Shopping For 14KT Gold Jeweley... Rome????

Can someone please tell us if the jewelry in Rome is of good quality & can you bargain? Are there shops near the Vatican? We are going to be renewing our wedding vows , May 2015. Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Robert & Debra

You will find that in Italy (and most of Europe) the jewelry is 18 karat (75% gold). You may find some 14 karat (59% gold) for the tourists. Italy has some of the highest quality jewelry anywhere. The gold content is highly regulated. You can always check the clasps or the back of the piece for a little 18k engraved on it. You can always do a little bargaining, but maybe not in the big name stores.

There are many jewelry stores in Rome. If you are going to Florence, the jewelry stores in the Ponte Vecchio are great and very competitive.

An interesting factoid - in Portugal, the jewelry is 19.25 karats (80% gold).

When you are shopping for jewelry know your pricing as well as what you are interested in as well as the euro/dollar excahnge. Marazul gave some great advice as well.Your high end stores will offer you deals,but it is not the bargin genre you will find in the islands.Italy is known for its gold jewelry.

Unless you want 18 kt gold I would make your purchase at home where you have time to negotiate and can think your purchase through. Keep in mind the exchange rates which automatically add a big mark up to the jewelry.

Congratulations on renewing your vows.

Keith

Can someone please tell us if the jewelry in Rome is of good quality & can you bargain? Are there shops near the Vatican? We are going to be renewing our wedding vows , May 2015. Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Robert & Debra

If you're considering spending a substantial amount on a purchase, do lots of research before you take your trip. Know the prices of pieces you like before you go. For example, you can find jewelry by Roberto Coin (Vicenza) and Di Modolo (Milan) in locations throughout the US. Work by these designers is often available at a discount. Nordstrom's and Bloomingdale's carry both brands and fine jewelry items are often included in the their big "Take 20% off everything sales."

Most of us know Ross Simons in its discount catalog version, but there is a brick and mortar store in Warwick, RI and outlet stores in Potomac Mills, VA and Wrenthen, MA. You can buy from Ross Simons with confidence. They certainly carry Roberto Coin and Di Modolo, but any item they say is from Italy really will be from Italy.

You can tell I'm suggesting you not make a substantial jewelry purchase in Rome. It isn't one of the jewelry centers of Italy. Obviously, there are plenty of stores selling jewelry, but Rome doesn't have the factories/design houses for which Italy is famous. The jewelry centers are Arezzo (Tuscany), Vicenza (Veneto) and Milan (Veneto.) In those cities, the tradition of gold jewelry is so strong that you could walk into any store and buy with confidence. You would be assured that the piece is actually made in Italy from a local factory that has a reputation to uphold.

The shops near the Vatican will feature religious pieces of jewelry. If you're looking for a non-religious items, I wouldn't shop near the Vatican.

If someone on this board can recommend a specific jewelry store in Rome, then, consider making your purchase there. Otherwise, I wouldn't wander into just any Roman store. In particular I wouldn't wander into an unknown store near a major tourist location.

The jewelry centers are Arezzo (Tuscany), Vicenza (Veneto) and Milan (Veneto.)

Whoops! Brain freeze. Milan is in Lombardy not the Veneto.

I would not make a substantial purchase anywhere in Europe. You have to figure in the exchange rate and will be paying substantially more for anything you purchase in Europe. We had $1000 and immediately upon landing in Europe that was cut to less than 500 EURO.

If you are talking a plain gold wedding band as a special momento from Italy, that is one thing, but if you are talking diamonds or other gemstones, make the purchase at home before you go. Then if anything happens to go wrong, it will be much easier to go to your local store of purchase to get it corrected.

England I found mostly 10K gold, while mainland Europe was more 18K. And the only places in Europe I found substantial haggling or bargaining was in Hungary and Turkey. The other main tourist destinations usually have a set price.

Marazul is right. 14 carat gold is unusual in Europe, including UK. Cheap and cheerful jewellery is 9 carat, more expensive stuff is 18 carat, with 22 carat common for wedding rings.

Rome has some nice gold jewelry available (not necessarily crafted in Rome but in Italy). Look for good jewelry stores in the vicinity of the via Condotti/Spanish Steps area. You will not find any bargains though. (And bargaining in those shops is not done.)

