Independent jewelry appraisers are your best bet, not ones looking to buy your good or ones who underwrite an insurance policy. You want to find one that does only appraisals. Jewelry stores often have references for some.
A rider on a policy can usually suffice as long as you have the written appraisal for reference. Sometimes you need a separate “valuable goods” policy. Your Insurance agent can give you the options, but it is best to have the independent appraisal in hand before beginning those discussions to make them the most productive.
We have inherited antiques in our home that far exceed the value of the rest of the contents of the house. We had them independently appraised for value and put them individually and specifically in a rider on our homeowners policy. This way, each piece is individually covered for loss or damage.
