Jewelry Judge - The Nation's Jewelry Appraisers

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Joel Lackey, GG
Graduate Gemologist Appraiser

Jewelry Judge of Las Vegas, LLC
8425 W. Flamingo Rd. #5
Las Vegas, Nevada 89147
primary: 702-275-6204 (cell)
secondary: 702-368-GEMS (4367)
fax: 702-364-2243
email: Joel Lackey

Hours: By Appointment Monday through Saturday.

Summary of Qualifications
Joel Lackey got involved in the jewelry business after graduating college in 1970. His experience in the jewelry business began as an opal cutter working with his father and his business associates who brought large wooden crates of opal rough from Australia. Once he completed the opal cutting project, he was sent to New York City to work as a diamond cutting apprentice at the old Diamond Club Bldg. at 30 W. 47th St. in NYC. He worked at the cutting wheel for a year. A chance vacation to Miami, Fla. led him to a retail position at Balogh Jewelers in Miami Beach, Fla. where he was first exposed to the appraisal business. Joel remained there for 6 years, performing the majority of their appraisals and estate evaluations for the major auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s. His young age gave him the stamina to sit for long periods of time and count and evaluate diamonds without eye fatigue. Without realizing it, he was receiving a million dollar education and a slant on the business that would never leave him.

In 1978, Joel co-founded Kravit Estate Jewelers, with jeweler Walter Kravit, in Hallandale, Florida. The company later became one of the largest estate jewelry companies in the country. It was during that same year that Joel was included in the very first issue of Who’s Who in the jewelry business, published by JCK magazine.

While he kept certain loyal customers, Joel left the business for a few years after the Hunt Bros. silver debacle and the diamond investment craze of the early 80’s. He again got recharged about the jewelry business working in the wholesale tanzanite business in Santa Barbara, Ca. This helped him recover his wholesale value sense again.

His encounter with The Jewelry Judge founders, Barry Block and Richard Drucker at the JCK show in Las Vegas encouraged him to make the move to join the association of elite jewelry appraisal professionals and establish his own Jewelry Judge center in Las Vegas. He currently serves as president of the Las Vegas chapter of the GIA Alumni Assoc. and is a member of The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers.