Jewelry recommendations

[Sea and Me]

I was wondering do any of you have jewelry recommendations for the following islands:

St.Croix, St. Maarten, St Lucia,St.Kitts?? We will be visiting these islands in January and I was just interested in seeing if any of you purchased jewelry at any of these ports.  

 

Thanks so much in advance for your replies.

Have a great day.

[BND]

13 minutes ago, Sea and Me said:

I was wondering do any of you have jewelry recommendations for the following islands:

St.Croix, St. Maarten, St Lucia,St.Kitts?? We will be visiting these islands in January and I was just interested in seeing if any of you purchased jewelry at any of these ports.  

 

Thanks so much in advance for your replies.

Have a great day.

We shop almost exclusively at Ballerina Jewelers in St. Maarten. There's one at the port and one in town.  They're also in St. Thomas.  They are not one of the Royal's "preferred" shops, but we were referred there by my DH's former CEO who spends a lot of money on jewelry for his wife.  They're great to deal with.  In St. Croix, there really isn't much.  It's a US Territory and really a beach and dive port.  They don't have the shops like other ports do.  St. Lucia and St. Kitts both have the usual port shops, including multiple jewelry stores.   We just did that itinerary this past April on Grandeur.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by BND

[johnjen]

While in St. Maarten, noticed a lot of shops "pushing" Tanzanite with heavy advertising. Beware of that, as well as store employees practically begging you to come in. There's a lot of lab manufactured tanzanite in the Caribbean lately, just be careful before you go there and read up on how to tell the difference between real and fake tanzanite. 

[Toofarfromthesea]

I have a friend who is a jeweler and has been one for 50 years.  When I told him that I was going on my first cruise he told me that every time someone came into his story to get something appraised that they had bought on a cruise,years it appraised at a lot less than the cost.  Didn't matter to me personally, since I am blessed with a wife who doesn't care a bit about expensive jewelry.  But that conversation always comes to mind when the subject comes up, here.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

it appraised at a lot less than the cost.

I'm wondering/betting that most of those pieces have stones in them.  I think a non-pro would have a really hard time evaluating that.  I've bought some silver jewelry over the years and that was a lot easier.  I guess if you're not paying much, love the piece and don't care if it's actually worth it, then okay.  But my limit there would be quite low.

[FlyerTalker]

And if you have a problem, you're gonna fly back down there to straighten it out?

[George C]

1 hour ago, johnjen said:

While in St. Maarten, noticed a lot of shops "pushing" Tanzanite with heavy advertising. Beware of that, as well as store employees practically begging you to come in. There's a lot of lab manufactured tanzanite in the Caribbean lately, just be careful before you go there and read up on how to tell the difference between real and fake tanzanite. 

They have been pushing tanzanite in Caribbean for over 40 years

[WatchHill]

I buy quality jewels/watches/unique pieces from someone I know and trust - local in the USA. If there is ever a problem, he takes care of it, no need to go through cruise lines or out of country vendors about "fine quality stones" that fall out within a month.

 

Darcy

[wwcruisers]

While I agree with others, that the 'good deals' on Caribbean jewelry are pretty much a thing of the past (if indeed they ever did exist), there are a couple of stores that I always stop by, whenever I'm there:

 

Cardow, on St. Thomas -- they came highly recommended by some cruising buddies -- and I have bought a couple of items there, over the years.

 

The Goldsmitty, in Antigua -- here again, a personal recommendation. I didn't buy anything there, but they have some lovely unique pieces (but not cheap).

 

Do be aware that  those shops which are prominently featured in your cruise ship's 'shopping guide' are not necessarily better (or more trustworthy) than other stores. They PAID the cruise-line for that privilege!

[ShakyBeef]

I bought my most recent Mark Henry Alexandrite pendant at Majesty Jewelers  on Front Street in Sint Maarten.  This was in 2014.  I had it appraised at the most reputable jeweler here at home for insuring it.  It appraised for $2000 more than I paid for it.  But I knew at the time of purchase I was getting a good price.  I had done my research and was totally wiling to walk away from it if I didn't get a price with which I was happy.  I'm still happy with it.  I still wear it several times a week.

[clo]

9 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

I bought my most recent Mark Henry Alexandrite pendant at Majesty Jewelers  on Front Street in Sint Maarten.  This was in 2014.  I had it appraised at the most reputable jeweler here at home for insuring it.  It appraised for $2000 more than I paid for it.  But I knew at the time of purchase I was getting a good price.  I had done my research and was totally wiling to walk away from it if I didn't get a price with which I was happy.  I'm still happy with it.  I still wear it several times a week.

I'm sure you got a good deal but,as was mentioned above, an appraisal value for insurance purposes is always more than something is worth. Not just jewelry.

[ShakyBeef]

8 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm sure you got a good deal but,as was mentioned above, an appraisal value for insurance purposes is always more than something is worth. Not just jewelry.

