We’re back with a NEW Gem Junkies!!  Jonathan was out in Pennsylvania while Brecken trekked overseas to Hong Kong.  We thought we’d give you a look into the day-in-the-life of purchasing and some consumer shopping tips for the Holidays!

 

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PURCHASING GEMSTONES

• Bring a shopping list.

  • Help stay on track on what to purchase with the number of stones you’re viewing

• Bring grading samples of what you plan to purchase.

  • Lighting plays a huge roll on the overall appearance on the stone.  You’re able to easily to compare the stone you’re viewing based upon the grading samples that you’ve brought along.

• Buying Power

  • Of course, you want to purchase the most beautiful stone from the lot.  Let’s be real, everyone wants that too.  Increase your buying power by purchasing a variety of stone grades.  The cutter is able to move stock to one customer versus finding buyers for lower grade stones.  Negotiating becomes a more open conversation when buying in larger quantities of varying grades.

 

 

 

 

 

Jewelry is a popular item to purchase during the holidays.  But where should you start when it comes to buying jewelry for a gift?

Here are  TIPS to making your shopping experience more enjoyable

5 SHOPPING TIPS FOR JEWELRY 

• Ask a lot of questions

  • Buying jewelry is an investment but should be a FUN experience! Ask your sales consultant any and every question you may have.  There are great stories to hear which can ease the process and make purchasing more enjoyable.  (This tip is helpful for wholesalers as well.)

 

• Buy local

  • Nothing beats the experience from purchasing from your local jewelers.   The sale isn’t just a number to them as they want to build a long-term relationship.
  • Often jeweler insurance providers will request a periodic appraisal on your jewelers and your local provider can easily provide this information when needed

 

• Share your budget

  • There is amazing jewelry in every price range, especially in COLOR!!  Sharing your budget with your sales consultant allows them to better understand your needs and makes for a smoother buying experience.
  • The jewelry design also affects the price.  For instance, earrings will cost more than a pendant as there are two items associated to the jewelry piece.

 

• Appearance

  • There are a couple factors when it comes to the appearance of colored gemstones– color, cut and clarity
    • Color is going to be the most important factor when it comes to buying colored gemstones.  Color is a personal preference so select a color that is pleasing to you.
    • The cut of the gemstone optimizes the overall appearance of the stone.
    • Clarity is going to vary between stones. Many color gemstones inclusions are okay and expected.  This can be expected in a stone like Emerald.

• Care/Durability

  • Keep in mind the type of jewelry that you’re purchasing as a gift.  Each piece is going to require a different level of maintenance.  For example, purchasing an opal as an engagement ring isn’t encouraged.  Down the road, the opal will need to be replaced every few years.
  • Questions to ask:
    • How often should I get this back to get checked?
    • How should I clean it?
    • How do I take care of it?
    • How should I store the piece of jewelry?

 

• Insurance

  • Protect your investment!!  There’s value in every purchase that is made.  We recommend holding a separate policy outside of your homeowner insurance.  This is helpful in a case that you’re at a loss that it doesn’t impact your home insurance and vice-versa.
  •  Many jewelers will have a company they partner with but you can also purchase it independently. Jewelers Mutual is a great resource to insure your jewelry.

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