For Diamond Lovers!

[ckrobyn]

I wanted to share my diamond buying experience in St. Thomas :)

I was a bit nervous with the idea of buying a good quality diamond ring on a Caribbean island, what if it turned out to be a cubic zirconia?

I had heard that RCI suggests shopping at "Diamonds International" and I also heard that they guarantee your purchase if you shop there. I was still worried....

When we docked in St.Thomas, I began my mission to find a diamond ring for my 10th anniversary ( DH hates shopping and waited outside the store!) I stopped in at Diamonds International and found my dream ring. The store owner assured me that the stones in the ring were excellent quality and that when I had it appraised at home, it would appraise for at least double what he was selling the ring for. After an hour of haggling, I finally purchased the ring :D

Last week I took this ring to my jeweller here in Toronto for an appraisal. I was waiting anxiously all week until the appraisal papers were ready ( I was still afraid the ring could be a dud....I love diamonds, but I'm no expert on quality) Finally the call came, and I went to pick up the appraisal papers and guess what? The ring appraised at DOUBLE what I bought it for!

I guess I am writing this to say that maybe shopping at a store that is backed by RCI is a good thing, it was for me!

Anyone have any jewellery stories they want to share...good OR bad?

[KKeeganS]

Great idea for a post, Robyn. We're cruising for my 30th birthday in September and I was toying with the idea of shopping for a sapphire solitaire for a little present for myself, but was nervous about it. I would love to hear what other's have experienced so I can prepare myself.

 

Thanks!

Sarah

[ckrobyn]

Great idea for a post, Robyn. We're cruising for my 30th birthday in September and I was toying with the idea of shopping for a sapphire solitaire for a little present for myself, but was nervous about it. I would love to hear what other's have experienced so I can prepare myself.

 

Thanks!

Sarah

 

You're very welcome Sarah :)

I had a good diamond buying experience and wanted to share it with the community. I know there are a lot of cruisers out there that buy jewellery in the Caribbean and I'm sure we all have stories....it's hard to resist the selection of stones as well as those duty free prices :D

[CCotton5]

I thought that was a great experience that you had with buying diamonds on a cruise.

 

I have always bought jewelry on a cruise, (7) cruises. The last experience was not so pleasant. We purchased my diamond 1 ct. total weight, 50 points each ear, princess cut, stud earrings. We were given an appraisal for the stones to be SI2 at the jewelry store and when I got home and had them appraised, come to find out, they were I1 and I3 quality. One prong on the I3 diamond was loose. The jeweler could not tighten it or the edge would have chipped off of the diamond, (the corner was a piece of carbon). I called the cruise line recommended store, (will not divulge the store name). It took about three months and a lot of persistence on my part, to rectify the situation. I dealt with the cruise line and the store in New York. They finally gave me new earrings of VS1 quality, which turned out to be better quality earrings than the SI2 quality of what I thought I had purchased.

[ckrobyn]

I thought that was a great experience that you had with buying diamonds on a ...cruise.

 

I have always bought jewelry on a c...ruise, (7) cruises. The last experience was not so pleasant. We purchased my diamond 1 ct. total weight, 50 points each ear, princess cut, stud earrings. We were given an appraisal for the stones to be SI2 at the jewelry store and when I got home and had them appraised, come to find out, they were I1 and I3 quality. One prong on the I3 diamond was loose. The jeweler could not tighten it or the edge would have chipped off of the diamond, (the corner was a piece of carbon). I called the cruise line recommended store, (will not divulge the store name). It took about three months and a lot of persistence on my part, to rectify the situation. I dealt with the cruise line and the store in New York. They finally gave me new earrings of VS1 quality, which turned out to be better quality earrings than the SI2 quality of what I thought I had purchased.

 

Interesting story....

I wonder how many people actually get their jewellery appraised when they return home?

I'm glad it all worked out for you :)

[realtordebbie]

We have shopped on four occassions with Sammy at Kay's Jewelers in St. Martin. He is located at the main island store not the one at dockside. Tell him Debbie from Colorado sent you. In January, purchased 2.5 ct earrings and friend bought 3.5 ct marquise stone.

