Jewelry

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Why does it matter? Inclusions devalue a diamond.

 

Just trying to understand the term grey/black diamond. 

 

17 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

There’s no such diamond as grey/black, the outlaws use grey/black to big up the sale, where the punter is encouraged to think the gem is grey (has value) going into black (so has reasonable value), but in reality it’s black (very low value).  A row of seven “black” very low value diamonds for $2,000.00?

 

Now I understand why Google came up with nothing. I had never heard the term grey/black diamond used before so I didn't realise it was just a sales tactic. My only experience with diamonds are the ones that sharpen my ceramic knives so I am pretty clueless😂. Thanks for the info🤗 Great to learn something new👍. 

Edited December 5, 2021 by ilikeanswers

[Sea42]

I'm not a jewelry person at all, so I googled the grey/black diamonds. I thought some of them were very pretty but this one was listed for over $100,000. I'd definitely rather use that money for other things.

http://www.fancydiamgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/FANCY_DARK_GRAY_A4885_3.jpg

[Noodles84]

After 52 years, my engagement was getting very thin, and I took it to my local small-town jeweler.  He asked if I had any broken gold chains or missing earrings, which I did have.  He ended up charging me very little to thicken the band, reset the diamond, and clean it all up.  It now looks beautiful and cost me very little, as he was able to reuse the broken gold pieces. Nicole

[Kmkub]

7 hours ago, evandbob said:

The OP states that they are looking for silver wedding bands, not "gold or diamonds", which most of the above answers pertain to.....YIKES!

thank you. Lol. I thought I asked wrong.
 

I ask my husband, “when will you finally buy me diamonds.” He says, “never.”

 

and that’s why I love him.

 

We won’t be buying new bands in The Caribbean.

[iancal]

23 hours ago, Noodles84 said:

After 52 years, my engagement was getting very thin, and I took it to my local small-town jeweler.  He asked if I had any broken gold chains or missing earrings, which I did have.  He ended up charging me very little to thicken the band, reset the diamond, and clean it all up.  It now looks beautiful and cost me very little, as he was able to reuse the broken gold pieces. Nicole

We did the same.  Last month we took a bunch of unused/unwanted gold jewelry to our local jeweler to sell.   He gives us much more money  than those mall store bandits who buy  gold at a ridiculous discount..    We get the refinery price less his ten percent commission. 

 

Last month it was a surprising $1600.   $350. of which when back in to DW's diamond engagement ring and her eternity ring tune ups.

 

BTW...we would not even buy a plastic bag at Diamonds International. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by iancal

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

We did the same.  Last month we took a bunch of unused/unwanted gold jewelry to our local jeweler to sell.   He gives us much more money  than those mall store bandits who buy  gold at a ridiculous discount..    We get the refinery price less his ten percent commission. 

 

Last month it was a surprising $1600.   $350. of which when back in to DW's diamond engagement ring and her eternity ring tune ups.

 

BTW...we would not even buy a plastic bag at Diamonds International. 

But DI is usually good for a decent bathroom…

 

But do a lot of looking around home.  Decide what you are looking for and price it.  See what you might pay for sterling or white gold.  Once you have educated yourselves, feel confident in browsing the shops in the Caribbean.  You might find what you like..or not.  Window shopping is always fun.  In fact, I get as much entertainment watching others shop as I do shopping for myself.  EM

[iancal]

28 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

But DI is usually good for a decent bathroom…

 

But do a lot of looking around home.  Decide what you are looking for and price it.  See what you might pay for sterling or white gold.  Once you have educated yourselves, feel confident in browsing the shops in the Caribbean.  You might find what you like..or not.  Window shopping is always fun.  In fact, I get as much entertainment watching others shop as I do shopping for myself.  EM

I had a gold cross necklace for DW weighed in the sales are of a jewelry store in St. Thomas.   I asked for it to be weighed again .   This time on the scale on  the back counter...near the repair/adjustment area.

 

You guessed it....the weights were different.  The scale at the sales area displayed a higher weight.

IMHO...that was no coincidence.

 

Our advice.  If you do not know what you are buying....the true weight of the object, the true carat quality of the gold, the real quality of the stone and/or the setting then don't buy on a few hour stop on a Caribbean Island where you may never return. 

 

The only thing that a 'cruise line authorized' store means is that you will be paying 5-10 percent more....because the cruise line is getting a kickback on every dollar you spend in that 'recommended' store.  That is why it is recommended.

 

The appraisal certificate is meaningless.  Nothing but a sales tool that they can whip up in the back room in two minutes.

Edited December 6, 2021 by iancal

[butterfly4108]

They know they'll never see you again so you really risk being scammed!

 

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, butterfly4108 said:

They know they'll never see you again so you really risk being scammed!

