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Because they assess more precious items than anybody else in the U.K. SafeGuard Specialist Valuers provide an unrivalled level of expertise
(click the faces of the valuers to view their profile)
HERE’S SOMETHING RARE
SafeGuard Valuers spend most of their time ‘on the road’ providing their expertise to customers at Valuation Events up and down the length of the country and it’s not very often that the whole team get together at the same time, so this picture is something of a rarity.
It was taken when the Valuers gathered for a recent conference at The Birmingham Assay Office and shows:
Back row (left to right) Tim Bratton, Alan Heyes, Jim Potts (Chief Valuer), Craig O’Donnell,
Front row (left to right) Vanessa Paterson (the newest member of the team), Phil Withington, Joanne White and Georgina Deer.
 Phil Withington - Senior Valuer
Phil has been working for SafeGuard for the last Seven years and has recently been appointed Senior Valuer. He has NAG, RJ Val. Dip. and FNAG Qualifications.
He previously worked for 17 years at BeaverBrooks and another 5 years working as a jeweller.
He loves the abundance of varied items he has to value, which helps enhance his knowledge of jewellery. He also likes meeting clients face to face and NOT working on Saturdays!!
After work Phil enjoys the odd round of Golf and Socialising. Phil covers: Scotland, the North East and Wales.
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Jim Potts – Consultant Valuer
 Jim Potts FGA, DGA, RV, RJ Dip. Consultant Valuer Jim Potts, has been associated with SafeGuard for 15 years and laughs gently at the first question asked of him: “It’s everybody’s first question,” he said, but his answer is, nonetheless, very impressive. “The most unusual item I have ever been asked to value was a jewel-encrusted oriental dagger and the most valuable was what turned out to be a Cartier bracelet with a price tag of £200,000.” Jim’s career in the jewellery trade started as a trainee manager at H. Samuel in 1978. Four and a half years later he moved to Zales as assistant manger and then Manager of the Kidderminster and Telford stores. He took over responsibility for the training of all managers and new staff within the Midlands region and during this period also gained his valuer qualifications. Jim’s interest in jewellery extends well beyond working hours. He is a keen goldsmith and designs and in his spare time makes his own avant garde jewellery in a workshop at his home. However, this hobby together with his other love – classic sports cars – went on hold for a time while he actually built his own home – a four-bedroom house in Telford.
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 Georgina Deer
Georgina Deer has been working for SafeGuard since 2004. She underwent a very thorough training period at SafeGuard under the guidance of Expert Valuer, Jim Potts. She covers the North West area of England, from Leeds to Birkenhead and all points in between.
Georgina herself has a solid retail jewellery background. Her father was a watchmaker who ran his own retail business and Georgina worked in the family shops from the age of 13, starting as a Saturday Girl. She went on to study at Durham University and upon graduation she returned to work in the family business which she eventually took over upon her father’s retirement. She also obtained the PJ.VAL Diploma and as a Fellow of the NAG has been a registered Valuer since 1987.
Georgina loves variety in her working day and the role of a SafeGuard Valuer certainly provides her with plenty of that….. She enjoys the diversity of working environments and the varied staff and customers she encounters not to mention the multiplicity of items that she is asked to value on a daily basis.
Georgina says “Having worked as a retailer myself for many years and for other valuation companies as an independent valuer, I do believe that the SafeGuard method of training which is extremely rigorous makes us some of the most highly skilled valuers in the country. It is at least a seven year apprenticeship to gain registered Valuer qualifications but your education is never complete.
By coming into contact with jewellery every working day you are honing and expanding your knowledge and valuation experience. I can value anything from antique jewellery to contemporary items. Notable recent trends have seen an increase in imported jewellery and non hallmarked items being bought in to be valued. The amount of white gold and platinum items is also more prevalent”.
Qualifications: BA (Hons) - Modern History, Durham RJ. Diploma, FGA, DGA, FNAG, PJ Val. Dip.
