I needed an insurance appraisal, but I also had a box of stuff I've acquired over the years, wondering whether it's worth anything. When I inherited jewelry from my mother, a previous appraiser was only interested in what had the highest value (I didn't know, because I hadn't had anything appraised!) and pretty much told me it would be a waste of time for him to go through it all, so nothing was appraised. Elliot took the time to educate and inform me about what makes a particular item valuable and how a value is determined, and didn't just blow off items of lower value. He had me specify what value range I was wanting details for, and whether $25 or $25,000, he would look them over with the same degree of attention without passing judgment. I would recommend him to anyone, whether just wanting to know if something is genuine, or needing something appraised in detail. read more

I was in San Diego on business for a couple of weeks when my fiancé surprised me with an incredible gift--a Rolex purchased from a 3rd party. As thoughtful as the gesture was, we needed to verify authenticity quickly and get it insured within the 30-day return window. I found Elliott at the San Diego Gemology Lab through Google as well as Yelp, and he was outstanding. Polite, highly knowledgeable, and accredited, he walked us through every step, answered all our questions (even about diamonds), and provided a professional appraisal that far exceeded what most jewelry stores offer. Worth every penny and gave us peace of mind. If you need an appraisal in San Diego, Elliott is the one to see. Thanks again, Elliott! read more

Elliot is amazing! wanted to update my insurance coverage, and he made the process so interesting. I learned a lot about my jewelry! It's always nice to find a business that really cares about their client. Thank you! read more

Elliot did a wonderful job at appraising my grandmother's rings that were given to me. He walked me through the entire process, clearly explained every step and took the time to answer my questions. The end result was a thorough insurance report, along with a PDF copy for my records. I would not be happier with Elliot and Leo's, and would recommend them to anyone without hesitation. read more

San Diego Gemological Lab - Engagement ring - Appraisal Services Near Me - San Diego, California

Elliot is amazing! very responsive with making appointment, very reasonable price, and very knowledgeable. i had my grandmothers ring appraised and he explained everything he was doing very clear and easy to understand. i found my new jewelry appraiser !!! highly recommend read more

I had the most excellent experience here! I had a handful of jewelry from my grandmother I wanted to learn about. Coming here made me feel so connected to my roots and family history. I learned so much about my jewelry and was able to ask so many questions about the stones, metal and value. I highly recommend this business and will definitely come back for services! read more

We had a ring appraised and Elliot was very kind and professional. He walked us through what we could expect if we moved forward with thoughts of selling the ring. We walked in having no idea about the process or what to expect and left well informed. I would absolutely return if in need of these services again. Thank you so much. read more

Did a wonderful job! Very informative, quick, and friendly. Provides a great package to take away and understand the appraisal in depth. Great experience. read more

Thom did a great job appraising my engagement ring. He was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Sadly, he is moving on from this business but passing it over to Leo Hammel. I found San Diego Gemological Lab through a Professional Association's website after researching that working with an accredited gemologist is the way to go. This place had 5 stars on Yelp and Thom let me watch the appraisal process and ask 100 questions. I learned a lot and in the end, I received a paper and digital copy of the appraisal report. I would recommend Thom & his business to anyone! He has been training an apprentice to take over his business--best of luck to Thom in his future endeavors! read more

I met with Thom to get a few pieces appraised, he explained the appraisal process and even took the time to give me the details of the procedure. He was very personable, and polite. I've already made plans to go back to get more jewelry appraised. read more

Very professional, thorough appraiser. He has a small office inside the jewelry store but evidently is not directly employed by the store. I would go to him again if needed. read more

I had Mr. Underwood appraise my wedding ring and my wife's wedding and engagement rings this morning for insurance purposes. He has a small office inside Leo Hamel Fine Jewelry, but it's bookcases are filled with books on gems and jewelry, and the walls are covered with framed certifications. Thom is an absolutely delightful person, very interesting, and extremely thorough. As others have mentioned, he does a detailed appraisal, including weighing, microscopic examination, as well as consulting a book that he called "The Kelly Blue Book of diamonds" for the value of the 3 Cs. Everything is completely and thoroughly described, documented, and explained in a multi-page, slip-cover bound document that also includes photos, as well as a full page of his education, qualifications, and certifications. He is truly a professional and an expert in his field. A PDF was also e-mailed, which I promptly sent to my insurance agent. Thom is an experienced traveler and we discussed our mutual love of travel and swapped travel stories. We also share an interest in solar energy and bicycles. Thom is one of the most interesting people I've had the privilege of meeting and talking within such a short time span. read more