While I agree that in general you won't find "deals" on jewelry in Italy, I am a little confused about statements on the exchange rate. Using a credit card with no transaction fee or exchange fee (there are several available) ensures that you don't lose money on the exchange. And it's a good idea to use a credit card for a major purchase as you have some protection in case of any issues.

The rate of exchange is also not an issue if you use an ATM with no transaction fee/exchange fee. And the euro rate against the dollar actually isn't too bad at the moment. In the past few years it has been as high as about 1.45 dollars to the euro; right now it is about 1.25.

I agree with cruisemom on the exchange rate. Use a credit card as she described. It could be that the poster who saw her $1000 reduced to nearly 500 euros brought cash and exchanged it at an exchange bureau at their usual poor rates + commission, or else, used it to pay for purchases at a store at even worse rates. Having cash is good for peace of mind and emergencies, but use credit cards for purchases and ATMs for local currency and bring your dollars back home if you don't have to use them.

When buying jewelry, be mindful of the price of gold. The price of machine-made items, such as chains or popular design pendants, is determined largely by their weight. (BTW - there is gorgeous machine-made jewelry, that is not a negative.) More unique pieces have a premium for design and crafting as could be expected. You could go to one of your local jewelry stores and price, say, a 16", 18k gold chain to get an idea of prices. Make sure you pay attention to the thickness and style of the chain so you can get a comparable idea. (Take a picture so you remember.)

You are not likely to find bargains in Italy, but you will find beautiful, high quality jewelry fairly priced. This is a good time to buy gold jewelry because the price of gold is well down from its highs and the exchange rate is much better than it has been in quite a while.

And aquilegia is right. I forgot that in the UK they sell both 9 karat (38% gold) as well as 18 karat (75%) in the stores.

I apologize, I didn't check the current exchange rate. That $1.27 rate is a lot better than the $1.70 when we went, and I did just round off at 2 for 1, it was a lot easier to determine the cost of something for this old befuddled brain.

But even at $1.27 for 1 EURO, you are going to end up paying a lot more for any item than if you bought it at home. And more than likely unable to do a thing about it if it breaks or tarnishes or a diamond falls out if you live thousands of miles away. You may have recourse if you buy it on a credit card, but why take that chance?

I don't have a credit card with no fee on the exchange rate, nor do I plan to get one just to have for travel once every other year. I have my Credit Union Debit card, but it doesn't go with me on my travels either. I had a local ATM keep my card on a Friday night, so had no cash, no card until Monday morning, when I was able to go inside the Credit Union to retrieve my card. Imagine that happening in a day in port??? Murphy's Law follows me, if it can go wrong, it will.

I had US cash and did find local banks to exchange my US $$ and haven't had anyone refuse to take the dollar, even though it's not as strong as it used to be. Everyone travels differently and has to do what they are comfortable doing. I've used Traveler's checks (years ago), foreign currency of the country I'm visiting, and finally just decided on good old CASH. If I've got $6000 to blow on a trip to Europe, I'm not going to worry about fees. But everyone has to make that decision for themselves.

My reason to buy jewelry on vacation is simple--when I put it on, I am transported momentarily to the wonderful place where we were....and I smile!

Can someone please tell us if the jewelry in Rome is of good quality & can you bargain? Are there shops near the Vatican? We are going to be renewing our wedding vows , May 2015. Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Robert & Debra

Whether it's 14k or 18k--that's the quality. Also, why would you buy such an expensive item overseas when you don't know what you are getting? Prices depend largely on the price of gold at the time, and also the euro. Additionally, there are no stores (department) such as Bloomindale's type stores in Rome to buy such things. I do not really remember any jewellery stores in Rome (probably wasn't looking). If you happen to be in Florence, there's the Ponte Vecchio, but be prepared to pay mega $$$$....Italy is for leather.....Lastly, get yourself a CapotalOne credit card for overseas. They don't charge a fee--but in no case use American Express. It is a charge card and boy do they charge you in overseas fees. Make sure you always look at the bill and that it is written in Euros, and not dollars.....

Whether it's 14k or 18k--that's the quality. Also, why would you buy such an expensive item overseas when you don't know what you are getting? Prices depend largely on the price of gold at the time, and also the euro. Additionally, there are no stores (department) such as Bloomindale's type stores in Rome to buy such things. I do not really remember any jewellery stores in Rome (probably wasn't looking). If you happen to be in Florence, there's the Ponte Vecchio, but be prepared to pay mega $$$$....Italy is for leather.....Lastly, get yourself a CapotalOne credit card for overseas. They don't charge a fee--but in no case use American Express. It is a charge card and boy do they charge you in overseas fees. Make sure you always look at the bill and that it is written in Euros, and not dollars.....

