Gemcorp, Inc. was founded in 1985 by Stephen Turner. There were no truly independent appraisers in the Atlanta area, and he decided it was time to fill that much needed niche.

Mr. Turner is a Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America (www.gia.edu) and has an extensive background in many aspects of the jewelry business. Just prior to starting Gemcorp, he was a manager and buyer for a five store, multi-million dollar retailer. While there, he also earned the prestigious title of Certified Gemologist-Appraiser from the American Gem Society (AGS). Mr. Turner remains affiliated with AGS to this day (www.ags.org). In addition, Mr. Turner is a member in good standing of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (www.NAJAappraisers.com).

Over the years, and continuing to this day, specialty courses on appraising and gemology are a priority for the gemologists at Gemcorp. These have included programs from the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA), the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA), the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Master Valuer Program.

Trained as a bench jeweler and also in watch repair, Mr. Turner also brings a unique perspective to the quality analysis of jewelry construction and condition. On numerous occasions, a potentially devastating loss has been prevented on new jewelry because we examine the entire "health" of an item, as well as its value. In a time where we are all price conscious, there is a great temptation by merchants to cut corners on quality to offer lower prices. Our active lifestyles today are much harder on jewelry than times in the past. It is advisable to have any item that is regularly worn inspected by a professional bench jeweler every six months.

The strength of an appraiser is having access to all aspects of a marketplace. A retailer who also does appraisals often presents only the view of the market from their perspective. Never can a "big picture" be presented. For over 25 years, Mr. Turner has been developing relationships with people and firms at all levels of the jewelry industry, insuring a data base of information the envy of many other appraisers. The result is a complete and comprehensive valuation, presented in an easily read format.