I had a great experience with Rotem. I needed to have several lab gemstones evaluated to ensure that they were clean and clear without inclusions (as was advertised when I purchased them). We had a situation where one was not that way, and it was returned, but it mad me question my other items. I called Rotem Saturday morning and was able to get ahold of him directly. He provided me with two different quotes one for if I needed a verbal confirmation after evaluation or a second option- if I needed formal paperwork for insurance purposes. I needed the former, and later scheduled an appointment for the same day. Getting there was fine-- I was a bit confused in that it appaered to be a Ballet Studio but Rotem called me back and said he had a back office in that suite, so we waited in the lounge until his prior appointment was completed. Upon meeting Rotem, he was very friendly, has a nice style and was rocking some pretty awesome custom jewlery-- all of this immediately put me at ease. He invited my husband and I back to the suite and immediately started to review our products. He provided me with quick and easy confirmation that each item was authenticly the gem I understood it to be, and that they had zero inclusions. He also picked up a small ding that I myself had made to one- that was invisible to the tye, but I recalled where I had inadvertently hit my ring and he confirmed that it could be polished out. I was super impressed and it was great to know that we had found a great lab vendor and also that our quality was top notch. In the process, Rotem offered to clean our current rings that were on us (a few which he had examined) and he steamed them for free. They're now sparkling and look amazing. While this entire process was painless and easy, what was even better was that in the course of conversation, we learned that Rotem has a strong appreciation for art and design and has a designer who can design any additional rings for our unset gemstones. He was sharing that he'll just charge the cost to make it if we send him pictures of what we want or have a design idea- with out charging all the additional initial design fees, wax fees, etc. that retail and others may charge that bump up the costs. We've been sending our stones to a designer out of state, so it's fantstic to know that we could have someone in-state and close who can probably complete the designs faters, should we wish to. As Rotem had a very large male signet ring on which was clearly custom, and with his appreciation for style and design, we're sure that we'll want to move forward with this as it can be difficult to find someone who designs large male custom rings at an affordable price. We're very much looking forward to that and will be continuing this business relationship. I highly recommend Rotem. I had previously called around to others in about a 50 mile radius accross the Bay Area and all the others (both retail and private business) were charging double and triple his prices. Some other locations had bad attitudes and one brushed me off. One (Baron's Appraier) even said "jewlery is supposed to be worn. If it makes you happy, you don't need an appraisal"- some of the dumbest, mansplainging advice I've ever received. It's especially ignorant to anywhone informed who is not purchasing gemstones to make the happy, but instead for the informed power of gemstones and ring placement and who understands how significant a clean stone versus a stone with inclusions can be to your lifeforce, health, wealth, etc. Thankfully, I, and we, were treated with resepct by Rotem who added value to every aspect of this transaction. Rotem's business names says it all- LifeForce Appraisals. You do get what you're looking for- and more. Most importantly, in all aspects of the experience, Rotem built trust. My only recommendation would be to add some signing to the building outside or hallway to let folks know that they've reached the correct spot. Or, at a minumum to the Yelp page and website so that we're a bit more assured we're in the right location. Also, to other customers, you may have to wait for a call or text back (texting might be faster to the number on the website). As when Rotem was with customers he couldn't immediately respond. Note that it's worth the wait- don't go anywhere else- you'll be treated better here. (And as I mentioned, I called in the morning, confirmed by 12, and was seen by 3:30 after his prior appointment ended) so it was great service. Thank you, Rotem. read more

It's very difficult to find an appraisal company. The owner gave me a valuation of a jade necklace in a timely fashion, and explained its retail and market values. He has in-depth knowledge of both the product and how to determine its potent resale. read more

Rotem was great and honest. He immediately let me know a ring I brought with me was not worth appraising. I brought a couple of gold coins I had and he helped me value and sell some gold coins. He even dropped them off at the gold recyclers for me! read more

I have been fortunate in my lifetime; especially the day I walked into this lovely jewelry shop. I had a medallion of 18-20kt gold and needed a new hanger for it. The price was right, the timing was excellent and I have since brought 3 other chains to be repaired! They were fixed within 3 days, too! I can't recommend them enough. Professional, excellent service and repair, and the price is right! Thank you. read more