With regard to AMEX: It is my go-to card (I have an AMEX Plat). I have my one VISA if I happen on a place that doesn't take AMEX. NEITHER of my cards have forex fees. There are many different permutations of AMEX cards, just like permutations of VISA or MasterCard. So, you cannot make a blanket statement about cards and forex fees.

There is a department store in Rome (La Rinascente), but I wouldn't go there for jewelry, just as I don't go to Macy's for Jewelry. Like cruisemom said, around Via dei Condotti you will find some stores. Italy is also known for their gold jewelry (as well as leather and ceramics), but just not in Rome.

With regard to AMEX: It is my go-to card (I have an AMEX Plat). I have my one VISA if I happen on a place that doesn't take AMEX. NEITHER of my cards have forex fees. There are many different permutations of AMEX cards, just like permutations of VISA or MasterCard. So, you cannot make a blanket statement about cards and forex fees.

 

Agreed. My particular branded Amex just this year did away with the foreign fees that kept me from bringing it along on my travels. Now I will use it but I also find some places still do not accept Amex. If there are times when I only want to bring one card ashore with me, I use the trusty no-fee Capital One MasterCard.

Where else will you be going on your cruise? In muslim countries, gold is fairly cheap and nicely crafted, because gold is still used as a traditional dowry. Generally labor in those countries is cheap, and the weight of the gold determines the price, not the design.

So, if you are in Turkey, Egypt, Tunesia or Morocco (or the Arab quarter in Jerusalem) on this cruise, definitely look there. Be prepared to haggle.

With regard to AMEX: It is my go-to card (I have an AMEX Plat). I have my one VISA if I happen on a place that doesn't take AMEX. NEITHER of my cards have forex fees. There are many different permutations of AMEX cards, just like permutations of VISA or MasterCard. So, you cannot make a blanket statement about cards and forex fees.

 

There is a department store in Rome (La Rinascente), but I wouldn't go there for jewelry, just as I don't go to Macy's for Jewelry. Like cruisemom said, around Via dei Condotti you will find some stores. Italy is also known for their gold jewelry (as well as leather and ceramics), but just not in Rome.

If you use AmEx overseas, you will be hit by fees, and they ain't cheap. Learned by experience. Suit yourself. I'd rather spend my $ on other things. We have a Platinum card.

In Florence the jeweler we've dealt with is The Gold Corner by Sante croce square. Not inexpensive but reputable. They carry alot of Fope. Beautiful but expensive. All 18k. Good luck. I understand wanting something special from your travels. Ponte Vecchio you need to know pricing each shop is different. And is very touristy.

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If you use AmEx overseas, you will be hit by fees, and they ain't cheap. Learned by experience. Suit yourself. I'd rather spend my $ on other things. We have a Platinum card.

I haven't been hit with fees. There is no FOREX fee on the Plat card. And I haven't been upcharged anywhere where I use my Plat card. So, I'm rather confused when you say Cruisemom and I are incorrect about fees. A local merchant has the ability to add a "fee", but I haven't run into that anywhere. I check my bills and I haven't seen a "person used AMEX instead of VISA" fee...

Keep in mind that Gold prices are international and do not vary much from country to country. And in Italy you are going to pay a 20% VAT on any purchase (kind of like a hidden sales tax). Yes, you can get the VAT refunded (if you spend over a about $200) but it can be a hassle and you may not get a full refund.

As to AMEX (previous post) we have found fewer and fewer merchants even willing to accept AMEX because of the higher percentage that AMEX charges merchants. And, as we once told an AMEX supervisor (on the phone) we cannot justify spending $450 a year for a Platinum AMEX to save forex. There are plenty of excellent free credit cards (such as CapitalOne MC or Andrews FCU Global Trek Visa) that charge zero forex and have zero annual fees. MC and VISA are almost universally accepted throughout Europe. When we travel in Europe we often leave our AMEX card home :).

Hank

Another take on American express……

We always use our AE card first - if we can.

