Company Information
The seeds for Quantum Leap were originally sown in 1978. Thom Underwood, at the time, was a partner in a jewelry manufacturing/showroom concern and had just founded a jewelry appraisal company (San Diego Gemological Laboratory) in San Diego, California. Seeking to streamline the time consuming appraisal process, Thom looked towards computerization.
While computer options at that time were crude by today's standards, his efforts still yielded significant benefits over the typewriter. Over the next decade (and several operating systems and software iterations) what was to become Quantum Leap, and eventually Professional Appraisal Software (PAS), evolved. Interest and feedback from professional appraisers around the country made it apparent there was a need for jewelry appraisal software and Quantum Leap was officially born in 1987.
"I had created this software for my own use and realized that a lot of other professional appraisers would benefit from the computerization of the appraisal process," explains Underwood.
Quantum Leap for DOS was first released to the market at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in 1987. In less than two years, Quantum Leap had over 50 users and continued to grow with new features and more users. In 1993, with yet another breakthrough for jewelry appraisers, Quantum Leap released it's first Windows version. The user base continued to grow to over 500 users.
Then in 1999, after two years of development and once again re-coding from the 'ground up', Quantum Leap released Professional Appraisal Software (PAS) at the JCK - Las Vegas jewelry show. Now PAS is the only appraisal software that is based fully on 32-bit technologies allowing for the integration of the very latest programming tools. For example, using Microsoft© Active X technology, PAS seamlessly integrates Microsoft© Word as the report editor providing all the power of Word (spell checker, grammar checker, text wrapping, real document publishing features, etc.) without ever requiring the user to do more than point and click.
In 2005, Adrian Smith, FGA, joined Quantum Leap as an authorized United Kingdom distributor of Professional Appraisal Software (PAS.) Adrian is an expert valuer whose unrivaled qualifications support over thirty years trade experience.
Indeed, in the new millennium Quantum Leap Professional Appraisal Software represents the implementation of the latest and best technology, streamlining the production of jewelry appraisals and insurance documentation for the discriminating jeweler/appraiser. Isn't it about time?
Thom Underwood, Master Gemologist Appraiser®, GG, FGA, ASA, Senior Member of NAJA
Thom Underwood holds a BA in Chemistry from North Carolina Wesleyan College and is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America with the Graduate Gemologist diploma. He is owner of San Diego Gemological Laboratory. Underwood has more than 30 years of jewelry industry experience as a goldsmith, store owner, and appraiser.
Underwood is qualified to appear before the Superior Courts of San Diego and Ventura. He is a Graduate Gemologist (GIA), Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA), Senior Member and Master Gemologist Appraiser® with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), a Senior Member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA), immediate Past President of the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) and a member of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). He also is certified as an instructor for the American Society of Appraisers and with the California Department of Insurance.
As a member of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) he worked on the Appraisal Task Force helping to establish Insurance Documentation Guidelines for the Jewelry Industry. He has written on technology issues for more than 10 years having been published in National Jeweler, Jewelers Circular Keystone (JCK), and Retail Jeweler (British). Thom is an international lecturer on computer applications in the jewelry industry.
He spends his free time gardening and kayaking the Southern California coast.
Adrian Smith, FGA
Adrian Smith is an independent Jewellery Valuer and Appraiser providing a comprehensive valuation service for some of Scotland's most prestigious Retail Jewellers and private clients.
Since entering the jewellery trade in 1975, Adrian has been involved in almost all of the retail jewellers many and varied activities, from buying and selling to valuations and jewellery manufacture and repair.
He was trained by a well-known prestigious Jeweller in the South of England and moved to one of Scotland's premier Jewellers in 1990, before creating Scotland's most respected jewellery valuation consultancy.
He gained the Retail Jewellers Diploma in 1985 after receiving a Distinction in the National Association of Goldsmith's examinations. He subsequently earned a Fellowship with the Gemmological Association of Great Britain following the examinations of the Association and is a member of the Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain
Adrian became one of the first Registered Valuers with the National Association of Goldsmiths in 1988 and is a member of the Guild of Independent Valuers, Association of Jewellery Appraisers and the Society of Jewellery Historians.
He is the current Chairman of the Association of Jewellery Appraisers and is actively involved in Gemology education in Scotland. He is a committee member of the Scottish branch of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and an office bearer for The Edinburgh and East of Scotland Association of Goldsmith, Silversmiths and Watchmakers.
Adrian has been working with PAS for several years and has designed specialized forms and processes for PAS users. In 2005 Adrian was designated UK Distributor for PAS. His company, AppraiserTech, focuses on software designed for valuers.