Exchanging a diamond ring at Diamonds International

Has anyone bought jewelry there and went back later to trade it in for something else? We are going on a Caribbean crusie next week and I'm thinking of taking my certificate with me to exchange it for something else.

Has anyone bought jewelry there and went back later to trade it in for something else? We are going on a Caribbean crusie next week and I'm thinking of taking my certificate with me to exchange it for something else.

Good Luck, let us know how it works for you.

Has anyone bought jewelry there and went back later to trade it in for something else? We are going on a Caribbean crusie next week and I'm thinking of taking my certificate with me to exchange it for something else.

I've done it successfully but with a smaller jeweler whom I met on my Alaskan cruise last September. I made arrangements then to meet him that December in St. Thomas during my Christmas cruise, and instead of resetting the ring as we had initially planned, I saw a nicer one with a bigger stone, and so we did a trade up. I had my appraisal with me, so it was easy. I'm very pleased.

Hope this helps!

I have never done it but did check in to it. DI will give you the exact amount you paid for your diamond ring on the price of another larger diamond ring. Let us know how it works.

Has anyone bought jewelry there and went back later to trade it in for something else? We are going on a Caribbean crusie next week and I'm thinking of taking my certificate with me to exchange it for something else.

My wife bought a ring from Diamonds International on our first cruise back in 2006. At the time they told us bring the cert back and exchange it for an upgrade for the original price paid. However, March of 2013 we went on another cruise and she decided she wanted to look for an upgrade on that ring. First stop was Antigua. Went into Diamonds International and the manager there said the policy had changed and they now only allow an upgrade on a piece that was bought earlier on the same looped cruise. So buy a piece on the first day and see something you like better on the third and upgrade. They did ultimately allow her to do the upgrade since we had no idea the policy had changed. This is just our experience with the Diamonds International in Antigua. Don't know why they would have lied to us though.

I would know the current value of your ring. In the past couple of years diamonds have gone up in value. Have you checked into a local store to see if they trade up? Some stores will do it even if you did not buy the first ring from them.

Thanks for all the input! I probably do need to get it reappraised as it's been over 8 years ago that I bought it. The price of gold has certainly gone up since then. We leave Sunday so this may have to wait.

On another note, can anyone shed some light on why my post was moved? Lately my posts and comments have been disappearing. Have I done something to anger the managers of this site?? The other posts were on another subject on the Carnival forum. I don't want to get barred from here, although I might be more productive in life if I was ;)

Good Luck, let us know how it works for you.

Check out the info I received on the Princess forum...oops, make that the RCC forum

Thanks for all the input! I probably do need to get it reappraised as it's been over 8 years ago that I bought it. The price of gold has certainly gone up since then. We leave Sunday so this may have to wait.

 

On another note, can anyone shed some light on why my post was moved? Lately my posts and comments have been disappearing. Have I done something to anger the managers of this site?? The other posts were on another subject on the Carnival forum. I don't want to get barred from here, although I might be more productive in life if I was ;)

You didn't do anything wrong. The mods just thought that your question had more to do with fashion so they moved it here. Don't know about your other posts.

You didn't do anything wrong. The mods just thought that your question had more to do with fashion so they moved it here. Don't know about your other posts.

There's a fashion forum on here?!

There's a fashion forum on here?!

Yes, and this is where your post now is.

Your other post is still in the Ask A Cruise section, where I answered it. Yes, I did a trade with no problems. Just be sure to negotiate the price on your new item before revealing you are doing a trade.

Your other post is still in the Ask A Cruise section, where I answered it. Yes, I did a trade with no problems. Just be sure to negotiate the price on your new item before revealing you are doing a trade.

Ha! Found it :). Too bad all the other forums didn't move it here. I've been jumping back and forth lol

So get an appraisal before I go, if it's increased much in value I don't want to upgrade as they will only give me what it was worth when they sold it to me. If the appraisal is close then I pick out what I want and then reveal the trade...did I get it right? But, is it their policy I have to get something double in value to do a trade up??

I'm not aware of such a policy, and it didn't apply in my transaction. I traded a $9000 ring in on $13,000 worth of jewelry. We bargained it down $5,000 before showing my paperwork.

I'm not aware of such a policy, and it didn't apply in my transaction. I traded a $9000 ring in on $13,000 worth of jewelry. We bargained it down $5,000 before showing my paperwork.

Wonderful! But now I gave to decide if I want to sacrifice a port day. I used my whole day in PV to pick out the diamond, the setting, the price and then it had to be sized.

I'm on the western Caribbean itinerary Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. I haven't checked to see of there is a DI in any of those ports :o

Just some info on diamonds from the GIA

http://gia4cs.gia.edu/EN-US/index.htm

Wonderful! But now I gave to decide if I want to sacrifice a port day. I used my whole day in PV to pick out the diamond, the setting, the price and then it had to be sized.

I'm on the western Caribbean itinerary Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. I haven't checked to see of there is a DI in any of those ports :o

I had purchased the ring in Cozumel and loved it, but later noticed inclusions that I didn't like. I took it to my jeweler and asked his opinion. He said it was not a good stone and that I should trade it in. But the design was beautiful, so I had him do a custom ring based on it and it was even better. I wear it every day.

I did the trade in St. Martin with the help of a friend who is a vintage car dealer and knows how to bargain. LOL

When I returned from that cruise, I again took my purchases to my jeweler and he said the bracelet was exquisite work and that I came way out ahead this time, just based on thst piece alone. I love the pieces and wear them on every cruise.

Update by OP

I went to the bank this morning to look at the papers and certificate on the diamond ( safety deposit box)....and to get cash for the trip ;)

Then I went to a jeweler to have the ring looked at. He said it would take 3 days to get a formal appraisal. I told him what I was thinking of doing so the jeweler said he could get me a pretty good idea of what the main diamond was worth. He had to call someone as the diamond was cut in an unusual shape. Eventually he figured out the size and grade , which I told him I wasn't sure of, but when he said it I remembered that's what was on the certificate. He said trade in wouldn't be great because it was an unusual cut bal bla bla. Anyway the bottom line was he gave the diamond a value of $1500 more than I paid for it. Wahoo! So I think I will hang onto it and just have a better setting made for it to show off the cut. The setting I picked out had too many other smaller diamonds and it looks like it's just a round cut. I'm a happy girl and will enjoy a port day at the beach instead of diamond shopping!! Thanks for all your help everyone. :)

Has anyone bought jewelry there and went back later to trade it in for something else? We are going on a Caribbean crusie next week and I'm thinking of taking my certificate with me to exchange it for something else.

We purchased a blue diamond ring December 2013, The initial price they quote is very high. We really negotiated the price and it's been my experience that you can cut the asking price in half. We just did the same cruise this year and decided to trade up, something they really push when you make that first purchase. I noticed that they were less willing to negotiate when I mentioned that I had a trade in. The last port (St Marartin) we didn't mention the trade. We found a ring, negotiated a price which was somewhat high for the diamond we picked, but with a trade in I could live with it. When I brought up the trade in they flat out told me that they wouldn't have agreed to the price if they knew about the trade in. When they are trying to sell you a diamond they'll tell you that prices are going up but once you've purchased they claim it's not worth what you paid to them.

Expensive lesson for me and one I hope you don't have to personally experience. If you purchase really, really cut the price and don't plan on a trade up.

I don't think there's an island in the Caribbean without a DI. That being said I don't go in them other than to get the free charm for the grand girls. I prefer to shop at Milano & Ballerina. I've always received great value for my money & don't have to spend the entire day shopping. I've never had an issue trading up with either company

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