We had a ring appraisal with Thom and had a wonderful experience. He performed the whole appraisal start to finish in front of us, and we left with both a printed and pdf report. He educated us during each step and explained what he was doing and why. He was clearly extremely knowledgeable and he was also very kind, friendly, and patient. We had peace of mind with Thom as we saw how confidently and professionally he works, and the jewelry never left out sight. read more

Elliot appraised my watch and was very knowledgeable. He went through the process with me and explained all the steps. He is very nice and it was a pleasure doing business with him. read more

I have never had any item appraised and I must say it was a super cool experience. The experience was fascinating and educational. Tom Underwood clearly loves what he is doing and is a gifted teacher. If I ever want a piece of jewelry appraised or assessed in any way I would call San Diego Gemological. read more

Thom is located inside Leo Hamel & Co., on the left inside. It's a tiny room decorated with his various diplomats, awards, and accolades and the 6x6 room really feels like a lab. Be sure to set up an appointment through the website. He responds promptly to email and you will not need to leave your pieces with him to get the appraisal, a huge bonus. He will tell you all sorts of extra information about your ring that you probably didn't even know before walking in the door. It's an incredible experience that I never expected from "you need a new appraisal to get new insurance." If you don't need a printed copy, he deducts $10 from the cost and will email you the .pdf, so he's hip to being green. I really enjoyed my ring appraisal and it beats leaving your ring with some unknown jeweler any day! Thank you Thom! read more

Thom Underwood is AMAZING!!! I wish I could give TEN STARS! We went in to get my engagement ring appraised. It's a family heirloom and we had no papers on it but he was so accommodating. He was incredibly knowledgeable in not just the stone but everything else, such has the history behind the construction of the ring and when it was possibly made. My fiancé is into history and was asking a lot of questions that did not have to do with jewelry AND HE ANSWERED THEM ALL with such joy! I think I was mainly impressed by how thoughtful he was. He had a lamp on his desk and it was in my way a bit so I had to bend my head a little to look at him. I really did not mind this at all but when he looked at me he quickly moved the lamp so it was completely out of my way. Like many before has mentioned he provided both a beautiful hard copy and a PDF to send over to the insurance company. He was very disarming (I can be pretty shy) and welcoming. We HIGHLY recommend Thom to EVERYONE looking to get jewelry appraised! You get an appraisal AND a good time! Thank you Thom!!! I feel like framing our appraisal papers! read more

San Diego Gemological Lab - Appraisal Services Near Me - San Diego, California

What a great experience! So much fun watching Thom work, I would recommend him to all my friends. Thom provided me a PDF of my appraisal that I was able to email my insurance as well as a printed copy. Of course I think my engagement ring is the most beautiful in the world, and Thom helped me learn more about it. I understand the value of it now. With his calm energy and wisdom he was a true pleasure to work with. read more

San Diego Gemological Lab - Thom at work - Appraisal Services Near Me - San Diego, California

We went for a wedding ring appraisal, and Thom was wonderful. He fully explained the appraisal process and made sure we understood everything he put in the report. He was very reasonably priced and it was a quick appointment Highly recommended!!! read more

I recently returned to Mr. Thom Underwood after having met him two years ago. I again sought his appraisal of personal, modern jewelry in need documentation for a homeowner's insurance policy rider. It is hard to provide enough positive feedback! He is very affable, professional and clam. He is efficient, curious and extremely knowledgable. It was easy to schedule with Thom, and he worked far overtime to complete my job so that I did not have to drive down from north county a separate day to finish. Thom's passion for gems and artistry makes the appraisal process interesting and educational! I always learn a lot about my collection, and jewelry in general. His software and technical evaluation, precise documentation and final report are very impressive. I was relieved to be able to seek his services again, and will return to him if needed in the future. Highly recommended! Thank you Thom! read more