This is a very late review, writing it now because I'm about to use Rotem services again and just notices that I never wrote the review last time, ( In June 2023) . Rotem was very professional and I appreciate the integrity he displays when handling business. He got me the highest amount for my gold and I was very much satisfied with his communication throughout the whole process. It was quick and easy too. I definitely recommend anyone to work with Rotem. read more

LifeForce Appraisals - Inherited Jewelry - Jewelry Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been wanting a custom oval diamond engagement ring for a long time, gone to other jewelers and never felt comfortable enough to embark on the journey until I came to Rotem. Rotem listened to my ideas and preferences and made it happen. I now have a beautiful ring that I will enjoy and cherish forever without any doubts. Thank you Rotem! read more

Rotem appraised and, as I had hoped for, arranged for the sale of some very difficult to sell jewelry. Thank you, Rotem

had an appraisal appointment today with Rotem cohen I was very impressed with his appraisal services. He was very professional and I felt comfortable with him. He is very trustworthy and honest and he also has great prices. I would recommend him to family and friends. Thank you Rotem read more

Rotem is trustworthy and proficient. I had a large value piece of jewelry that he appraised. Since I was looking to sell, he reached out to his contacts in SF and found me a buyer within DAYS of providing me with my appraisal. Everything went according to plan with no hiccups, alterations or surprises. Really appreciate working with someone who follows through on what he says . Thank you! read more

I had some old silver sitting in the closet collecting dust. Rotem took it directly to the refiner and had it melted down. I'm certain I received fair value for the silver because I checked two other local businesses and they all came back with about the same estimate. Rotem is also friendly and a very likable character, would happily work with him again! read more

I'm using Life Force Appraisals to sell unused gold jewelry. Before settling on Life Force, I checked other options including on-line gold buyers and consignment operations. But the other organizations were opaque about their payouts, and at least one of them had no recourse after consignment. Life Force, on the other hand, is easy to understand. They check 3 options to maximize payout - consignment, jewelry dealers, and refiners. They come back to you with an assessment of the best option and you decide whether to proceed. Payout can be very quick, depending on the option chosen. The owner is reliable and responds quickly to inquiries. I'm happy I used them and will use them again read more

I originally found Rotem to do an appraisal on an heirloom pearl necklace. My meeting with him was efficient and he delivered exactly what I was looking for. While there, he mentioned that he could also help with custom pieces and I've since worked with him on two custom projects. He helped me source a pair of emerald earrings based on a pair I found online. I sent him a picture and he sourced the stones and worked with a jeweler to make them for $100 cheaper than the online price. The earrings are beautiful and I love them! Next I worked with him on a ring as a birthday present to myself. I had found a design I liked but it only came in yellow gold (I wanted white gold) and was very $$$$$$. He helped me source a similar stone (wasn't easy since it was a turquoise sapphire in an unusual cut) and then had his jeweler create the ring inspired by the design I had found. He was able to save me a chunk of money and I love my new ring so much and have gotten many compliments on it. I will definitely go to Rotem in the future for appraisals and jewelry purchases. read more

LifeForce Appraisals - Jewelry Near Me - Oakland, California

Rotem appraised our wedding jewelry and he was a pleasure to work with. He is knowledgeable, personable, and provides honesty and transparency throughout the process. read more

NEXT LEVEL SERVICE! I would highly recommend Rotem, never had a better experience on anything jewelry related (wish he sold jewelry too! such good service) and you know he's not going to rip you off on anything, super honest). LETS BE REAL - I've had to do a few appraisals before and you're always a little sketched out by the guy - thinking to yourself, should I trust this person or is he/she going to run off with my stuff?! Let me tell you - Rotem is not only trustworthy, he's also really nice and makes you feel immediately comfortable. He did all of the jewelry from our house (for homeowners insurance purposes - State Farm) and it was seamless, quick, and he gave us an AWESOME value for our stuff. The report he gives you is very clear with photos. Lastly, on his price. You never know with appraisals as they can charge you seemingly whatever they want. Rotem is SUPER FAIR with his prices - and frankly, why would you shop around when you want somebody you can trust who will give you a really solid value for your jewelry. Highly recommended, really one of the best experiences I've had and Rotem is a super nice guy. read more

