Why do cruises push certain Jewelry stores?

[Hlitner]

I'm having a hard time believing their role in sending people to ripoff joints. I didn'y know that DI was a fraud.

I must admit, going on a cruise to buy jewelry from someone I won't meet again is REAL low on my list of good ideas.

 

We think the "rip-off" term is a bit harsh regarding this issue. That being said, they do try to convince you that the recommended stores have the highest quality jewelry at the best prices...and this is simply not true. Some of the recommended stores are pretty decent and some are not,...but some of the best stores are never recommended (i.e. H. Stern). And the other issue is whether jewelry in the Caribbean is really priced better then in the States. Many would argue that for gold or diamonds you can do better in the US by using the internet. For example Bluenile or Costco have good prices on Diamonds that come with legit appraisals. If you buy something in the Caribbean and later have a problem how are you going to get it repaired? At least H. Stern has US stores that will handle repairs. As to DI, they do have their home office in NYC (but its not a store) and maintain a store in Key West (because its a cruise port). When it comes to DI you have to wonder about a company that only puts stores in cruise ports....but we leave that one for others to unravel. We pass their store everyday while we live in Puerto Vallarta and the place is usually empty until a ship is in port. We have seen them open early to serve cruise line tours, but that seems to be their bread and butter (we wonder why).

 

Hank

[hubofhockey]

Hank, I used the term rip off joint because I of what I have read about them selling jewelry at prices well above appraised value while telling customers that appraisal value is higher. I trust them less than I trust the vendors in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (actually had a great time there).

[Hlitner]

Hank, I used the term rip off joint because I of what I have read about them selling jewelry at prices well above appraised value while telling customers that appraisal value is higher. I trust them less than I trust the vendors in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (actually had a great time there).

 

Hmmm. This sounds like the definition of most jewelry stores in the world. Apprisal value is a rip-off in itself since the jeweler and insurance companies benefit by inflating the value (insurance premiums are based on the appraisal value). However, if you carefully read insurance policies and reimbursement for lost or stolen jewelry is based on the "replacement value" (not to ever exceed the appraisal value). If you want to have fun with a jeweler ask them how much they would be willing to pay to buy your jewelry...and we guarantee it will not be anything close to the appraisal value unless its some kind of rare jewel.

 

If you want to read an eye opening article on the subject take a look here:

http://www.diamonds2cash.com/appraisal/

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hank

[mr green]

Hmmm. This sounds like the definition of most jewelry stores in the world. Apprisal value is a rip-off in itself since the jeweler and insurance companies benefit by inflating the value (insurance premiums are based on the appraisal value). However, if you carefully read insurance policies and reimbursement for lost or stolen jewelry is based on the "replacement value" (not to ever exceed the appraisal value). If you want to have fun with a jeweler ask them how much they would be willing to pay to buy your jewelry...and we guarantee it will not be anything close to the appraisal value unless its some kind of rare jewel.

 

If you want to read an eye opening article on the subject take a look here:

http://www.diamonds2cash.com/appraisal/

 

Hank

 

Very true re appraisals. I collect and mount ammolite as a hobby, while I know that I will not make much out of it.

Last year a brought eight stones on E bay for $20.00 and postage. I mounted a few on gold plated bails, [$1.00 each], and gave them to a local club as fun prizes. One person took his to a local jeweler to be valued for insurance. He was very happy with the verdict, $300.00!!!:D

While I do have an eye for it, that was a ridiculous evaluation.

 

john

[cruznjan]

I have shopped at Diamonds International with positive results. If you plan to buy jewelry while on a cruise, do some comparison shopping at home.

[HoopsandYoYo]

We had an experience in Sorrento, Italy regarding shopping. While the cruise ship did provide us with a list of shops on shore, the local tour guide had her own agenda and took us first to a completely different shop in town. We were given drinks and snacks and a promotional speech about their inlaid wood carvings and we ended up buying quite a few things for gifts to take home. Afterwards we browsed through other shops and found exactly the same items for about half as much!

[HoopsandYoYo]

Yup, it is the money. If you spend the ship wins. We don't go to the port talks for Alaska and the Carib anymore. THey are just shills for the stores.

Agreed! It's the same with the onshore excursions. But the reason we prefer to go with the excursions offered through the ship is a sense of security, knowing that the ship will not leave without you.

[jewopaho]

I also noticed that everywhere we went on the ports, the jewelry stores were promoting Tanzanite much more than any other stone. I do like the color of Tanzanite, but is it worth all the craze? I also find it hard to believe that the one mine Tanzanite comes from is going to be "dry" in 15-20 years. Is this another tactic where they are holding large amounts of the stone to make the price go up?

 

Don't get me started on this ... oh, too late; you already have. Tanzanite is by far the greatest marketing promotion in the history of jewelry. All the hype stripped away, it's basically a semi-precious rock found only in Tazania ... thus the name. Chemically, it has virtually no resemblance to precious stones. It's more than coincidental that 99.99% of the stuff is found in cruise ship ports. I spent years in the business, and the true high-end custom jewelry creators in the US (at least those I dealt with) won't touch it. The story of the mines drying up is the gimmick used to keep prices inflated ... there are people who actually believe that the hundreds of thousands of tanzanite pieces in the Caribbean stores (as well as those being shipped there daily) are the last of them, and that the industry will go belly-up once the supply is exhausted. Sheeeesh!

 

True, it's a pretty stone ... as are citrine, amethyst, iolite, garnet, tourmeline and dozens of others. But this stuff sells in the $1000/ct. range or more. Contrary to the port and shopping guides' onboard spiels, tanaznite is hardly of investment quality. If you like it, and are willing to pay the price, buy it. But don't believe for a moment that leaving it to your kids will put your grandchildren through college once the mine dries up.

 

A couple of words words on appraisals ... Caribbean versions aren't worth the paper they're printed on. The tendency there is to grade stones (especially diamonds) higher than they actually are (e.g. a true VS 1 H color might show as a VVS 2 G color from one of those mega-chains). The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) standards are the industry benchmark. There are also several different types ... wholesale, retail, insurance replacement, etc. If you believe that a ring for which you paid $4,000, and comes with a Caribbean appraisal of $12,000, is worth three times what you bought it for ... I have this oceanfront property in Kansas (just off the coast of Nebraska) that might interest you.

 

And yes, it's all about the kickbacks. Cruise ship lines and their employees do well from the promotions ... not necessarily a bad thing; take it all with a grain (or shaker) of salt. But by all means, do your homework. Research what a similar piece would sell for in the US ... and don't think that you'll be getting one of identical quality in the Caribbean (you might, but it's not a given). As for savings, only one thing is certain: you won't pay sales tax.

 

Caveat Emptor!

 

Al

[jewopaho]

I have shopped at Diamonds International with positive results. If you plan to buy jewelry while on a cruise, do some comparison shopping at home.

 

I'm not inferring that DI is a ripoff ... no company becomes that dominant by fleecing its customers (save for Bernie Madoff). However, the general perception is that one can purchase fine jewelry in the Caribbean for pennies on the dollar ... not so; not even close. You are correct about doing a bit of shopping around at home ... but as I previously noted, we're not exactly in an apples-to-apples situation. And once again, if you're basing your contention on anything other than a certified GIA appraisal (actual value, not insurance replacement cost) I would question its accuracy. Value aside, if you like it, feel you got a nice deal (pereption is indeed reality) and enjoy wearing it, you did fine.