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 Craig O’Donnell
Craig O’Donnell
SafeGuard Silver Expert in his element
Craig O Donnell, is one of SafeGuard’s expert team of valuers, who specialises in Jewellery, Watches and Antique silver. He has a BA degree in “Fine Arts Valuation”.
There are many antique pieces among the tens of thousands of articles valued by SafeGuard every year.
The team of valuers assess anything cocktail and pocket watches, diamond rings, antique gold as well as silver candlesticks, tea sets, trophies and even Mayoral Chains. Valuing these items presents a very different challenge from those modern items which are immediately replaceable from the High Street.
The condition of the item, the fashionability of the brand or maker, affect the value. The customer benefits from having a photographic record of the item and a Valuation at either Antique Replacement Value or Period Replacement Value and the reassurance that SafeGuard will retain all the details on their secure database in case the paperwork is lost.
Craig says “We do see a very wide variety of items and we have a few regular customers who seem determined to set us a challenge. A while back I valued a Haida Indian Argillite totem pole, a fabulous seventeenth century rosewater dish, a Hester Bateman Caddy and an Arthur and Georgie Gaskin necklet, amongst many other things. Working for SafeGuard means that every day is different. We never know what we will be presented with next!”
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 Joanne White
Joanne has been working as part of the SafeGuard Jewellery Valuation team since January 2001.
Joanne’s qualifications include: Jewellery & Silversmithing Degree BA (Hons), FGA Gemmology, DGA Diamond Grading, PJ Val. Dip. Valuers Diploma
She previously worked at PA Jewellery (Independent) in Sheffield carrying out design sales and valuing.
Joanne loves the variety and challenge of the job. She says “Meeting the challenge on valuation days (you never know what may come in) as well as speaking with customers face to face is very enjoyable. She also likes travelling to different parts of the country and meeting the staff at the various different shops and showing them, “how a valuation is done.”
Her parents live in Sheffield and she gets to see them quite regularly when working in South Yorkshire. She also has a brother in Germany.
Joanne enjoys socialising with friends, cooking and eating out, dancing, art galleries and contemporary craft, listening to music, travelling and learning about different cultures.
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 Alan Heyes
Alan has been part of the SafeGuard Jewellery Valuation team for 3 Years
He has FGA, PJ Val. Dip. and FNAG Qualifications.
Alan has spent a lifetime in the jewellery trade, both in retail and in, manufacturing. He became a registered valuer at the inception of the scheme by the NAG in the late 1980’s.
Alan too enjoys the variety of both working in the office and also getting out on the road to meet customers, members of the public and retail store staff.
He says, the pleasure in seeing an unusual or unique item of jewellery and the opportunity to see many fine items of Art Deco jewellery which is one of his favourite periods of design, are definitely perks of the job.
Alan’s three children are all in their thirties and left home many years ago. He and his wife enjoy socialising with friends and the occasional country walk.
After work Alan unwinds, playing golf, listening to music and reading.
Alan covers: Scotland, the North of England and Central and Eastern England.
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Tim Bratton
Biog info to be added shortly
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 Vanessa Paterson
Vanessa is the newest member of the SafeGuard Jewellery Valuation team. She has GG,FGA, GIA Pearl Graduate and has almost completed her DGA qualification.
Vanessa has worked in the retail jewellery trade for over twenty five years. She has been involved with: bullion, antiques, art nouveau, art deco, as well as 50’s 60’s and 70’s designer jewellery. She has spent over 20 years studying amber. Vanessa has also been involved in writing books, she has contributed to ‘Amber Time Capsule’ which is a part of the National History Museum.
She has also written for a new book coming out shortly on Gem Testing. She writes articles for ‘Collect It!’ magazine, and ‘Midland Focus’ and has also lectured on Amber.
Vanessa enjoys seeing the quantity and variety of jewellery and the challenge of correctly identifying jewellery and stones.
Her interests include socialising, dancing, swimming and badmington.
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