LifeForce Appraisals - An example from the report LifeForce gave us from my wifes engagement ring. SUPER clear and extremely detailed. - Jewelry Near Me - Oakland, California

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Rotem is super knowledgeable and great to work with. He provided me with a thorough appraisal for some heirloom rings, as well as helped me remove the stones from a ring that I could use for a new setting. I appreciate his honesty and transparency about his process, as well as insights that I wouldn't think to ask about. Would definitely recommend! read more

Originally met Rotem when he appraised the diamond that became my wife's engagement ring. The process was fast, professional and really easy from our standpoint. He also pointed out our GIA number on the stone, and generally helped orient us to diamond ownership. Fast forward to when I was looking at getting a custom ring made for myself for the wedding. Rotem came in way under what I would have paid for a retail custom ring. I went from not being able to afford the wedding ring I wanted, to having enough budget left over to buy another diamond from him (which he set as an earring for me for free). Let's talk about the ring he made. He upgraded the diamond size I originally asked for for free. He worked through multiple resizings of the mold for me until it was exactly what I wanted. And finally, because I was so close to the wedding date, he did a rush job with his jeweler and then met one of my friends to hand it off (I was already out of town). Great service all around. The only bad thing I can say about it is the process has been so seamless that I'm worried I'm going to have a budding jewelry problem! Thanks for everything R! read more

Rotem is an amazing resource when it comes to all things jewelry (appraisals, gem sourcing, custom pieces, etc.)! He is honest, extremely reliable and trustworthy, priced extremely reasonably, flexible with his time, and an all-around great guy that has become a friend over the few years we have known him. We first found Rotem when I needed a lot of around 250 pieces of Native American jewelry appraised (rings, pendants, watches, earrings, etc.). Not only did he appraise each piece, he identified the stones, listed the size and weight of each stone, verified their authenticity, and assisted us with any questions we had as we prepared to sell the jewelry. We couldn't have done it without Rotem (and amazingly he did the appraisal in just a few days!). I went back to Rotem to help me design my now-wife's engagement ring. I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like (it was a surprise), and how much I wanted to spend, so Rotem helped me find a great stone and worked with me to design the perfect platinum diamond ring that my wife ended up loving! We were so impressed with Rotem that we went back to him to assist us with designing/making my wife's wedding band and my wedding band. It was a smooth process and the rings turned out so much better than we could have ever imagined (and at a price much lower than retail). Rotem also helped me in a very short time period to source, design, and make a custom pair of diamond earrings and pendant for my wife to wear on our wedding day that matched her engagement ring. No surprise, Rotem came through with the perfect pieces in the time period he said he could do it in (even had some stones flown in from New York). He also provided us with professional appraisals for each piece that we submitted to our insurance company for insurance purposes - they were accepted without issue. Needless to say, Rotem is my go-to when it comes to anything jewelry related. He can do it all, and if he can't, he can find someone who can and assist you along the way! read more

LifeForce Appraisals - Wedding band, engagement ring, men's wedding band - Jewelry Near Me - Oakland, California

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Rotem did great job appraising a ring that I gave to my wife for our 1 year anniversary. The ring was a gist from my mother and we really had no idea how much it was worth. I didn't want to give my lady a ring that looked nice but wasn't worth much for our 1 year. It has old mine cut diamonds and some other interesting things going on. I needed it appraised quickly and Rotem came to the rescue. Definitely recommend him for all of your appraisal needs. read more

We needed to have 3 generations worth of items appraised. We spoke with a number of jewelers and appraisers prior to deciding to work with Mr. Rotem Cohen. We are very happy with our decision. Not only was he extremely responsive to our questions, he worked with our schedules and stuck to his quoted price. The appraisal process went smoothly. Mr. Cohen was efficient but thorough and precise. The appraisal document we ultimately received was very professional, detailed, and clear. We would highly recommend using LifeForce for any jewelry appraisals and we will do so ourselves if we need additional items appraised in the future. read more

