that getting an appraisal first was the best way to begin. We decided to visit Barry Block in Carle Place. The prior reviews were excellent and going with an independent appraiser made sense so much sense. While I was hopeful about the appointment, I was guarded about the process. That is, until we got to meet Barry. His experience and knowledge was apparent from the onset, and his personality made it that much easier to communicate. You could see that jewelry is in his bloodlines. He walked us through the full appraisal process, with an explanation of the rating of the main diamond in the ring, clarity, color, shape, and what the real value of the ring should be, not an inflated or deflated number based on the influence of a retailer or an insurance company. The detail of his appraisal, with helpful comparisons to previous diamonds, settings, and rings he has seen help us full comprehend what the ring was realistically worth. Barry sells no jewelry (the real reason you know you are getting an independent appraisal) but was able to help us put us in touch with someone who does auctions. We are able to get a great price on the ring! Without Barry's experience and help, we would never have gotten a honest appraisal nor the direction on how to best accomplish the sale. Both my mother and I highly recommend Barry to all who wish an independent appraisal! read more

I had my engagement ring appraised here just today. Barry provided excellent quality service. He explained everything to us and was extremely knowledgeable. Not only that, he was also just a pleasure to be around. I highly recommend him. Barry is fantastic and we left feeling so pleased with our whole experience. Also, the receptionist was fantastic as well. When I had called to make an appointment she was just so pleasant and helpful. Good service and good people. Two thumbs up! read more

Had an awesome experience with Barry. Super nice, professional, knowledgeable. Made me feel very comfortable with handling my diamond. Would definitely recommend him to anyone! read more

Professional, pleasant, expert. Reasonable prices.

I highly recommend Mr.Block for a professional appraisal. He was extremely knowledgeable and honest. Thank you so much for your help today. I was so happy with the outcome of my visit. I will advise anyone looking for a jewelry appraisal to visit your business. read more

Honest appraisals, great conversation, and a plethora of knowledge. The verdict is in and the Judge knows his stuff.