Successions & inheritance · Diamantaires OG
Jewelry and diamond appraisal: the notaries' space
In a succession file, jewelry poses a singular problem for the notary: these are often the only assets for which no value exists. An account can be checked, real estate can be appraised, a portfolio can be valued — but an inherited ring, an antique parure, or a diamond on paper require the eye of a market professional.
Since 1985, our house has been appraising and trading stones and jewelry at 43 rue Beaubourg, a stone's throw from the Marais. We regularly welcome clients of Parisian and provincial law firms who need jewelry valued for a succession declaration, a division, or a donation.
What we bring to your file
- A substantiated market value, piece by piece, established by state-certified gemologists — the data your declaration is missing.
- A free appraisal for your client, with no obligation to sell: you can refer them without creating any costs or obligations.
- A written estimate handed over on the day of the examination, detailing each piece.
- A liquidation solution if the heirs choose to sell: firm offer, immediate payment, and an invoice — a useful document for the file.
Why jewelry deserves special attention
You know better than anyone: the 5% household goods allowance provided for in 3° of I of Article 764 of the CGI does not cover jewelry, precious stones, and works of art, which fall under II of the same article and must be valued separately. Added to this is the floor derived from theft or fire insurance contracts less than ten years old, often discovered late by the heirs.
In practice, three situations recur:
- the heirs know nothing about the value of the pieces, and put forward figures based on family memories;
- they confuse insurance value and market value — the former can be double the latter;
- they disagree on the division, for lack of a neutral figure shared by all.
A written appraisal resolves all three cases at once, and saves you from arbitrating a family discussion over values that no one masters.
How it works for your client
They come to 43 rue Beaubourg with the jewelry, without an appointment, Monday to Friday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6:30 pm. The examination takes place in their presence: identification of metals and hallmarks, weighing, analysis of stones with a loupe and refractometer, verification of existing certificates (GIA, IGI, HRD). They leave with a written estimate. Nothing is asked of them, nothing is charged.
Several heirs can come together — we even recommend it: each one attends the same examination, hears the same explanations, and receives the same document. This is, by far, what best eases delicate divisions.
Our independence
We are buyers: it is our business and we say it clearly. This does not diminish the value of the appraisal, but you should know it to guide your client with full knowledge. Concretely, our written estimate remains valid even if the heirs decide to keep the jewelry or sell it elsewhere — including at auction, a route we ourselves recommend when a piece justifies it.
Page updated on July 25, 2026.
Direct line — notarial offices
A file to assess? Call us
Describe the file to us in two minutes: nature of the pieces, number of heirs, deadline for the declaration. We will immediately tell you what to do and receive your client without an appointment.
- ◆ Free appraisal for your clients, without obligation
- ◆ Written estimate handed over on the day of the examination
- ◆ Absolute confidentiality regarding pieces and people
Call us, it's the simplest way
01 48 87 81 44Mon – Fri · 10am-1pm · 2pm-6:30pm
43 rue Beaubourg, 75003 ParisRambuteau Metro · no appointment needed
We come to you
When pieces cannot leave their place of safekeeping — bank safe deposit box opening, inventory at the deceased's home, a lot too large or too sensitive to be transported — we travel to your office, the bank, or on site. The appraisal is then carried out under the same conditions as at our office: examination in front of you and your clients, and delivery of the conclusions.
Call us to arrange the visit: we will agree together on the date, the expected duration, and the pieces concerned.
A detailed written report for important files
For a standard lot, the written estimate is given on the day of the examination. For important files — substantial ensembles, signed pieces, collections, high-stakes successions — we prepare a detailed appraisal report: exhaustive description piece by piece, gemmological characteristics, photographs, and a reasoned value for each item.
This is the document you attach to the file and that allows you to justify the values entered in the declaration. Let us know the deadline to meet: we will organize accordingly.
Our qualifications, precisely stated
Our gemmologists hold a State diploma in gemmology and have worked as diamantaires since 1985, supplying Place Vendôme designers. Our expertise covers the identification of stones and the market value of jewelry.
We are neither auctioneers nor court-appointed experts: we do not draw up an inventory appraisal report and are not appointed by the courts. If your file requires either one, we will tell you and can point you in the right direction — we regularly work alongside Parisian notarial offices and auction houses.
Our commitments to legal offices
What you can count on
Confidentiality
No information about the pieces, amounts, or individuals is disclosed to third parties. Estate files are handled with the discretion they require.
Free of charge for the client
The appraisal costs your clients nothing and places no obligation on them. You can refer them without creating additional costs in the file.
Transparency about our limits
If a piece falls under public auction or a specialty that is not ours, we say so and direct it accordingly. We do not try to buy everything.
Availability
A question about a file before sending your client? Call us: a gemmologist answers directly, without any filtering.
Assistance for notaries
Jewelry appraisal for successions
Are you assisting a family with a succession? We help assess jewelry and diamonds, with a detailed written report if necessary, to facilitate your procedures.
- ◆ First response within 24 hours
- ◆ Detailed written report possible
- ◆ Travel to notarial office
Process
How does the appraisal work?
Contact
Send us a description and photos of the jewelry. We will get back to you within 24 hours with an initial free and non-binding assessment.
Appraisal
A state-certified gemmologist examines the pieces, either at our workshop or directly in a notarial office, at a bank, or at your home.
Report
You receive a detailed evaluation, which can be formalized in a written report for major successions.
Our commitments
A reliable and respectful appraisal
Independence
An independent house established in Paris since 1985, with no ties to any resale network.
Expertise
Appraisals carried out by state-certified gemmologists.
Responsiveness
First response within 24 hours, free and non-binding.
Travel
We can travel to notarial offices, banks, or private residences.
Questions from legal offices
What notaries ask us
Can your estimate be used for an inheritance tax declaration?+
It constitutes a written and reasoned opinion of value, prepared by state-certified gemmologists, which you are free to use in your file. We do not draw up an inventory within the meaning of Article 789 of the Civil Code: this act falls within the remit of a public officer or a judicial officer, for whom our estimate can serve as a technical basis.
How long does it take to obtain an estimate?+
For a standard lot, the examination is carried out in front of the client in less than an hour and the written estimate is given to them the same day. For an important file requiring a detailed report — a substantial ensemble, signed pieces, photographs — we align the timeline with the deadline of your declaration, announced from the first contact.
Do you bill the office or the client?+
Neither: the appraisal is free and non-binding. Our business is trading; we are remunerated on the pieces we purchase when the heirs choose to sell.
What happens if the heirs want to sell immediately?+
We make a firm offer with immediate payment and a detailed invoice. This document records the release of the item and can be attached to the file. If the heirs prefer a public sale, we say so when the item justifies it.
Do you handle bank safe-deposit boxes?+
Yes. When the items cannot leave the bank, we come to appraise them at the time of the inventory, within the framework you set. The same applies to an inventory at home or at a notary's office.
Do you handle cases outside Paris?+
We regularly receive clients from the provinces and abroad, and we travel for cases that warrant it. An initial approach based on photographs is possible by email or WhatsApp, but a physical examination is necessary for a firm valuation.
A question before referring a client?
Let's talk about the case directly
We respond to firms as well as individuals: on the phone, immediately. If the situation is out of the ordinary — a very large lot, signed pieces, scattered heirs — let us know, and we will adapt.
- ◆ 43 rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris — M° Rambuteau
- ◆ Monday to Friday, 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6:30 pm
- ◆ [email protected]
Call us, it's the simplest way
01 48 87 81 44Mon – Fri · 10am-1pm · 2pm-6:30pm
43 rue Beaubourg, 75003 ParisRambuteau Metro · no appointment needed