Rotem was very professional when it came to appraisals. The process was smooth and easy. I recommend for all appraisals. Also the turnaround process for documents was quicker than he estimated. read more

Rotem Cohen is a great appraiser! He is professional, knowledgeable and efficient. You meet him at his unpretentious office, where he utilizes an array of scientific appraisal tools in addition to the standard jeweler's loupe to assess your pieces properly. Plus he is a very pleasant and conversational man. I inherited a lot of jewelry when my mom passed away and I had no solid idea of which pieces were "real", which were especially valuable, and which were just good quality costume jewelry. Mr. Cohen was extremely helpful and patient in going through it all with me. There were several pieces deemed worth formal appraisal, and his prices for that service are fair. The appraisal reports were thorough and complete with detailed descriptors and photos. Rotem Cohen will definitely be my go-to person for any future appraisals I may need. read more

Rotem is the man. Straight shooter, fair, and aims to please. We went to him for a diamond appraisal and verification, and ended up going through him to have the custom setting made. We couldn't be happier with it and the overall experience working with him. I'd say, start with Rotem for any jewelry needs that you may have. If he doesn't do it, he will be able to make a great recommendation. Thanks again! read more

The appraisal service offered by Rotem Cohen at LifeForce Appraisals is honest, professional, friendly and so well worth your money! He is beyond knowledgeable and always has time for you and any questions you may have. You and your jewelry are always together while he appraises them! Super nice man!! I highly recommend this business. read more

Absolutely the best! I highly recommend Rotem! He is very thorough and a pure delight to work with. I'll be back .

Rotem helped my appraise and sell my grandmas jewelry and for me a fantastic deal! He is honest, smart, and was extremely communicative and diligent in helping me out. His rates are also super reasonable. Will definitely use him again. read more

Highly recommend Rotem. I've been putting off appraising my engagement ring (for 6 years) and finally needed to get it done (had a scare where the ring ended up in the trash and we were digging through trash bags to find it ). Rotem was easy to work with, very professional, and honest. He also had some great ideas (I hate my band). read more

Rotem is the real deal. You'll receive a no-nonsense accurate and clear appraisal using GIA standards. I've brought two diamond pieces to him on two separate occasions and I wouldn't go to anyone else. The thing I appreciate most about Rotem is his willingness to let the customer remain present while he evaluates the piece. Your piece never leaves your sight so you can rest assured that no switching of stones or the like is happening with him. You're not just getting an appraisal you're getting peace of mind. What more could you ask for? If you're in the Bay Area I highly recommend Rotem. And he's available during the shelter-in-place and is following all COVID-19 precautions (i.e. mask, gloves, 6ft distancing) read more

I needed an expert eye look over a new bracelet, and Rotem did a fantastic job! The assessment took about 30 minutes, and I was able to watch from over six feet away. The finished appraisal was ready a week after, and it was very thorough and detailed. I would highly recommend Rotem for all your appraisal needs! read more

Rotem is awesome! He provided me with a second appraisal, and went above and beyond in offering suggestions on how to handle a dispute with original seller. Would trust him on anything jewelry-related in the future. read more

Rotem is the best! First I got my grandmother's ring appraised and he came to my apartment and was quick and professional and then he mentioned he can also sell diamonds and also have custom work on rings as well. He took my ring and also got me an amazing diamond and made my engagement ring and got it done in less than 2 week. And the quality is perfect! I couldn't ask for anyone that could do this any better. Thank you Rotem! read more

The best appraisal experience in my life! Rotem is highly qualified, he gave me so much information and answered every question. Not only his knowledge is amazing, but kind personality. If you have bad day, he may make it better by his endless optimism! I highly reccomend his service! read more

IN TWO WORDS: AMAZINGLY ETHICAL Our 98-year old aunt recently gave me some items to share with other family members. I took four of those items to Rotem Cohen. He was/IS very knowledgeable, competent, and AMAZINGLY ETHICAL. I will take other items to him in the very near future. I absolutely recommend Rotem without reservation. read more

