How to Buy Jewelry without Being Duped
With the booming fashion industry, the jewel business is also flourishing. This means the market is awash with both genuine and fake jewelers. Therefore, for whatever reason you are buying these precious stones, do your due diligence. Ensure that you don’t get duped by unscrupulous businessmen.
Whether you are buying a silver bangle for women or a diamond engagement ring, it is paramount that you are aware of conmen. If they realize that you are not sure of what you are buying, they might take advantage of you. Ensure that you acquaint yourself beforehand of what jewelry you want to buy. Read online about reputable jewelers. Reading customer reviews also will help you know which jewelers are recommended.
If you are thinking of buying one of those precious stones sooner or later, then this article is for you. Let us learn more together below.
Know Exactly What You Want.
When you walk to a jewel shop, know precisely what stone you want. Is it a diamond, silver, gold, or pearls? Is it an engagement ring, a pair of earrings, a watch or a necklace? Whether you are buying it as a gift or to engage your fiancé, first ascertain what exactly you want. Don’t give room to the retailer or businessman to think you don’t know what you want. This will push them into coning you. They will suggest appealing discounts that are not worth it at all.
Look for Trusted Jewelers
Don’t just walk to a jewel shop to buy jewelry for your wife. There are a lot of duplicates for the unsuspecting customer. Try to avoid those as much as possible. So how do you do that? If it is pearls that you want, know how to differentiate them. Is it the original (direct from the ground) that you want? This is almost impossible to find. Or you want synthetic one? This is manufactured from the factory and is better than the Chinese ones.
Usually, if you go to a well-established jeweler, they should help you differentiate the three. Also, check for jewelers online. There is a lot of info to tell you whether some jewelers can be trusted or not. Look for their websites. Also, find out if they have active social media platforms that are always updated. What are people saying about their jewelry? All this should help you ascertain whether you can trust them or not.
Look for certification
When you walk into a jewelry shop, you’ll find their pieces are certified. Meaning they passed through the testing process and passed it. Diamond, silver, and gold, among other stones, pass through the lab for testing. When they pass the test, then they get certified. Look for these certifications on individual pieces. However, conmen have mastered the art of duplicating certifications. So you can check the certifying company and contact them. Find out if they are the ones that tested the stone or not.
Plan Beforehand
Don’t wake up one day and walk to a jewel store to buy an engagement ring. If you do this, the chances of being ripped off are big. Decide in advance what your budget is. After that, decide how many karats you want, and the stone you want. Then search online in those terms. You can also look at the different designs available. If you have jewel stores nearby, you can do window shopping. Ask questions, either physically or online. This helps you to decide exactly what falls in your budget. Minimize chances of looking naïve hence being duped.
Go with a Jewel.
Just the way you look for professional plumbers, electricians or painter, you can get a jeweler in the same way. It is a job, so chances are they will implement it well. Rather than paying highly for a fake diamond, instead, you hire a jeweler to help you out. In the end, you get value for your money. These will teach you how to differentiate between different stones. Also, they know market prices; hence you’ll pay for what is worth.
Final Say
Precious stones are indeed valuable. They are worth very many zeros overtime. For instance, if you buy a real diamond, you’ll reap big out of it if you are patient. Therefore, care must be taken before you buy them. Go to trusted Jewelers. Also, ascertain the refund policy in case things turn sour later. It doesn’t hurt to research online on how to avoid being duped. Lastly, seek a professional Jeweler’s help before you buy.