Using rewards points we hardly ever pay for airfare :D

As for gold jewelry in Europe….. I get a new piece every trip. A gold coin pendant on a bezel from Florence (ponte vecchio purchase) A pair of gold Byzantine earrings from Mykonos. A gold cartouche from Egypt. A gold coin pendantt from Santorini and dh has purchased 2 gold coin rings (Corfu and Rhodes)

So we have done a bit of gold purchasing - did we get a steal of a deal ? Probably not…. did we get "taken" - definitely no. But I have some beautiful pieces that people comment on every time I wear them and they make me smile because they remind me of my travels.

And we have found that VAT process is not that hard. Some vendors will not charge you for it - but you still have to file the paperwork before leaving the EU or they will charge your card about 6 weeks later if you do not.

Keep in mind that Gold prices are international and do not vary much from country to country. And in Italy you are going to pay a 20% VAT on any purchase (kind of like a hidden sales tax). Yes, you can get the VAT refunded (if you spend over a about $200) but it can be a hassle and you may not get a full refund.

 

As to AMEX (previous post) we have found fewer and fewer merchants even willing to accept AMEX because of the higher percentage that AMEX charges merchants. And, as we once told an AMEX supervisor (on the phone) we cannot justify spending $450 a year for a Platinum AMEX to save forex. There are plenty of excellent free credit cards (such as CapitalOne MC or Andrews FCU Global Trek Visa) that charge zero forex and have zero annual fees. MC and VISA are almost universally accepted throughout Europe. When we travel in Europe we often leave our AMEX card home :).

 

Hank

Hank - I have my Plat thanks to my ex (the settlement dictated that he continue to pay for my AMEX, and any other cards - including AAA - that we had). I may be the very weird exception to the rule; I haven't found any times that stick out in my brain where my AMEX wasn't accepted on my trips in Europe. The ones that I remember were from small hotels or agriturismos that we knew ahead of time needed payment via something other than AMEX. The VISA I have through my CU doesn't have the forex fees, either. So, it's not like I'm avoiding using my VISA to avoid fees. Maybe I'm just a lucky traveler.

I haven't been hit with fees. There is no FOREX fee on the Plat card. And I haven't been upcharged anywhere where I use my Plat card. So, I'm rather confused when you say Cruisemom and I are incorrect about fees. A local merchant has the ability to add a "fee", but I haven't run into that anywhere. I check my bills and I haven't seen a "person used AMEX instead of VISA" fee...

I never said you were incorrect about fees. Sorry you are confused. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year.

If you use AmEx overseas, you will be hit by fees, and they ain't cheap. Learned by experience. Suit yourself. I'd rather spend my $ on other things. We have a Platinum card.

I never said you were incorrect about fees. Sorry you are confused. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year.

I'm also confused. Can you explain what fees you are talking about if I have an Amex card that does not charge the foreign conversion fee, and vendors do not charge any extra fee for using it? :confused:

Granted, this wasn't always the case, but Amex (like many other credit card brands) seems to have woken up in the last couple of years to the fact that folks like credit cards without penalties for use overseas.

Texancruzer, I've run into places pretty regularly that don't accept the Amex card.

Would add a few AMEX issues. Regarding fees, with the exception of the Platinum card, AMEX charges a 2.7% foreign exchange fee on any foreign transaction. This is actually shown on the monthly statement and is usually bundled next to the actual charge.

As to using AMEX in Europe, DW and I spend a lot of time driving around Europe and have found that AMEX is usually not accepted in most restaurants (except the major tourist places and high-end restaurants). All the major hotels do accept AMEX, but we have found that many B&Bs will not accept the card. We were recently driving in Eastern France and found some stores were actually assessing a surcharge for using AMEX. Not sure if this is in accordance with their agreement with AMEX, but some merchants will play this game.

Before we get flamed, DW and I love our AMEX Card (had it since 1977) and still like to use it for major purchases in the USA. But there is no reason for us to pay their 2.7% foreign exchange fee on foreign transactions since we have several other cards that have zero foreign exchange fees. The reality is that most credit cards do assess a foreign exchange fee ranging from about 2.5% to around 4%. But some cards (CapitalOne is probably the best known) do not assess any fees nor do they have an annual credit card fee.

If anyone is interested in this issue there is a pretty good article (and list of credit cards) at:

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/top-credit-cards/no-foreign-transaction-fee-credit-card/

While these foreign exchange fees are not a major expense for those who only occasionally use cards outside the USA/Canada, the fees really add up for those of us who spend a significant amount of time outside our home country. We personally save hundreds of dollars per year by using cards with no foreign exchange fees.

Hank