 

It's good to see cruisers finally wising up about the myths of great Caribbean jewelry opportunities.  Now - if they start to think about how shipboard casinos never lose, they are on their way.  Finally, they will come to realize that the "original art" they are tempted by is little more than well designed cat poop.

[iancal]

16 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

It's good to see cruisers finally wising up about the myths of great Caribbean jewelry opportunities.  Now - if they start to think about how shipboard casinos never lose, they are on their way.  Finally, they will come to realize that the "original art" they are tempted by is little more than well designed cat poop.

You only have to have a basic knowledge of mathematics, probability, and business to know that the odds greatly favor the house and why they do.  And perhaps in international waters where the casino may not be subject to any gaming laws.

 

  I can see the attraction of the tables but really, how very boring can it be sitting in front of a slot machine for hours on end.

Edited December 7, 2021 by iancal

[kochleffel]

I'm unlikely to buy jewelry at all, although I did buy a camera on St. Thomas. The price was the same as at B&H or Amazon, but I liked buying it there.

 

I think there may have been a time, not very recently, when prices on some islands were better than the best you could find at home, but this seem not to be the case any more even if you are able to compare quality. St. Thomas became a particular center for this because of the higher duty-free exemption when returning to the US from the USVI.

 

On my last cruise, everyone received non-refundable OBC near the end of the cruise, with only about 24 hours to spend it on board. Quite a few people bought watches, but with a watch you have more idea of what you're getting.

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, kochleffel said:

...

 

On my last cruise, everyone received non-refundable OBC near the end of the cruise, with only about 24 hours to spend it on board. Quite a few people bought watches, but with a watch you have more idea of what you're getting.

Did they stop the check if "Rolex" was spent with one or two r's?

[Kmkub]

3 hours ago, kochleffel said:

I'm unlikely to buy jewelry at all, although I did buy a camera on St. Thomas. The price was the same as at B&H or Amazon, but I liked buying it there.

 

I think there may have been a time, not very recently, when prices on some islands were better than the best you could find at home, but this seem not to be the case any more even if you are able to compare quality. St. Thomas became a particular center for this because of the higher duty-free exemption when returning to the US from the USVI.

 

On my last cruise, everyone received non-refundable OBC near the end of the cruise, with only about 24 hours to spend it on board. Quite a few people bought watches, but with a watch you have more idea of what you're getting.

What happened for them to give you such a generous gift? I could spend that easily.

[kochleffel]

36 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

What happened for them to give you such a generous gift? I could spend that easily.

 

It was a Bermuda cruise that was supposed to be docked at Bermuda for three consecutive days, but high winds made it impossible to dock for the first two. It wasn't until we left Bermuda for our return to New York that they announced the non-ref OBC, leaving only a day to spend it. Some possible alternatives to watches and jewelry would have been spa treatments, liquor, or specialty dining (if seating was available).

 

In 2019 I received a smaller amount of OBC from Holland America for a port change -- from Sint Maarten to St. Croix -- that wasn't announced until after embarkation. The late announcement was irksome because the mechanical problem that required it had been known for a long time.

[Kmkub]

8 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

It was a Bermuda cruise that was supposed to be docked at Bermuda for three consecutive days, but high winds made it impossible to dock for the first two. It wasn't until we left Bermuda for our return to New York that they announced the non-ref OBC, leaving only a day to spend it. Some possible alternatives to watches and jewelry would have been spa treatments, liquor, or specialty dining (if seating was available).

 

In 2019 I received a smaller amount of OBC from Holland America for a port change -- from Sint Maarten to St. Croix -- that wasn't announced until after embarkation. The late announcement was irksome because the mechanical problem that required it had been known for a long time.

For us, that’s a fantastic gift. The ship is our destination in The Caribbean, since we live in S Florida. Getting off the ship isn’t  necessarily a goal.

 

for those who want the port, it’s a small consolation prize.

[evandbob]

9 hours ago, Kmkub said:

For us, that’s a fantastic gift. The ship is our destination in The Caribbean, since we live in S Florida. Getting off the ship isn’t  necessarily a goal.

 

for those who want the port, it’s a small consolation prize.

For us in SWFL, temps have been in the mid 80;s this week, very tropical.  We no longer have to cruise or vacay to get away from a Northern winter. 

[kochleffel]

11 hours ago, Kmkub said:

For us, that’s a fantastic gift. The ship is our destination in The Caribbean, since we live in S Florida. Getting off the ship isn’t  necessarily a goal.

 

for those who want the port, it’s a small consolation prize.

 

Yes. Most people made the best of it, and since the ship was lovely and the service good, that wasn't hard. I think that gamblers were the happiest passengers, because the casino could stay open all the time the ship was at sea.