 

Right, I know.  I realize the way I worded that was misleading, I'm sorry.  I meant that the impetus for my getting it appraised was for insurance, so I would have all the proper documentation and such, just in case.  But the value that I was quoting ($2000 over my purchase price) was the cash/market value.  I asked for both appraisal amounts.  Yes, the insurance appraisal was much higher than market appraisal.

 

Also, I forgot to mention, as to the OP's point, I recommend Majesty (or at least the Majesty of 5 years ago - they could have gone downhill since then without me knowing it) not only for the quality and reasonable prices of their pieces, but also for the service I received.  I will not hesitate to go back to them next November, when I stop at St. Maarten again.

[George C]

We totally love and trust impearl jeweler in st Thomas boughs my wife’s engagement ring there 30 years ago and many things since , everything appraised for much much more. 

[1025cruise]

My two cents, spend the money at home at a local jeweler who you trust.

 

[SRF]

It depends.

 

You can get some really good deals.  But mainly, if you are in the country where the stones are from.  Emeralds in Columbia, Tanzanite in Tanzania, etc.

 

And, you have to know your stones.

 

If you do not know, you are better off with a trusted local jeweler.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, SRF said:

It depends.

 

You can get some really good deals.  But mainly, if you are in the country where the stones are from.  Emeralds in Columbia, Tanzanite in Tanzania, etc.

 

And, you have to know your stones.

 

If you do not know, you are better off with a trusted local jeweler.

Agreed ---- or you can trust the recommendation of an anonymous Cruise Critic poster who names a place to buy jewelry which will always be appraised for much more than purchase price when back home.

[johnjen]

19 hours ago, ShakyBeef said:

I bought my most recent Mark Henry Alexandrite pendant at Majesty Jewelers  on Front Street in Sint Maarten.  This was in 2014.  I had it appraised at the most reputable jeweler here at home for insuring it.  It appraised for $2000 more than I paid for it.  But I knew at the time of purchase I was getting a good price.  I had done my research and was totally wiling to walk away from it if I didn't get a price with which I was happy.  I'm still happy with it.  I still wear it several times a week.

Just curious - how much was the appraisal? I've heard that the fees for appraisals greatly vary.

[ShakyBeef]

1 hour ago, johnjen said:

Just curious - how much was the appraisal? I've heard that the fees for appraisals greatly vary.

 

I'm sorry, darned if I can remember.  I feel like it was less than $100 per piece (I had two pendants appraised at the same time).  But it was a few years ago and I just can't be certain.  I just went to my safe to see if I had the appraisal receipt.  I pulled out the whole packet for my Alexandrite pendants with the original gem certification wallets, original jeweler purchase receipts, and the appraisal certificates and insurance photos from my local jeweler.  But no receipt from the appraisal, I'm sorry.

[johnjen]

24 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

I'm sorry, darned if I can remember.  I feel like it was less than $100 per piece (I had two pendants appraised at the same time).  But it was a few years ago and I just can't be certain.  I just went to my safe to see if I had the appraisal receipt.  I pulled out the whole packet for my Alexandrite pendants with the original gem certification wallets, original jeweler purchase receipts, and the appraisal certificates and insurance photos from my local jeweler.  But no receipt from the appraisal, I'm sorry.

Yeah, but by you mentioning this, it's gotten me into an appraisal mode as well, I think we are going to have to do this - been sluffing it off and I think with an appraisal it helps just in case something happens, like a break in....

[ShakyBeef]

15 minutes ago, johnjen said:

Yeah, but by you mentioning this, it's gotten me into an appraisal mode as well, I think we are going to have to do this - been sluffing it off and I think with an appraisal it helps just in case something happens, like a break in....

 

Yes, it really helps in the peace-of-mind department.  I had always meant to, but didn't get around to getting my lesser, older (bought in 2008) Alexandrite pendant appraised until I did the newer one in 2014.  But I was glad I did them both.  I wear them both frequently and having them documented with "official" appraisals just makes me feel more comfortable about the possibility of loss, theft, lost stones, etc.

[ldubs]

23 minutes ago, johnjen said:

Yeah, but by you mentioning this, it's gotten me into an appraisal mode as well, I think we are going to have to do this - been sluffing it off and I think with an appraisal it helps just in case something happens, like a break in....

 

I'm probably saying something you already know -- your typical HO policy has an internal limit on jewelry (and other items like cash, firearms, art).  You can add a floater to schedule coverage for jewelry other items.   

 

 

Edited November 14, 2019 by ldubs

[ed01106]

The markup on jewelry is outrageous and should never be viewed as an investment. If the price is reasonable and you like the piece than buy it.  

 

Nothing wrong with good quality fakes.  If it takes a professional with a magnifying glass to know it is fake then it will look just as nice on formal night as real. But if you can’t tell if it is real or fake only spend as if it is fake.

[c-boy]

... say what 

[marco]

Buy at home and enjoy the sites at the cruise port rather than the inside of a shop.

[clo]

9 hours ago, marco said:

Buy at home and enjoy the sites at the cruise port rather than the inside of a shop.

Totally agree.  Let's see if I can find just one 'goodie.'