I had my wedding ring sized at Leo Hamel's and following the wedding, decided to look into insuring it. I was notified by my insurance company they would need a professional jewelry valuation appraisal done. I checked with the Leo Hamel jeweler who sized my ring, for a couple of referrals for appraisers I could go to. I ended up selecting Thom Underwood, an independent gemologist /appraiser for the task of appraising my wedding ring. Thom explained the appraisal process and even took the time to share the details of the procedure and discussing the type of diamonds my rings had, with my husband and I. Throughout the process, he was very professional and knowledgeable, with a little wit of gem humor. His office was filled with books about gems and jewelry and as a retired educator, it was all very interesting. A few months later I decided to go back to get 2 more pieces of jewelry appraised for insurance purposes... as one was my deceased mother's 35 year anniversary diamond ring, and very special to me. Thom clearly loves what he does and his trade is special. He takes time with each client and makes you understand each piece of jewelry he appraises. An appointment was needed both times but the appraisals were done on the premises and in front of you, so your jewelry isn't sent out to some unknown location, as it never leaves the room. Thom was knowledgeable and proved to me to be a gifted Master Gemologist who loves his work! I would recommend his services to everyone. read more

We were gifted several jewelry that needed to go on our jewelry policy. Since we have many pieces to appraise, we did not feel comfortable handing them over to someone we just met. We inquired many places and we glad to find this place. Not only do we get same day appraisal, the pricing was fair compared to other places. In addition, I am so happy that the jewelry can get appraised in a whole piece. One of the places I wanted to go to said that they would have to disassemble each piece for the appraisal process. I did not like that idea because the structure of the jewelry would not be the same afterward. We were very happy to work with Elliot. He is extremely knowledgeable with this type of work. We were amazed how he memorize the components of different stones. We had a great talk about jade stones. Elliot is very happy with discussing jewelry. I like that he went step by step in the appraisal process; he explained everything in great detail. It was great to watch the whole process! I recommend coming here to get your jewelry appraise. I will be coming back as I expand my jewelry collection! read more

Thom did a fantastic and thorough job appraising a piece of heirloom jewelry. He explained the entire process so that we understood the results. He provided a hard copy for our records and a PDF to easily send to our insurance company. I have so much peace of mind knowing that I have all of the documentation needed to ensure my grandmother's ring and that it was done by a highly qualified professional. He was very respectful of our time. Do not hesitate to contact him for your jewelry appraisal needs. read more

I was very pleased with Elliot's service updating appraisals for two rings of mine done 10 years ago by the previous owner of the Lab and also completing a new one for an antique pocket watch. He was friendly and professional, with good follow-up. He did quite a bit of research on the late 1880s pocket watch, which was fascinating. Recommend him very highly. read more

Thom was very knowledgeable and courteous. I went in to get a ring appraised that I bought so long ago that I didn't even remember I had it. It ended up being a mentoring session about the future ring I'm by for my girlfriend that really helped me narrow down what I should be looking for. read more

Brought in my diamond ring set that I purchased from the Middle East and got exactly what I was seeking- a professional appraisal! Recommend 100%! read more

Fantastic experience with Thom! He is so knowledgeable and personable. Made the whole time interesting. I learned a lot from him. Happy with my report (paper and pdf). He explained everything thoroughly. Would definitely use his services again. read more

Took 2 earring to him to have them appraised today. Very professional and welcoming. While performing the appraisal he showed me every step (including while he entered the info into his screen) and explained the what things meant in a way anyone would understand. The report was nicely put together in a bound report folder. The detailed report included extra info in regards to what the terms mean and ect. read more

I brought my fiancee's engagement ring in to Elliot to get it appraised for insurance purposes. Elliot provided a very thorough explanation for the appraisal process, including all the various elements of the ring's value. He was efficient, but not rushed. Knowledgeable and patient. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to appraise jewelry for insurance purposes. read more

Thom was awesome, super friendly and very informative. He explained everything he was doing to us and providing details. Even learned where he grew up. read more

Amazing appraisal report! Very detailed and Thom did an excellent job! If you're looking for an appraisal .....go see Thom!

