Buying jewelry

I'm cruising western carribean for the first time, Honduras, Belize, Costa Maya and cozumel. I've shopped for jewelry in areas like St Thomas and St Croix and have never had an issue. Can anybody tell me which port would be best for buying jewelry in western Caribbean? I don't want to get ripped off. :cool:

I can't offer advice but I do want to say I hope you get something extra sparkly! [emoji4]☺[emoji4]

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If you love it, and it's at a price you like...buy it. If you are looking to get something cheap....there really are no "bargains" anymore.

If you love it, and it's at a price you like...buy it. If you are looking to get something cheap....there really are no "bargains" anymore.

Yep!

There never were bargains, just gullible buyers.... I used to live in St. Thomas and the prices for jewelry amazingly dropped about the time the ships left and if you showed a valid drivers license from the island they dropped again...

Buying jewelry locally at home is still the better option. My wife saw no good price in St. Thomas this year.

Yep!

 

There never were bargains, just gullible buyers.... I used to live in St. Thomas and the prices for jewelry amazingly dropped about the time the ships left and if you showed a valid drivers license from the island they dropped again...

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I would be very hesitant to purchase anything of value on vacation. If you get it home and it needs a repair right away or you find out you were mislead about the value you won't have any recourse. Best advice would be to find something you like the look of at a price based solely on how much you like the look. As in, don't attribute any 'value' to the metals or jewels; if you like the piece in the range of $30, don't pay $100 because it's 'silver'.

On our first cruise we were looking at jewelry from a local merchant and he wanted $200 for a 'silver' bracelet my family member liked. Think we ended up paying around $30 for it with a pair of earrings I liked thrown in.

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There are no good ports on a western itinerary for buying jewelry, except that n Mexico you can occasionally find good deals on sterling. The western Caribbean is not the place to buy gemstones.

The best prices, selection, and service will be at your local jewelry store.

I was a happy gullible buyer though! [emoji4] And I got a sparkly bauble I never would have selected at home. [emoji4][emoji4][emoji4]

 

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Good for you, and the best way to look at it. If you are a good buyer and know prices you get a reasonable price, not "cheap" but reasonable, you do have to work at it though!

Try your local warehouse store that sells the $1.50 hotdogs, try their on line store, or try bluenile.

You will get a much better value and you will actually get what you pay for.

Unless you are looking for an inexpensive reminder I would never buy expensive jewelry at a port stop. Besides, we know very little about stones, jewelry, etc. How are we to know if the highly commissioned clerk (who will probably never see us again once we sail off) is telling us the straight truth with regard to quality?

And never mind the phoney appraisals or the 75 percent off today because you are so nice or because you are such a canny bargainer.

The only "gem" I've bought is Larimar in the pretty well made sterling settings (not the garbage settings) in st Martin and st Thomas.

3 cruises to those ports since 2015 and I've amassed a gorgeous selection of the light blue stone

Earrings rings necklaces and my favorite...bracelets

I don't buy the really high end settings like the ship sells but I buy in the under $75 price range depending on the piece

The price makes me happy the gem is gorgeous as are the settings.

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Friends don't let friends make bad jewelry decisions while cruising! There are too many good places online to buy from: james allen is having a 25% off sale right now.

Go to pricescope to find the ultimate prosumer jewelry website for other recommendations!

Don't be a fool-- don't buy jewelry while on a cruise!

larimarket.com is the best place to buy larimar. Heck, I even bought my daughter a clearance maralagho larimar ring for a steal at cabelas.com!

Friends don't let friends make bad jewelry decisions while cruising! There are too many good places online to buy from: james allen is having a 25% off sale right now.

 

Go to pricescope to find the ultimate prosumer jewelry website for other recommendations!

 

Don't be a fool-- don't buy jewelry while on a cruise!

 

larimarket.com is the best place to buy larimar. Heck, I even bought my daughter a clearance maralagho larimar ring for a steal at cabelas.com!

I took a peek at the above mentioned website and honestly the $35 earring I bought in a jewelry store in st Thomas are much nicer

I've seen Larimar in garbage wired settings for only a few bucks ....in nice sterling settings that are finished off quite nicely for between $25 and $100....and in the ridiculously high end settings...for hundreds of dollars both on the ship and in shops regarding the high end stuff

The nice sterling settings are gorgeous and do the stone justice...looks and price wise

I've been lucky I guess to get my stuff from shops on the islands because nothing on the website is as pretty as what I bought

Although I must admit the selection on the ncl gem was gorgeous but way too pricey

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Oh, I agree, 35$ is fine. I just cringe when people think they can get deals on diamonds and pecious stones in the Caribbean or on the ship!

