I took in a vintage ring with a large colored stone to another business to be appraised and was told it was not possible for them to determine if the stone had been "heat set". They didn't have the equipment. I called this business several months ago to determine if they did have the equipment and could see if the stone had been heat set. They assured me that they could do this. Before I took the ring in, I again called to make sure they were open and asked for the second time about being able to appraise the stone as heat set or not. I again was told this was something they could do. When I took the ring in last week, I asked for the third time to confirm they were able to determine if the stone was heat set. I was told for the 3rd time that this was something they could do. When my husband picked up the ring and the appraisal, he was told they didn't have the expertise or equipment to determine if the stone was heat set. Basically, they lied to me every time. The initial jeweler I took the ring too was honest enough to let me know right away and did not charge me for the appraisal. They were not. They just completed the appraisal and "assumed" the stone was heat set as most are. I would not have taken it to them if I knew they were incapable of doing the job. There is no reason to use this business. Any good jeweler can do an appraisal. I called to talk to the owner regarding this issue and was told he would return my call but he did not do so. read more

First of all, I don't understand why Yelp has decided that the ONLY review of Northwest Gemological Laboratory (NGL) it should show (and include in the search results) is a 1-star rating that reads as though the person went down a checklist of "common customer service complaints" and just listed them without specifics. When I searched his business out on Google and I saw the solitary review with a 1-star rating, I thought it was a joke--it was that unbelievable to me! I have done business with Ted at NGL for almost a decade. I have had the opportunity to deal with him professionally many times, as well as witness how he treats and interacts with other clients. He has always been friendly, professional, and has a great, wry/sarcastic sense of humor. His office is organized and he has a solid security system in place to keep the jewelry safe while it is in his care. He doesn't pull punches when providing advice or guidance for new or existing clients. If he doesn't offer a particular service, he will happily refer them to someone who does. If they need assistance with a special project (an estate appraisal of many jewelry items, for example), he will work with the client to determine what actually needs to be done for insurance and other purposes as well as the pricing--which has always seemed to be very fair. I have not had experience with Ted's Gemology classes, but his personality, manner/clarity of speaking, and his sense of humor indicate to me that the courses would be enjoyable and educational. Based on the feedback from other people (including the "filtered" reviews on Yelp), I am sure this portion of NGL's services are also a good value. NGL is one of the best places to take your jewelry to be independently, accurately, and affordably appraised for insurance and other purposes. I am sure his other services are equally comprehensive and professional. Don't discount NGL because of the poor and poorly-written review (which then of course directly advertises for another competing business). The "hidden" 5-star reviews read much more like actual reviews written by real people who actually did business here and discussed specifics of their experiences. Ted has owned and operated this business in downtown Bellevue for decades, and I think that says a lot. read more

I have zero doubt that the appraisal was done by a professional, in a competent manner. However, I would have to rate the entire experience as perfunctory and unremarkable. The positive: 1) The location is a nice building, and the office is secure. 2) The appraisal report seemed thorough, even if it was simply reconfirming the details on the GIA report. The negative: 1) The front office staff were a little cool. Not rude, per se, just not very welcoming. I experienced this with one lady at drop-off, and another at pick-up. 2) I was originally told that it would take an hour to do the appraisal. When the woman realized that I hadn't made a "while you wait" appointment, the estimate quickly changed to 3 days. 3) The appraisal was actually completed on the same day. However, nobody bothered to call and inform me. Instead, I waited the promised 3 days. 4) There was absolutely no interaction with the appraiser. I was simply handed my report, I handed over payment to the front office lady, and that was that. read more

Rated 1 Star due to poor customer service, confusing process, false light, perceived lack of professionalism, lack of confidence in safety of environment, and definitely not the polished brand the marketing claims. While I liked the educational aspect of their website, I do not feel comfortable doing business there. Consider Christina Harrington downtown Seattle. Update: The owner emailed me an apology when I emailed my complaint. read more

I had a great experience with NW Gem Lab! It was very easy to make an appointment online, and they are conveniently located near downtown Bellevue with free visitor parking. We did a preliminary appraisal, and in 30 minutes, left with my ring and a brief report with estimated retail value and other helpful information! Excellent and friendly customer service as well. Highly recommend for anyone seeking trustworthy appraisal services and peace of mind. read more

I offer a solid 5 star rating for Ted & the NW Gemology team. I found them to be extremely professional and trustworthy. They provided an excellent level of customer service, which included follow-up calls to update me on the progress of my appraisal. The appraisal was on time, well written and affordably priced. They are clearly subject matter experts in the field of gemology and I wholeheartedly recommend them for fine jewelry appraisal and gemological consultation. read more

Ted is professional and thorough. We have gone to him twice for appraisals and we will only use his services in the future.

I shopped for some jewelry online and was unsure of the authenticity. I had 2 items but Ted only charged for one. He told me the ruby and sapphire necklace was real, but low quality. The gold bracelet which was advertised as 18K was shown lower and he told me this company is known for heavy gold plating. His advice saved me a lot of money and I am returning the 18K gold plated bracelet. The website said it was 18K gold but didn't bother to say gold plated. I am so glad I had these verified and will go back with every jewelry item I purchase. read more

I recently had an appointment to have my wedding ring set re-appraised for insurance purposes and was extremely pleased by the professionalism, courteous and thorough service. Ted (Graduate Gemologist) was very conscientious of my time and charged a very fair rate. Conveniently located in downtown Bellevue, the experience couldn't have been more smoother or easy. Thanks, Ted! read more

Have had three appraisals performed here with the first one being over ten years ago and the most recent in the past couple weeks. Each time we were treated with professionalism and received excellent service. The appraisals were well written and accurate. Anytime we get a new piece of jewelry we will make sure to come back! read more