2017 Is Your Year to Sparkle!!
With the holiday season winding down and Valentine’s Day around the corner, I have been receiving a lot of questions from my clients wanting to know some jewelry buying tips and secrets. I thought I would take a few minutes to educate all of my clients and answer a few of the most frequently asked questions to help ease the pressure of not only finding the right piece, but also ensuring that you know what you are buying.
Here are the top 5:
1. “What does a GIA certification diamond or colored stone mean?”
GIA stands for Gemological Institute of America and they are the foremost authority in diamond and colored stone grading. If you want the best, purchase diamonds that come with a diamond/color stone grading report. GIA is a laboratory that adheres to a strict standard of diamond grading. As with all fine jewelry purchases, it gives my customers confidence that the diamond they are buying is truly the color, cut, and clarity that they are intending to buy.
2. “How do I know if I am getting a good deal on this diamond?”
My answer is simple; Trust your jeweler and not a sales rep at a local store that usually has no formal education on diamonds and colored stones. Of course, do your research! Read Austin Private Jeweler’s Facebook reviews and my testimonials atwww.AustinPrivateJeweler.com, and ask friends who have already worked with me. I take great effort in keeping up on all of my continuing education and being a Certified GIA Graduate Gemologist with 13 years of experience. The jewelry business continues to change on a daily basis, so you need someone who knows the latest industry updates.
3. “How do you get better quality gems and diamonds compared to the Austin jewelry stores?”
I am sourcing from the highest caliber suppliers in specific geographical regions that are known in the world for a specific type of stone. For example, certain locations warrant the best colored stones in regards to hue, tone and saturation. Nothing beats the bluish green color of an Emerald from the mines of Colombia or a Burmese Ruby or a Sri Lankan Ceylon Sapphire. Most jewelry stores will try to sell you “commercial grade” stones, or irregular, cloudy gemstones with visible inclusions and are pawned off as higher quality. I have contacts to the best quality diamonds and colored stones in the world.
4. “When should I get an appraisal?”
There are different kinds of appraisals for different purposes. The most common reason for an appraisal is to obtain insurance to ensure a replacement of equal quality and value in the event of damage or loss. For this purpose, either an Insurance Replacement Appraisal or Statement of Replacement Cost should be requested. You should trust only GIA Graduate Gemologists with performing your appraisals in order to ensure the most accurate report.
5. “What’s the negatives to buying jewelry online?”
Though the prices of jewelry found online are sometimes lower, I recommend that consumers, see, touch and feel the jewelry they are considering purchasing, especially diamonds and colored stones. Online purchases can look very different in person than on a screen and I highly discourage looking at sites such as Ebay or Amazon for your jewelry purchases. If you find an incredible deal online, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me to verify. I will educate you on what you are buying and if it’s accurate and at a fantastic price, I won’t hesitate to tell you to buy it.
Next time you are in the market for jewelry or have any questions please know that you have a trusted jeweler to help navigate you through the jewelry buying process with ease and ensure your purchase is beyond perfect! Austin Private Jeweler is here not only to educate, but to help buy the best quality stones and fine jewelry for the best price. Not to mention we have a lot of fun doing it!