jpal, hfly had a good point about 22k gold. It's not a good idea for anything that's going to get a lot of wear and tear, such as a gold chain bracelet, for example. But I envied all my female colleagues in India with their armfuls of 22k bangles!

As for appraisals, yes, I know they're overstated to some extent- but I'd guess that in this case they called the H. Stern store in NYC, described the piece and got a price. (It was a bracelet of stones in graduated colors- one of H. Stern's most-recognizable pieces.) Anyway, I spend enough time with my nose pressed up against jewelry store windows to feel confident that it was a reasonable price.

Please let us know what you decide- we'll be here for questions about the journey!