[copi2boys]

Not many people realize you can bargain with the jewelry dealers in St. Thomas and Mexico.... they wanted $850 for a silver tanzanite tennis bracelet.  i offered $250, we settled on $400.  In Mexico i wanted silver earrings they were asking $90, I offered $35, we settled on $45.  I have bought diamonds in St. Thomas.... came home and got them appraised for much more than I paid.  maybe it was luck... but I am very happy LOL

[Reina del Mar]

On 12/9/2021 at 11:03 PM, kochleffel said:

On my last cruise, everyone received non-refundable OBC near the end of the cruise, with only about 24 hours to spend it on board. Quite a few people bought watches, but with a watch you have more idea of what you're getting.

Maybe true..but…my husband has bought many Fossil watches in various outlets in USA. He was tempted to buy one with excess OBC on a cruise…..that was the only one that ‘died’ and was unable to be repaired in less than a year. 

[navybankerteacher]

On 12/10/2021 at 12:22 PM, copi2boys said:

Not many people realize you can bargain with the jewelry dealers in St. Thomas and Mexico.... they wanted $850 for a silver tanzanite tennis bracelet.  i offered $250, we settled on $400.  In Mexico i wanted silver earrings they were asking $90, I offered $35, we settled on $45.  I have bought diamonds in St. Thomas.... came home and got them appraised for much more than I paid.  maybe it was luck... but I am very happy LOL

Usually, the only way someone can buy diamonds for much less than they are worth is if the person selling the diamonds is a thief.  Very few people in the diamond business will sell them for much less than they are worth.

[PORT ROYAL]

41 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Usually, the only way someone can buy diamonds for much less than they are worth is if the person selling the diamonds is a thief.  Very few people in the diamond business will sell them for much less than they are worth.

Then there are “Conflict Diamonds”, where the rules change.

 

[navybankerteacher]

8 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Then there are “Conflict Diamonds”, where the rules change.

 

If you buy a "Conflict Diamond" you are, in fact buying it from a thief - or at least someone who got it, directly or indirectly, from a thief.

[iancal]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:22 AM, copi2boys said:

Not many people realize you can bargain with the jewelry dealers in St. Thomas and Mexico.... they wanted $850 for a silver tanzanite tennis bracelet.  i offered $250, we settled on $400.  In Mexico i wanted silver earrings they were asking $90, I offered $35, we settled on $45.  I have bought diamonds in St. Thomas.... came home and got them appraised for much more than I paid.  maybe it was luck... but I am very happy LOL

Being able to bargain is great.....IF you know the real value and the real quality of the item that you are trying to buy.

 

 Even worse if you are naive enough to actually believe the appraisal certificate that indicates that you were clever enough to buy something for 1/3 or it's appraised value.    

 

My guess is that the majority of customers have no clue.  They are up against highly motivated, highly skilled experienced commission salespeople.  And they are well aware that you will be sailing into the sunset in a few hours.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by iancal

[ldubs]

On 12/4/2021 at 7:05 PM, Kmkub said:

It's strange to me that so many go to the Caribbean to buy jewelry.  I guess that's why we thought it was a deal.

 

I wonder why it's so popular. Diamonds International and a couple of the others always seem so crowded. We've never really gone in, except one time, to get a free charm.

 

I think it also needs some perspective.   For some people, it is the shopping experience.   Mrs Ldubs is a pretty savvy buyer of jewelry, especially when it comes to diamonds.  While traveling she might see something unique that isn't a major expenditure,  like a ring or earring, etc.   She might buy it as long as she feels she is paying a fair price (yes, she bargains).   I guess I'm trying to say making a small purchase as part of a fun activity while traveling vs making a significant expenditure can be viewed differently.  Of course, what is considered small vs big will vary by person and viewpoint.  

[navybankerteacher]

28 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I think it also needs some perspective.   For some people, it is the shopping experience.   Mrs Ldubs is a pretty savvy buyer of jewelry, especially when it comes to diamonds.  While traveling she might see something unique that isn't a major expenditure,  like a ring or earring, etc.   She might buy it as long as she feels she is paying a fair price (yes, she bargains).   I guess I'm trying to say making a small purchase as part of a fun activity while traveling vs making a significant expenditure can be viewed differently.  Of course, what is considered small vs big will vary by person and viewpoint.  

Nothing wrong with buying something you can afford which you just happen to like on a trip - perhaps as a way to commemorate.  The thing to avoid is convincing yourself (more likely: letting yourself get convinced by the seller) that you are getting something worth much more than you are paying for it — that puts you in the category of people who keep playing at casinos - because they only seem to remember the times they win.

Edited December 13, 2021 by navybankerteacher