[Runaway26]

I bought a diamond bracelet at a RCCL recommended store in Jamaica a couple of years ago. After a few months, one of the diamonds fell out (found it). Took it to a jeweler here to have it fixed and had an appraisal done at the same time. It was valued at 3 times what I paid for it. I was in total shock!

 

Diane

[ckrobyn]

I bought a diamond bracelet at a RCCL recommended store in Jamaica a couple of years ago. After a few months, one of the diamonds fell out (found it). Took it to a jeweler here to have it fixed and had an appraisal done at the same time. It was valued at 3 times what I paid for it. I was in total shock!

 

Diane

 

WOW! That's amazing :)

[nurseone]

Over the last few years and many cruises have purchased various pieces and have averaged spending 60 cents on the dollar (some better deals than others) but have never paid appraisal price or more for any item. Have purchased from both guaranteed and other shops.

[gail-s]

In St.Thomas, we found a fabulous Movado watch that my husband wanted. I had been pricing similar ones up here in Boston for $1100. At Royal Caribbean (the store) the girl told me it was $650, but, with her accent I thought she said $615. They sold it to me for $615. Back at home, our jeweler told us it was definitely a $1000+ Movado with a saphire crystal. DH was quite happy ;)

[ckrobyn]

In St.Thomas, we found a fabulous Movado watch that my husband wanted. I had been pricing similar ones up here in Boston for $1100. At Royal Caribbean (the store) the girl told me it was $650, but, with her accent I thought she said $615. They sold it to me for $615. Back at home, our jeweler told us it was definitely a $1000+ Movado with a saphire crystal. DH was quite happy ;)

 

I think I will be shopping for a watch on my next cruise :rolleyes:

[Shanafan]

I have had many jewelry purchases in St Maartan and I always get them appraised. We have always shopped at Joe's Jewelry in St Maarten.

 

Pear shaped Emerald and Diamond slide pd $516 appr. $1900

 

14kt tennis style bracelet with 29 mystic topaz stones (29) weighing 20.6 grams. pd $467 appr. $950 These are not precious stones but the bracelet was really cool.

 

My best purchase was Emerald oval shaped earrings with a single diamond. We bought my Mom a pair as a gift for $180. They appaised for $1200! Went back 6 months later and bought another pair.......had them appraised.....same thing! This next trip in November I will be getting myself some more Emeralds.

 

Tanzanite is another good purchase. My Tanzanite and Diamond necklace we paid $$800 and it appraised for $1900.

 

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.......I highly recommend this place.

[cruizeblues]

We love Kay's in St. Maarten too:) On our first trip we purchased a blue & white diamond bracelet. Following year a blue & white diamond anniv. ring (3 stones, 2.75 tw) and a new wedding band for DH. All pieces are beautiful and unique. Can't find blue diamonds at home. The color reminds me of the caribbean ocean water! I smile every time I look at them! :D Can't wait to return to Kay's next year to buy a matching pendant or earrings!

[superjerryw]

I hate to burst everyone's bubble here, but jewelry appraisals are not worth the paper they are written on. In the diamond industry there are several prices for each diamond. Diamond sellers will frequently tell you that they are selling you a diamond for the wholesale price. This is frequently true, as the wholesale price is an inflated valued to begin with. For example, a diamond with a wholesale price of $5,000 will likely have a retail price of $9,000 and will appraise at $12,000. When you buy that diamond for $5,000 (the alleged wholesale price) you think you are getting a great deal. When you take the diamond to be appaised and you get an appraisal for $12,000 you are jumping for joy because it is all part of the diamond industries racket. If you want to find out what that diamond is really worth, try to sell it. Have someone else take that diamond and go back to the store it was purchased in and see how much they will pay for it. You will be very disappointed to learn that the diamond you paid $5,000 for that got the $12,000 appraisal will only fetch about $2,500. All of this stuff about buying jewelry for an investment is total nonsense. Unless you are in the jewelry business and have access to gem stones in the actual diamond marketplace you will never make anything on your investment as you will always pay a grossly inflated price to begin with as part of the general public. The same thing applies to gold jewelry. When you go to sell it there is no real consideration given to the design, they just throw the gold jewelry on a scale to determine the dollar value of the gold content. That gold bracelet you bought on tv for $800 might get you $250 if you try to sell it. As is the case with anything else, buyer beware.