Thom was such a personable gentleman. Our conversation was wonderful and dynamic. He helped educate me on the distinct traits of my heirloom diamond as well as walked me through the recent years of the diamond market's ebbs and flows. His report was thorough, detailed and made me very confident in the quality of my newly crafted engagement ring. He completed everything very efficiently and - overall, it was a wonderful experience! I will definitely be going to him as long as possible. If you want an opportunity to learn about your jewelry piece (as others have said, he is a great teacher!) and to be walked through the appraisal, you found the perfect person! read more

Woohoo! I now have an amazing engagement ring which I got for an incredible deal and a wealth of knowledge all thanks to Thom Underwood. I originally found Thom thanks to my fellow Yelpers and took a shot and emailed him for advice on diamond shopping. He didn't have to take the time respond and offer advice, but he did and that really impressed me. I knew as soon as I got my ring I was going to take it to him to get it appraised for insurance. Well I just officially received my ring this past weekend and saw Thom today. He is incredibly thorough, professional, knowledgeable, and most importantly he is friendly and able to communicate all his knowledge in a way that your average person can understand. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to find he provided me with an ASET image of my diamond as well as a glamour shot. He also helped me identify the characteristics of my diamond under his microscope. He made me feel confident in his appraisal and that's important because I want to be insured for what my ring is worth as well as not overpay for premiums. Also, his appraisal price was very reasonable considering the thoroughness of his report and the time he takes. If you need jewelry appraised, you need to see Thom! I will be back again in the future, Thom rocks! read more

Thom Underwood appraised a pair of earrings and a pendant my wife and I bought in India. During the appraisal he explained the process and was very friendly and professional. His finding were expertly summed up in an extensive written report. We were very impressed and satisfied with the service Thom provided. If you need an appraisal, go to Thom! read more

My experience at San Diego Gem Lab was FANTASTIC! I just got engaged and wanted to have my ring appraised before adding it to my insurance. I turned to yelp to find the best place to go. Even though the reviews were great, Thom highly exceeded my expectations. He explained everything very thoroughly and was happy to answer any questions I had. He is very knowledgeable and professional. After completing my appraisal, Thom provided me with a hard copy of a 15 page appraisal report and emailed me a PDF as well. This was the first piece of jewelry that I have ever had appraised and I will definitely be coming back to Thom in the future! I highly recommend San Diego Gem Lab and I wish I could give it 10 stars!!! Thanks Thom!! read more

Great service. Thom was fast, professional, very informative and a super-nice guy. Needed a ring appraised for insurance purposes. He took a lot of time explaining the appraisal results. I couldn't have been more pleased with his services. I will definitely use him again. read more

It was purely my pleasure to have Thom appraise my three rings. He was very ethical. His pricing for the appraisals was super fair. I felt honored to get his insight as to whether I should go to auction or sale my rings retail. He did a step by step appraisal in front of me. Emailed me a pdf and gave me a beautiful booklet of my appraisal. It was very professional. Sorry to see him go I would have trusted him all my valuables. Plus he had a great sense of humor. Thank you! read more

I was looking for a jewelry appraiser to appraise my engagement ring for insurance purposes. My mother warned me because she had some gems swapped out in an appraisal done ages ago. So she said that I should try to find someone who would do it in front of me. I did a lot of research online. There's a place across the street from me in Carlsbad but they said it would take about 3 days and they would have to send my ring out. I found Thom Underwood who is located in Old Town. He has a ton of credentials and he appraises your jewelry with you sitting with him and his whole gizmo set up. I highly recommend him. It cost about $120 or so but with peace of mind, it's worth it. I was able to make an appointment pretty quickly and it took less than an hour. read more

I was researching places to take my fiancée's ring after I proposed and found Thom's business on Google. Most places takes a few days to appraise but Thom was able to do it within an hour. It was the best hour ever because he educates you even further on the diamonds. He even pointed out some hairline fractures in the setting. Awesome attention to detail and the report is extensive and easy to follow. I highly recommend Thom's work. Cheers, James read more

I found Thom through the referral of a friend of a friend, so I came onto Yelp to check out his reviews just to be sure. After reading all of the fabulous things people had to say, I set up an appointment for an appraisal of two rings. After meeting with Thom, he will have my business for many years to come! What all of the reviews say are true...he is incredibly knowledgeable and educates you completely on your pieces while he does the appraisal, all within an hour for two pieces. It was truly a fun experience for me learning all about my rings and diamonds/gold in general! And to top it off, he looked at my watch and verified that the diamonds were real (I had recently bought it in Aruba and wanted to be sure) free of charge! What great customer service! His appraisals are very thorough and easy to read, and he even advised me on where to go to insure the rings. I have had jewelry appraised in the past by others and Thom clearly stood out as an expert and the most knowledgeable I have encountered! Any future appraisals needed will absolutely be done by Thom! read more