Rotem was very instrumental in helping me sell a valuable piece of jewelry. He was very professional and considerate in the process. He understood my concerns and my needs and made me feel comfortable during the process. He kept in touch with me which I appreciated. I will use him again in the future. read more

LifeForce Appraisals and Rotem helped me through a situation where professionalism, knowledge and trust were key. I wanted to find stones that matched each other and had the same excellent quality of the larger stone in an existing ring intended for an engagement. We started with an appraisal of some jewelry I already had, but it became evident that there were no two stones that would be suitable for the new ring. Rotem showed me what we were looking for and explained all the criteria and options for choosing. He was responsive, punctual, helpful and patient. The situation was complicated by the fact that we needed to consider the preferences of the person who would wear the special ring, and who lived far away. After several meetings comparing possibilities we found what was needed. The new ring is a smashing success and our families couldn't be happier to have found someone so wonderful to guide us through the experience! I was a bit anxious at the start, knowing nothing about gems. Rotem was always fair, honest, and willing to put in extra effort to ensure that we could have something special. The quality of his work is excellent with prices that are very, very reasonable. His enjoyment of his work is contagious. He turned what might have been a stressful process into something to celebrate. Unreservedly recommended! read more

Rotem himself, is a gem! He is SO knowledgeable, helpful and reasonable in his approach and his client service. He is hands down the BEST resource in the Bay Area for jewelry appraisals. He is fair and honest and is very professional as well as super friendly. I cannot recommend him highly enough! read more

I'm completely ignorant about jewelry, how it's valued, made, everything. I inherited a huge turquoise necklace with pieces mined from the same vein (I learn quickly). After 3 coworkers suggested I get my chunky heirloom appraised because it "looks so expensive" (I'm poor, IDK what that means LMAO). I was at a loss on where to start.. the interwebs? But where IN the interwebs? Enter Yelp. HALLELU! LifeForce Appraisals might not have been at the top of the list, but the solid red block of 5 stars shone like a lighthouse to my fog-ridden confusion. I called, spoke with Rotem (I think that's his name, it was a kind gentleman who answered the phone), explained my ignorance candidly and humbly asked for help. The help was direct and sincere, with no strings attached. I couldn't believe that he didn't want ME to waste MY time by coming in (although I'm sure I would've really been wasting his) before I knew if the necklace was authentic and suggested I visit a local reputable jewelry store, walk on in, and ask to be told if it's real or not. BOOM. I was ready to pay him to give me a yes or no after paying for gas to get me to his location! Instead, he humbly suggested I find out the status of authenticity and THEN call him. As bad as this sounds, I wouldn't have thought of that, and would've wasted A TON more time. For that reason alone, my time, my precious time (then why is this review so wordy, huh?! I know..), was well worth the time writing this took. If you don't know where to start, START HERE. He's kind. He's honest. He's fair. He makes sense. Thank you LifeForce! If the necklace is real, I'll be calling back! read more

Rotem is Awesome! I had to help my in laws who were scammed during a trip to Asia. The short of it they was told a pair of Jade was $200 and when they arrived back in the US the charge on the credit card was $2000. Went back and forth with credit card company and they said they would look at the case further if we was able to submit an appraisal in 14 days. Found LifeForce on google and called Rotem and was able to nail down an appointment on the weekend. Location is easy to get to and Rotem was super helpful in walking us through his experience as well as giving us some great tips on jewelry and gems. Because of the urgency I had to submit the appraisal, Rotem came back with an appraisal in a couple days. read more

Rotem was GREAT. I called him and he was able to meet me in his SF office that day and was very accommodating to my schedule. Rotem was very professional, knowledgable and friendly. He answered all of our questions and sent us the appraisal in a timely manner. I would definitely recommend Rotem and will be using him again for future appraisals. read more

Rotem is honest, professional and does a great job. Best appraiser in the East Bay! Thank you Rotem for always providing such excellent customer service. read more

Rotem was excellent in appraising my fiancée's engagement ring. We were able to make an appointment with him ASAP, he took pictures of the ring and diamond, asked local jeweled about it. He went through so much work to make sure we were pleased. I would highly recommend him!! -Jay read more