[3redheads]

Thanks for the tips. I bookmarked this page :D

 

 

 

Kim

[ckrobyn]

I hate to burst everyone's bubble here, but jewelry appraisals are not worth the paper they are written on. In the diamond industry there are several prices for each diamond. Diamond sellers will frequently tell you that they are selling you a diamond for the wholesale price. This is frequently true, as the wholesale price is an inflated valued to begin with. For example, a diamond with a wholesale price of $5,000 will likely have a retail price of $9,000 and will appraise at $12,000. When you buy that diamond for $5,000 (the alleged wholesale price) you think you are getting a great deal. When you take the diamond to be appaised and you get an appraisal for $12,000 you are jumping for joy because it is all part of the diamond industries racket. If you want to find out what that diamond is really worth, try to sell it. Have someone else take that diamond and go back to the store it was purchased in and see how much they will pay for it. You will be very disappointed to learn that the diamond you paid $5,000 for that got the $12,000 appraisal will only fetch about $2,500. All of this stuff about buying jewelry for an investment is total nonsense. Unless you are in the jewelry business and have access to gem stones in the actual diamond marketplace you will never make anything on your investment as you will always pay a grossly inflated price to begin with as part of the general public. The same thing applies to gold jewelry. When you go to sell it there is no real consideration given to the design, they just throw the gold jewelry on a scale to determine the dollar value of the gold content. That gold bracelet you bought on tv for $800 might get you $250 if you try to sell it. As is the case with anything else, buyer beware.

 

Jerry:

 

Thanks for the insight...

Just one more thing to add.....

I appraise my jewellery NOT so that I can re-sell it, but for it's replacement value for insurance purposes. If I lost the ring I just bought on my cruise tomorrow, I will get back double what I paid for it :)

Insurance for jewellery ( In Canada) is quite expensive, but worth it in my opinion, especially if you have a few valuable pieces.

[superjerryw]

Jerry:

 

Thanks for the insight...

Just one more thing to add.....

I appraise my jewellery NOT so that I can re-sell it, but for it's replacement value for insurance purposes. If I lost the ring I just bought on my cruise tomorrow, I will get back double what I paid for it :)

Insurance for jewellery ( In Canada) is quite expensive, but worth it in my opinion, especially if you have a few valuable pieces.

 

I understand what you are saying, but I have a hard time believing that the insurance company will hand you twice what you paid for your ring in the event it was lost. Hopefully, your ring will always be safe and you will never have to make a claim. If you did make a claim, I can easily see the insurance company either replacing the ring with a similar one since it would cost less or just giving you the actual replacement value. By the way, all of those stores that are recommended by the cruise pay a fee to the cruise line to be recommended. It's just another racket.

[Shanafan]

We love Kay's in St. Maarten too:) On our first trip we purchased a blue & white diamond bracelet. Following year a blue & white diamond anniv. ring (3 stones, 2.75 tw) and a new wedding band for DH. All pieces are beautiful and unique. Can't find blue diamonds at home. The color reminds me of the caribbean ocean water! I smile every time I look at them! :D Can't wait to return to Kay's next year to buy a matching pendant or earrings!

 

I love the blue diamonds, too! I got the 3 stone diamond ring a couple years ago but at that time I did not see the blue diamonds. This past trip I got the matching 3 stone pendant. Do they have 3 stone earrings?

[lephysteria]

I second that, this is a great idea for a post.

 

In Cozumel I bought a pair of princess cut diamond earrings in white gold, 4.5 tcw (f/g, vs2, for $2500. The appraisal for them says $8000. They threw in a 20 carat oval amethyst pendant for free.

 

Also in Cozumel, Naren bought me a 25 carat London blue topaz pear-shaped pendant for $200.

 

In St. Thomas, I bought a blue topaz tennis bracelet - 7.5 inches, 26 carats, Swiss blue, and gorgeous, for $150.

