Welcome to the Gems and Jewelry Discipline Website!
More than a jeweler, more than a gemologist, the ASA professional is the Gold Standard in appraising
The American Society of Appraisers is the oldest appraisal society in the United States. The ASA has been training professional appraisers since its precursor, the American Society of Technical Appraisers, began in 1936.
Today, ASA is still the country’s only multidisciplinary appraisal society, giving its members the most solid grounding in the appraisal principles that underlie all classes of property: real, personal, tangible and intangible.
In a word, that’s lineage. To our members, it means the ability to sit down with a real estate appraiser or a business valuation specialist, to name two of our disciplines, and understand both the theory and the real-life economics that produce a first-rate appraisal for you or your client.
Because ASA is a non-profit professional society, we explore the principles of valuation as they evolve from basic economic theory and legal precedent in an atmosphere of collegiality and exploration, with instructors who are leaders in the profession.
Although small in numbers, ASA is the acknowledged leader in gems and jewelry appraising – the appraisers Federal agencies turn to most often, for instance, to perform the most sensitive assignments.
Our titleholders (Accredited Member, Accredited Senior Appraiser and Master Gemologist Appraiser®) are among those that consumers trust the most for all their varied needs, from insurance coverage appraisals to estate valuation and liquidation matters.
Three-quarters of a century in appraisal education count when you want the finest service in gems and jewelry appraising. Contact one of our accredited appraisers and you’ll find out that lineage means…excellence in gems and jewelry appraising.
About ASA Accreditation
Prospective members join ASA as an Applicant. When Applicants have passed the on-line Ethics examination and the USPAP course, they become Candidates. Applicants and Candidates qualify for member discounts on courses and the International Conference. They also can subscribe to the Gems & Jewelry Discussion List, a valuable networking resource, and will receive the quarterly G&J Newsletter.
Once Candidates have fulfilled the education and testing requirements for professional status they may advance to Accredited Member or Accredited Senior Appraiser status, based on their years of full-time appraisal practice.
Accreditation from the American Society of Appraisers Gems and Jewelry Discipline, includes the AM (Accredited Member) designation, the ASA (Accredited Senior Appraiser) designation and the Master Gemologist Appraiser® designation. Strict adherence to the ASA Code of Ethics is observed and enforced by members at all times.
To Qualify for Accredited Member Status
Click here to see the requirements for becoming an accredited member in Gems and Jewelry.
To Qualify for Senior Member (ASA) Status
A member having completed the requirements for Accredited Member becomes an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) upon fulfilling 5 years of full-time appraisal experience.
Master Gemologist Appraiser
In order to use the Master Gemologist Appraiser® certification mark, the most highly respected designation in the Gems & Jewelry appraisal profession the individual must meet all the following requirements:
- Have Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) status in the society
- Be a Graduate Gemologist (GG) from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or hold the designation of Fellow, Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA) or similar approved gemological designation
- Own or be employed by an owner of an ASA-registered gemological laboratory
- Pass the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test for color discrimination
- Successfully complete the Master Gemologist Appraiser Program (GJ205 & GJ206) in residence
Gems & Jewelry Education
ASA strives to be equally attractive and useful to the practicing professional appraiser seeking state of the art gemological information and valuation theory and to the novice GG entering the profession.
In keeping with ASA Gems & Jewelry’s commitment to the working professional, classes are scheduled with convenience and cost effectiveness as the priorities. The format includes two and a half days of intensive instruction and hands-on practice, followed by a written exam. Our instructors are practicing gemologist/appraisers who breathe life into the appraisal theory with real-life examples taken from their combined experience in practicing gems and jewelry appraisals. The small class sizes, usually 15 students or less, allows for plenty of interaction and questions, and invaluable network building.
Principles of Valuation Basic Courses (Available through University Partners)
PP/GJ201: Introduction to Personal Property Valuation
PP/GJ202: Personal Property Valuation Methodology—Research and Analysis
PP/GJ203: Personal Property Valuation—Report Writing
PP/GJ204: Personal Property Valuation—The Legal and Commercial Environment
G&J Advanced Courses
The G&J Advanced Courses are a Fast Track to membership for Candidates with prior appraisal training.
GJ205: Gems & Jewelry Appraisal Theory, Methods & Applications
GJ206: Gems & Jewelry Appraisal Techniques & Standards