You know what? Go to loupetroop.com and buy second hand or even new or even unset stones. The secondary market can give you steals and deals if you know how to buy.

It depends what are you looking and how much you are willing to spend. We usually go to Diamonds International. Also, everything is negotiable and you have to be willing to walk away while negotiating to get the price you want.

Just to give you an example, a while back (DI in Cozumel) we bought a pair a diamond huggy earrings with baguettes. They started at $5k, 50% off sale down to $2,500. We talked them down to $1,500. Recently had them appraised for $4k.

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The last two times I was in Cozumel, I got great deals. Of course "deal" is a relative term. I had been wanting a blue topaz necklace and earrings, but really wasn't in a position to buy. While window shopping in one of the stores, he was asking $360 for the necklace. I kept telling him I was just looking and couldn't afford to buy right now. He kept coming down in price, and eventually sold me the necklace for the $50 bill I had in my pocket. I found earrings to match in another store. He was asking $300. I walked out after paying $40.00. Are these pieces "valuable?" I really don't know. I didn't but them as an investment. I bought them because I love them.

The last two times I was in Cozumel, I got great deals. Of course "deal" is a relative term. I had been wanting a blue topaz necklace and earrings, but really wasn't in a position to buy. While window shopping in one of the stores, he was asking $360 for the necklace. I kept telling him I was just looking and couldn't afford to buy right now. He kept coming down in price, and eventually sold me the necklace for the $50 bill I had in my pocket. I found earrings to match in another store. He was asking $300. I walked out after paying $40.00. Are these pieces "valuable?" I really don't know. I didn't but them as an investment. I bought them because I love them.

You answered yourself in the last statement... "because you loved them"...

Were they worth $90? That was quite a bit of dickering but I'm sure they still made a good profit. If I ever buy something with that kind of price drop it never leaves my sight. Not to be put in a box, nothing.... they can look at it, get the serial number, whatever but it's not leaving where we are at except to walk out the door with me.

You answered yourself in the last statement... "because you loved them"...

 

Were they worth $90? That was quite a bit of dickering but I'm sure they still made a good profit. If I ever buy something with that kind of price drop it never leaves my sight. Not to be put in a box, nothing.... they can look at it, get the serial number, whatever but it's not leaving where we are at except to walk out the door with me.

Very good point

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I have a friend who buys jewelry. His philosophy is - if you don't know jewelry, make sure you know your jeweler.

DON

It depends what are you looking and how much you are willing to spend. We usually go to Diamonds International. Also, everything is negotiable and you have to be willing to walk away while negotiating to get the price you want.

Just to give you an example, a while back (DI in Cozumel) we bought a pair a diamond huggy earrings with baguettes. They started at $5k, 50% off sale down to $2,500. We talked them down to $1,500. Recently had them appraised for $4k.

 

 

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Sorry to come across as a sceptic, but did the person who gave the $4k appraisal offer to buy them? I would gladly have offered to let him have them for $2,750 - giving each of us a quick profit of $1,250, at the expense of the fool in Cozumel.

Alternatively, I do not believe DI (in Cozumel or anywhere) would sell something really worth $4,000 for just $1,250. They are in the business, and they know their business: which is to take advantage of cruising impulse buyers.

Sorry to come across as a sceptic, but did the person who gave the $4k appraisal offer to buy them? I would gladly have offered to let him have them for $2,750 - giving each of us a quick profit of $1,250, at the expense of the fool in Cozumel.

 

 

 

Alternatively, I do not believe DI (in Cozumel or anywhere) would sell something really worth $4,000 for just $1,250. They are in the business, and they know their business: which is to take advantage of cruising impulse buyers.

I had them appraised by my jeweler. Bought them them 12 years ago and got them appraised about 5 years ago. He confirmed it was a good buy.

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I had them appraised by my jeweler. Bought them them 12 years ago and got them appraised about 5 years ago. He confirmed it was a good buy.

 

 

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Oh, well, then - given enough time anything gains value. I sold a house, which I bought for $52,000, for $325,000 -- and that wasn't an appraisal -- which can be kind of squishy --- it was cash money paid.

Before I go on a cruise, I start researching prices if I have something in mind. I write down the website, price, and model number. If I find the same item at a cheaper price, including the savings of sales tax, then I will buy the item on the cruise; if not, I purchase the item when I return home.

I will also purchase jewelry on a cruise if it is something I really like and have not seen it elsewhere. Sometimes there are certain stones that you can find only in the Caribbean that are not available in the U.S.

Enjoy your cruise.