 

In Key West, I bought a pair of diamond earrings in platinum, .75 tcw (7 round diamonds in each earring to create a round shape) for $250.

 

In St. Maarten, the jeweler wanted $165 for 14 tcw earrings of Rainbow Topaz (oval shape). They were gorgeous, but a little more than I wanted to spend.

 

I can’t wait to go back to the islands … more shopping! :D

[ckrobyn]

I understand what you are saying, but I have a hard time believing that the insurance company will hand you twice what you paid for your ring in the event it was lost. Hopefully, your ring will always be safe and you will never have to make a claim. If you did make a claim, I can easily see the insurance company either replacing the ring with a similar one since it would cost less or just giving you the actual replacement value. By the way, all of those stores that are recommended by the cruise pay a fee to the cruise line to be recommended. It's just another racket.

 

Jerry:

 

I actually checked with my insurance company to see how this "replacement value" thing works. I was told that with a "certified" appraisal certificate, I will be handed the appraised value of my ring. The insurance company will not replace the ring themselves, they will give me a check for the value of the ring as stated on the appraisal certificate.

 

I know that the stores pay a fee to RCI, but hey.....if it means my diamonds are genuine........

[lephysteria]

Insurance for jewellery ( In Canada) is quite expensive, but worth it in my opinion, especially if you have a few valuable pieces.

 

It's expensive in California too, but worth it ... (but then again, what ISN'T expensive in California? :rolleyes: )

my engagement/wedding ring was insured about 6 weeks after I got it. I couldn't walk around with that kind of valuable on my finger without it being insured. I was paranoid during that 6 weeks! :eek:

[ckrobyn]

I second that, this is a great idea for a post.

 

In Cozumel I bought a pair of princess cut diamond earrings in white gold, 4.5 tcw (f/g, vs2, for $2500. The appraisal for them says $8000. They threw in a 20 carat oval amethyst pendant for free.

 

Also in Cozumel, Naren bought me a 25 carat London blue topaz pear-shaped pendant for $200.

 

In St. Thomas, I bought a blue topaz tennis bracelet - 7.5 inches, 26 carats, Swiss blue, and gorgeous, for $150.

 

In Key West, I bought a pair of diamond earrings in platinum, .75 tcw (7 round diamonds in each earring to create a round shape) for $250.

 

In St. Maarten, the jeweler wanted $165 for 14 tcw earrings of Rainbow Topaz (oval shape). They were gorgeous, but a little more than I wanted to spend.

 

I can’t wait to go back to the islands … more shopping! :D

 

Jen:

 

Can I go shopping in your jewellery box? :p

[lephysteria]

Jen:

 

Can I go shopping in your jewellery box? :p

 

 

:D Sure :D

 

But then that would mean that I'd have room for more jewelry, and Naren would have to buy more ... um, I think he might say No :)

 

LOL, but really, its all thanks to Naren that I have gorgeous jewels. He's a great shopper, and has such great taste!

[ckrobyn]

:D Sure :D

 

But then that would mean that I'd have room for more jewelry, and Naren would have to buy more ... um, I think he might say No :)

 

LOL, but really, its all thanks to Naren that I have gorgeous jewels. He's a great shopper, and has such great taste!

 

Does Naren have a brother? :rolleyes: LOL!

[lephysteria]

LOL, too funny of a story!

When we FIRRRRST started dating, I would go to his house and we'd have lunch together, and then he'd go back to the office. I didn't have to work until that afternoon, so I was over at his house hanging out until I had to go to work. The phone rang. I thought it was Naren saying he forgot something, so I answered his phone.

 

It was a Indian guy saying he was Naren's brother ... and wanted to leave his Texas phone number for Naren, so they could talk later.

 

Naren didn't have a brother ..... or so he told me :eek:

 

I know he has a sister, because I had talked with her. But it was too funny that this guy wanted to leave a number for his brother! LOL Anyway, I asked Naren about it, and the word brother was lost in the translation. He meant to say Relative ... but when you translate from Marathi to English, that's when you get Relative=brother. LOL

So how, he points his brother out in family photos, and says, "That's my brother". LOL

 

I believe he's married, but I can give him a ping if you want me to ;)