About Us

Michaux Tayloe Chopski is a GIA Graduate Gemologist and a Certified Member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA). She has a comprehensive and diverse background in jewelry appraising and has been working and studying in the field of gemstones, fine jewelry, and appraisals since 1994. She received her B.A. in Historic Preservation with a concentration in the decorative arts at Mary Washington College. In 1998 she attended the Gemological Institute of America in New York City, which was located in the heart of the diamond district, and was granted the prestigious Graduate Gemologist Diploma. She continued her studies by completing the American Gem Society's Registered Jeweler course and the Certified Gemologist Appraiser course, all while working in the upscale Virginia Jewelry Market. After completing the International Society of Appraiser's Core Course in Appraisal Studies Diploma through the University of Maryland in 2002 she started her own jewelry appraisal firm Octagon Gemological Services located in Roanoke, Virginia. Octagon Gemological Services became one of only two Independent Certified Gemologist Appraiser (ICGA) Firms in Virginia from 2005-2026. Michaux completed the NAJA Appraisal Studies Course in 2025 and became a Certified Member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers.